Guasha means “to scratch the skin red” and is a kind of therapeutic massage in which oil treated skin is rubbed by a special comb to produce the desired effects. In this method, the skin on the region of interest is well stained with the therapeutic oil first. Then, it is rubbed with a comb in specific paths like massaging the skin. The rubbing has to be continued till a painless redness is appeared on the region. The oil used for this procedure is chosen based on the medical condition and the therapeutic purpose. The comb is traditionally made from horns of saiga antelope or some other animals. Nowadays combs from stone or plastic origins are replacing animal based material due to animal rights and loss of endangered animals.
Guasha may be used for musculoskeletal problems such as muscle spasm, puscular pains, athletic injuries, disc problems, migraine headache, cosmetic problems, etc. among cosmetic problems, guasha can help to improve the small wrinkles, saggy face and chin and dull face. Furthermore, guasha is a very powerful, safe and commonly used method for detoxification and relaxation. Many people use guasha to prevent problems before any disease occurs.
After a guasha session, there may be some degrees of skin irritation and color change is some cases. This complication is usually painless and will be disappeared spontaneously after few hours or at most few days. However the positive therapeutic effects last for a long time.