1. Avoid wind and keep warm during gua sha treatment
During gua sha treatment, it is important to avoid wind and keep warm. If the room temperature is low, try to minimize the exposed areas. In hot summer, do not perform gua sha near a fan or in a drafty area. When gua sha is performed, the skin pores open and sweat is released. If exposed to cold wind, the evil qi can enter the body through the open pores, not only affecting the effectiveness of gua sha but also potentially causing new diseases.
2. Drink a cup of hot water after gua sha treatment
Gua sha treatment stimulates the sweat glands and expels evil qi, which consumes some of the body's fluids. After gua sha, drinking a cup of hot water can replenish the lost fluids and promote metabolism, accelerating the elimination of metabolic waste.
3. Time to bathe after gua sha treatment
After gua sha treatment, to avoid the invasion of cold wind, it is necessary to wait for the skin pores to close and return to their original state before bathing, usually around 3 hours. However, during the bathing process, gua sha can be performed when the body is still wet. As the pores are slightly open during bathing, gua sha at this time requires less time and produces significant results, but it is important to keep warm.
4. Different gua sha techniques for different skin conditions
For patients with skin diseases such as neurodermatitis, vitiligo, or psoriasis, where the affected areas are dry, non-inflammatory, without exudation or ulceration, gua sha can be directly applied to the affected areas. Gua sha can also be directly applied to painless benign nodules on the skin or subcutaneous tissues. However, for inflammatory skin conditions with purulent inflammation, exudation, or ulceration, or for acute inflammation characterized by redness, swelling, heat, and pain such as eczema, herpes, boils, abscesses, etc., gua sha should not be directly applied to the affected areas or inflamed areas, but can be performed around the affected areas.
5. Gua sha techniques for diabetic and lower limb varicose veins patients
Diabetic patients have reduced skin resistance and increased fragility of blood vessels, so purgative gua sha technique is not suitable. For patients with lower limb varicose veins or localized edema, tonifying gua sha technique or flat gua sha technique can be used to perform gua sha from the distal end of the limb towards the proximal end to promote blood circulation.
