Gua Sha & Other Beauty Secrets

Facial Gua Sha for Puffy Eyes & Dark Circles

Facial Gua Sha for Puffy Eyes & Dark Circles. The treatment of the skin known as facial gua sha involves “scraping” the skin with your fingers, hands, or a tool.You do not tear or bruise the skin, but you produce enough pressure to increase the flow of blood and oxygen to the area you “scrape.”

The idea is to nourish the face by allowing a constant flow of oxygenated blood, full of nutrients, to the area. When qi and nourished blood flow smoothly, the skin feels smooth and looks vibrant.

Think of beautiful skin like the leaves of a tree. You could provide all the sun and air you want to the leaves, but if the roots do not draw moisture from the soil to nourish the leaves, the roots grow weak, and the leaves wither and die.

Learn more about facial gua sha here.

Puffiness under the eyes, often referred to as eye bags, are addressed through the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM views health as a balance of the body’s vital forces, and imbalances can manifest in various symptoms, including puffiness under the eyes. Here are some TCM patterns and approaches that may be associated with eye bags, in addition to facial gua sha:

Spleen Qi Deficiency:
- Symptoms: Puffiness, particularly in the morning, along with fatigue and digestive issues.
- Treatment: Focus on tonifying the spleen with herbs like ginseng, astragalus, and incorporating foods that support spleen Qi, such as root vegetables.
Kidney Yin Deficiency:
- Symptoms: Puffiness with dryness, possibly accompanied by signs of yin deficiency.
- Treatment: Nourishing kidney yin with herbs like goji berries, rehmannia, and incorporating hydrating foods.
Dampness Accumulation:
- Symptoms: Puffiness due to fluid retention, feeling heavy or bloated.
- Treatment: Clearing dampness with herbs like tangerine peel, poria, and incorporating diuretic foods.
Poor Blood Circulation:
- Symptoms: Puffiness with dark circles, indicating possible blood stagnation.
- Treatment: Improving blood circulation with herbs like safflower, peach kernel, and incorporating foods that promote circulation.
Lung Qi Deficiency:
- Symptoms: Puffiness along with fatigue, shallow breathing.
- Treatment: Tonifying lung Qi with herbs like ginseng, astragalus, and incorporating deep breathing exercises.

Dark circles under the eyes are associated with various TCM patterns, and treatment involve addressing the underlying imbalance.

Here are some common TCM patterns related to dark circles and potential approaches, in addition to facial gua sha.

Blood Stagnation:
- Symptoms: Dark or bluish circles, possibly with puffiness.
- Treatment: Herbs or acupuncture points to invigorate blood circulation, such as safflower, peach kernel, or frankincense.
Spleen Qi Deficiency:
- Symptoms: Pale circles, tiredness, digestive issues.
- Treatment: Tonifying herbs like ginseng, astragalus, and licorice to strengthen the spleen.
Kidney Yin Deficiency:
- Symptoms: Dark circles with dryness, possibly accompanied by other signs of yin deficiency.
- Treatment: Nourishing herbs like goji berries, rehmannia, and schisandra to tonify kidney yin.
Liver Qi Stagnation:
- Symptoms: Dark circles due to emotional stress or frustration.
- Treatment: Herbs and acupuncture to soothe liver Qi, such as bupleurum, mint, or acupuncture on specific liver points.
Lung Qi Deficiency:
- Symptoms: Pale circles, fatigue, shallow breathing.
- Treatment: Herbs and techniques to tonify lung Qi, such as ginseng, astragalus, and deep breathing exercises.

In addition to herbal remedies and acupuncture, lifestyle adjustments are often recommended in TCM. These may include dietary changes, stress reduction techniques (such as tai chi or qigong), and adequate sleep.

In addition to herbal remedies and acupuncture, lifestyle changes play a crucial role in TCM. Adequate sleep, a balanced diet, regular exercise, and stress management techniques, such as tai chi or qigong, can contribute to overall well-being.

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