Every so often, another wellness trend emerges that involves gentle massage, pressure, kneading, or similar bodywork—sometimes with an instrument—that heals the wear and tear of everyday life. The latest trend you might’ve seen is gua sha (pronounced gwa shah), and though it’s having a moment in 2026, it actually dates back thousands of years in Chinese medicine.
What is it?
Gua sha involves gently scraping or massaging your skin with a piece of jade or quartz. According to Chinese medicine, this moves your qi (your vital animating energy, pronounced chi) through your body.
As for the science, the Cleveland Clinic notes that there’s not enough research to say for certain that gua sha works, but it’s offered by acupuncturists and massage therapists who say it does offer benefits. They don’t lean into the idea of circulating your qi, and instead they emphasize something else that circulates through your body: your blood. The very light pressure with these stone instruments stimulates your circulation, which can:
1. Promote healing and reduce inflammation by increasing blood flow to sore or irritated muscles
2. Relieve knots or tension
3. Move lymphatic fluid from your face, reducing puffiness
When a massage therapist performs gua sha, you might notice reddish-purple spots form on your skin. This could look like a rash upon first glance. It’s actually what’s known as petechiae, tiny blood spots under the skin where the massage device has broken capillaries. The Cleveland Clinic explains that, scientifically speaking, these tiny blood spots could prompt your body to promote healing in this area. You might see some visible redness at first, but it will go away after a few days.
So, what’s the conclusion?
Science might not support gua sha definitively, but the explanation behind it makes some sense. There’s little risk (as long as you don’t do it over a rash or irritated skin), so if the gentle massage feels good, go ahead and let your massage therapist or acupuncturist perform the practice.
