Gua Sha, Jade Roller, and What's the deal with lymphatic drainage?

Have you ever heard of a gua sha? Or maybe a jade roller? They are both great tools that positively affect our lymphatic drainage. Although they can be similar in their origins–they’re construction is a bit different as well as the purpose they serve. 

What specifically are their differences? For example Jade rollers are (as the name suggest) a roller attached to a handle, while the Gua Sha is a flat stone that can fit in your hand.

They both have a similar origin in traditional Asian medicine, although their history points to some of those differences in how they were used.

The Asian origin especially shines through in the Chinese term Gua Sha and the meaning of the term even gives instructions on how to use it. Of course each world can have different but similar translations, but essentially Gua means scrape and Sha can mean red. Or as this scholarly article put it, “Gua more accurately describes repeated, unidirectional, pressured stroking with a smooth edge over a lubricated area until sha blemishes appear…Stroking is then applied to an adjacent stroke line until sha appears”[2]. Essentially, you scrape until your skin becomes red, and then you move to a different section and repeat.

Unlike the Gua Sha, the Jade Roller played a part in religious practices as well as being “believed to have anti-inflammatory benefits that kept the skin looking bright and youthful.” [1]. The jade roller has a softer touch that glides over the skin–it rolls instead of scrapes. It seems its name is also quite indicative of its use.

If they can be so helpful, what are they made of? We’re glad you asked! 

Primarily, they are made from crystals, although Jade is in the name, they can be made from different things such as rose quartz, amethyst, and tourmaline [1]. 

Although many traditional and spiritual beliefs are tied to the various qualities of different crystals, there isn’t much research on whether different crystals actually produce different results when massaging your face. 

One thing that has been showed through scientific study, is that these tools can in fact help with circulation [2]. A study was conducted at the University Hospital of Essen, Germany where volunteers were treated with a Gua Sha. The study concluded that the “Gua Sha caused a fourfold increase in microcirculation PUs at the treated area for the first 7.5 minutes following treatment and a significant increase in surface microcirculation during the entire 25 minutes of the study period following treatment” [2]. In layman's terms–Increase the circulation —-> Increase blood flow and collagen/elastin. Hello glow!

Beyond being a help with circulation, the Gua Sha and roller can be used to help with lymphatic drainage. Why is that so cool? It can help with inflammation and there are quite a few different conditions that are treated with lymphatic drainage (most related to lymphedema). 

• Chronic  venous insufficiency
• Fibromyalgia
  
• Lipedema
• Rheumatoid arthritis

There is also the cosmetic reason that it is so popular–it’s great at “reduce[ing] puffiness in your face, giving your skin a glowing boost” [3].

The Cleveland Clinic, in their article, also listed some other great benefits of lymphatic drainage:

Overall, the Gua Sha and Jade Roller are some pretty amazing tools that become gamechangers for your skin and overall health. 

Here are some tips for their use! 

• Make sure to clean them after each use to avoid spreading nasty bacteria that can break you out.

• Don’t skip the use of oils or lotion to lubricate your skin before starting. This step helps to prevent skin damage and irritation.

How Flying Cow tallow, Gua Sha and Jade Rollers work TOGETHER.

Here’s a fun fact! Our tallow works great as a way to lubricate your skin before using the Gua Sha or roller.

From personal experience, when you do a facial lymphatic massage, there is a noticeable difference in facial bloat and definition! 

So, whether it’s lymphatic drainage (think less bloat more toned face), more blood circulation (think more elasticity and less wrinkles), or just the pleasure of getting a facial massage, one thing is for sure: With time and consistent use, these ancient tools will leave your skin feeling and looking like a million bucks! 

We suggest taking a picture and using daily  for two weeks- you won’t believe the results!  We have some of our faves that we love in store, so come in and treat yourself today! 

[1] https://www.styleseat.com/blog/gua-sha-vs-jade-roller/

[2]https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1550830707001772?via%3Dihub

[3] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21768-lymphatic-drainage-massage

Author: Ally Rankin.

Ally is a beloved part of the Flying Cow Fam. She manages our Lubbock, TX store with her BFF Atlas (shop pup!), who is usually found snoozing in the back. She got her Bachelors degree from Texas Tech where she majored in English and minored in Technical Communications. And when she’s not creating content, managing her team, or writing blogs, she can usually be found making a new cup of coffee–she promises it’s not a problem.