Gua Sha Side Effects

Gua sha causes tiny blood vessels near the surface of the skin called capillaries to burst. This creates the distinctive red or purple bruises, known as sha.

The bruises usually take a few days or a week to heal and can be tender while healing. People can take an over-the-counter painkiller, such as ibuprofen, to help with pain and reduce swelling.

A person should protect the bruised area and take care not to bump it. Applying an ice pack can help to reduce inflammation and ease any pain.

Gua sha practitioners should not break the skin during the treatment, but there is a risk it could happen. Broken skin increases the possibility of infection, so a gua sha practitioner should always sterilize their tools between treatments.

Gua sha is not suitable for everybody. People who should not have gua sha include those:

who have medical conditions affecting the skin or veins
who bleed easily
who take medication to thin their blood
who have deep vein thrombosis
who have an infection, tumor, or wound that has not healed fully
who have an implant, such as a pacemaker or internal defibrillator