Gua Sha For Nasolabial Folds: The Technique That Actually Works

Short answer: gua sha can visibly soften nasolabial folds that are caused by midface volume loss, fluid retention, or muscle tension — which is most of them before age 50. It won't erase deep folds caused by true bone-level volume loss in older faces. The key is that you don't treat the fold itself. You treat the cheek tissue above the fold, lifting it upward so the fold has less to rest in. Here's the exact technique, how long to expect to see results, and when gua sha has hit its limit.

This piece is a slice of the bigger story — our full amethyst gua sha guide covers the whole method.

Why nasolabial folds form in the first place

The nasolabial fold (often called smile lines or laugh lines) is the crease that runs from the side of your nose down to the corner of your mouth. Everyone has one — it deepens with expression and smiling, and in that sense it's a feature, not a flaw. What people usually mean when they say they want to "get rid of" nasolabial folds is: they want the fold to be less deep when their face is at rest.

Three things make that resting fold look deeper:

• Midface volume loss. Cheek fat pads shift downward over time, which piles tissue up above the fold and makes the crease more pronounced.
• Fluid retention in the cheek. Puffy cheeks exaggerate the fold by adding weight above it.
• Chronic muscle tension. Tight elevator muscles around the nose can hold the fold in a permanently-active position.

Gua sha can meaningfully address all three. What it cannot do is replace lost volume at the bone level, which is what fillers or fat transfers are for.

The technique (don't work the fold, work the cheek above it)

This is the single most important thing to understand. Dragging a gua sha stone along the nasolabial fold itself does almost nothing. You want to work the tissue above the fold, lifting it up and out toward your temple. Every stroke pulls weight off the crease.

Prep

• Clean skin, 2 drops of rosehip oil pressed into the cheek
• Open your neck drainage first: 5 slow glides down the side of the neck, ear to collarbone, each side
• Use the long, curved edge of the stone

The 4-part sequence

1. Under-cheekbone scoop (10 strokes per side). Start at the side of your nose, just under the nostril. Press the long edge of the stone under your cheekbone and sweep outward and slightly upward toward the top of your ear. You're scooping under the cheekbone, not over it. This is the move that lifts the midface.
2. Direct fold glide (5 strokes per side). Place the stone flat along the fold itself. Glide it from the corner of your mouth upward to the side of your nose. This is the one time you work the fold directly — it helps break up the muscular tension that holds it in place. Light pressure.
3. Cheek to temple sweep (8 strokes per side). From the corner of your mouth, sweep the stone diagonally up and out across the cheek to the temple. This drains fluid out of the cheek and lifts everything above the fold.
4. Temple press and release (5 times per side). Park the stone at your temple and press firmly for 2 seconds, then release. This is a lymph-pump move — it empties what you just drained from the cheek.

Finish by re-opening the neck: 5 slow glides down each side of the neck.

Total time: about 3 minutes. Doing this every morning for 4–6 weeks is what produces visible change.

What results to expect, week by week

• Immediately after first session: the cheek looks a little lifted, the fold slightly softened. Lasts a few hours.
• Week 2: less morning puffiness in the cheek, fold looks less deep first thing in the morning.
• Week 4: visible softening of the resting fold, especially if fluid retention was part of the problem. People might comment that you look "rested."
• Week 6–8: midface holds more lift throughout the day. Fold is meaningfully shallower but still present.
• Month 3+: diminishing returns. Whatever's left is structural — bone, ligaments, or deep volume loss — and gua sha can't touch that.

Common mistakes

• Working the fold, not the cheek. 90% of your strokes should be on the tissue above the fold, lifting upward. Only a few go directly on the fold.
• Pulling down instead of up. Every single stroke near the cheek should go up and out, never down or inward. Down strokes train the exact tissue drop you're trying to reverse.
• Skipping the drain. If you don't open the neck at the start and close it at the end, you're just moving fluid around your face. It has to exit through the lymph nodes.
• Not enough oil. The cheek area needs generous slip. Dry dragging here will cause red marks and pulling — see gua sha left red marks on my face.
• Doing it once a week. Nasolabial folds respond to consistency, not intensity. Daily is the minimum for visible change.

When gua sha has reached its limit

If you've been doing this daily for 3 months and the fold hasn't meaningfully changed, you're probably dealing with true volume loss at the fat-pad or bone level. Gua sha cannot replace lost tissue. At that point your options are:

• Dermal filler in the midface (lifts the cheek, which softens the fold indirectly)
• Thread lifts or microcurrent devices for further non-invasive options
• Keeping the gua sha routine anyway — even if it's not erasing the fold, it's preventing it from getting worse

Honest answer: most people in their 20s and 30s will see real softening. Most people in their 50s and 60s will see only subtle change, and will likely want to combine gua sha with in-office treatment for dramatic results.

Lifestyle things that make a real difference

• Sleep on your back when possible (side sleeping compresses one cheek into the pillow all night)
• SPF every day — UV is the #1 driver of collagen loss, which is what makes folds deepen
• Nightly rosehip oil for the linoleic acid and natural retinoic acid
• Enough water, less sodium at dinner — reduces fluid retention in the cheeks

FAQ

Can gua sha get rid of nasolabial folds completely?

No. Everyone has nasolabial folds and always will. Gua sha can soften them significantly by lifting the midface tissue above the fold. The goal is "less deep at rest," not "gone."

How long does it take to see results from gua sha on smile lines?

First visible softening at 2–3 weeks of daily practice. Meaningful change at 4–6 weeks. Peak results around 8–12 weeks.

Should I push the gua sha stone along the fold itself?

Only lightly, and only for a few strokes. The majority of the work is on the cheek tissue above the fold, lifted upward toward the temple.

Is gua sha or facial exercise better for nasolabial folds?

They do different things. Gua sha drains fluid and lifts tissue. Facial exercise strengthens underlying muscle. Done together they're more effective than either alone.

Can gua sha make nasolabial folds worse?

Yes, if you repeatedly drag the stone downward on the cheek. That trains the exact sagging you're trying to reverse. Always work up and out.

What's the difference between this and a cheekbone sculpting routine?

Lots of overlap. A cheekbone routine emphasizes lifting the cheek upward, which directly helps the nasolabial fold. See our 5-minute morning gua sha routine for the full sequence we use every day.

Written by the BY RITUEL team — we use these tools every morning.