I'm Over The Moon (Face) About Anti-Inflammatory Practices: Gua Sha, Ice Globes, and Lymph Node Facials
unlock your lunar glow and diminish prednisone symptoms
Chances are if you have been prescribed prednisone or similar corticosteroids, you’ve probably woken up and looked like this in the mirror:
It can be a bit jarring at first, annoying after a while, and absolutely maddening after months. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot we can do about it… trust me I’ve tried. I have, however, found a few techniques that have helped slightly— please notice I said slightly— alleviate the facial puffiness. It’s not an overnight fix, and it does take adding a few steps into your skincare/self care routine, but the results are noticeable over time.
Step 1: I added one step into my shower routine, and this works especially well if you shower at night. I have a shower gua sha that I use after I have applied cleanser on my face. I gua sha each side of my face in three sections, ten times each.
Here is a good tutorial if you are a newbie:
I find that doing this before bed helps reduce swelling overnight and I don’t wake up so puffy in the morning.
Pro Tips:
Be careful in the area just under your eye where your face is most tender, you can cause damage to this area if you use your tool too hard.
Don’t press down too hard with your gua sha as you are massaging your face. This can irritate your skin and cause swelling of its own.
Be careful around the area of your thyroid. Especially for us that are autoimmune, it’s extremely important we are considerate of that area not to irritate it.
Begin your gua sha routine by gently stimulating your lymph nodes. This helps to facilitate the movement of fluids and encourages drainage, allowing any retention to be effectively released.
Here are a few on Amazon:
Step 2: Ice Globes
Now, this next step took some getting used to and may feel quite painful at first, but I promise after you’re finished the tension in your face will feel so much better.
I keep a pair of ice globe rollers in my freezer at all times. When I wake up in the morning I gently roll them across my skin in the same movements that I use the gua sha. See tutorial here:
(Tutorial starts at 2.40)
Here are some Ice Globes on Amazon:
Plum Beauty Facial Ice Globes - $13.69
If you are looking for a free option, you can always do a polar face plunge by filling up a bowl of ice and water right in your kitchen.
Here’s an article with more information for that route: Ice Bath For Face - Well and Good
Step 3: This is where I may lose some of y’all. If you’re here because you are autoimmune like myself, you may not be the best at personal wellness. If you're nodding along because you're the eldest daughter in your family, you'll understand this next part. Prioritizing self-care isn't always our strong suit, especially when it comes to time and money. But trust me, investing in yourself is worth it.
Get a monthly facial! Seriously. I have a membership at Hand and Stone and I have a Saturday facial on the last Saturday of the month, like clockwork. I always ask for any techniques that are anti-inflammatory but I also ask for a lymphatic node massage. After my facials is when I personally see the biggest difference in my moon face.
My husband thinks Step 4 is more noticeable so let’s move along.
Step 4: Join a sauna. I specifically use Hotworx, but a lot of gyms have saunas available for use.
Here’s an interesting article on infrared sauna’s and autoimmunity: Dr. Amy Myers
Now, I’m not a medical professional, and you will need to discuss with your doctor what is best for your treatment, but after I leave the sauna, I can immediately tell a difference in my inflammation, especially the moon face.
Step 5 Embrace our moon face with (a little) grace. Living in an era where effective treatments exist for our condition is a privilege. When we consider the grand scope of our lives, a little puffiness seems trivial. These tips just aim to alleviate some of the frustration we may experience.
In conversations about how we're feeling, we often find ourselves instinctively mentioning our swollen faces or attributing puffiness to medication. There's a fear that others might perceive it as a personal shortcoming, fueling our social anxiety. However, our loved ones see beyond the surface; they recognize the strength of someone who has overcome significant challenges, and still continue to show up for ourselves daily. While we may feel embarrassed, our loved ones view us and say “Wow, what a bad ass!”
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional nor do I intend to give medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or supplemental routine. I am just offering up what I have found that helps me, AIH varies from patient to patient and you have to find what works for you.