When scraping the lower legs, the following precautions should be taken:

  • Before Scraping
    • Select appropriate tools: Use scraping boards with smooth edges and no damage, such as ox horn scraping boards, jade scraping boards, etc. At the same time, prepare media such as scraping oil or Vaseline to reduce the friction between the scraping board and the skin and avoid skin damage.
    • Keep the skin clean: First, wash the skin of the lower legs thoroughly to remove dirt and grease, and keep the skin clean and dry to prevent infection during the scraping process.
    • Adjust the body state: Ensure that the body is in a relatively relaxed state before scraping. Avoid scraping when you are overly fatigued, hungry, full, or emotionally agitated. Also, choose a warm, comfortable, and quiet environment to avoid getting cold from the wind.
  • During Scraping
    • Master the correct technique: Hold the scraping board and make an angle of 45° to 90° with the skin. Scrape unidirectionally on the lower legs with moderate force, generally from the knee towards the ankle, and avoid scraping back and forth. The movements should be stable and continuous, and the speed should not be too fast or too slow.
    • Control the scraping force: The force should be moderate, within the tolerance range of the patient. For those who are scraping for the first time or have a weaker constitution, the force should be lighter, and it can be appropriately increased after gradually getting used to it. Avoid using excessive force that may cause skin damage or excessive pain.
    • Pay attention to the body’s reaction: Closely observe the patient’s expression and physical reactions during the scraping process. If the patient experiences discomfort symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, and nausea, stop scraping immediately, let the patient lie flat and rest, and drink some warm water. Seek medical attention in a timely manner if necessary.
    • Avoid special areas: Avoid areas with skin damage, ulcers, inflammation, allergies, etc., as well as bony protrusions at joints, areas with obvious blood vessels, etc., to avoid causing damage or discomfort.
  • After Scraping
    • Pay attention to skin care: After scraping, the skin pores are in an open state. Avoid taking a shower or coming into contact with cold water immediately to prevent cold and dampness from invading the body. It is generally recommended to take a shower 2 to 4 hours after scraping, and use warm water. At the same time, do not scratch the scraped area with your hands to avoid skin damage and infection.
    • Replenish water: The scraping process will cause the body to sweat and consume a certain amount of water and energy. Therefore, replenish an appropriate amount of warm water in a timely manner after scraping to promote metabolism and help the body recover.
    • Avoid getting cold from the wind: The body is relatively weak after scraping, so pay attention to keeping warm and avoid being exposed to the wind, especially avoid the cold wind from an air conditioner or a fan, to prevent wind-cold pathogens from invading the body and causing a cold or other discomforts.
    • Observe the body’s changes: Pay attention to observing the color and condition of the skin of the lower legs and the overall physical reactions after scraping. If there are symptoms such as local skin redness and swelling, increased pain, large ecchymosis, or systemic symptoms such as fever and fatigue, seek medical attention in a timely manner.

In addition, pregnant women, women during menstruation, people with a bleeding tendency (such as thrombocytopenia, leukemia, etc.), and patients with severe heart disease are not suitable for scraping the lower legs. If you have any questions, you can consult a professional traditional Chinese medicine doctor or a scraping therapist first.