Cupping is the term applied to a technique that uses small glass cups or bamboo jars as suction devices that are placed on the ski to disperse and break up stagnation and congestion by drawing congested blood, energy or other humors to the surface.
In dry cupping, the therapist will simply place the suction cups on the skin. In wet cupping, the practitioner will make a small incision on the skin and then apply the suction cup to draw out small amounts of blood.
There are several ways that a practitioner can create suction in the cups. One method involves swabbing rubbing alcohol onto the bottom of the cup, then lighting it and putting the cup immediately against the skin.
Suction can also be created by placing an inverted cup over a small flame, or by using an alcohol-soaked cotton pad over an insulating material (like leather) to protect the skin, then lighting the pad and placing an empty cup over the flame to extinguish it.
Flames are never used near the skin and are not lit throughout the process of cupping, but rather are a means to create the heat that causes the suction within the small cups.
A more modern version of cupping uses a rubber pump instead of fire to create a vacuum inside the cup.
Sometimes therapists use silicone cups, which can move from place to place on your skin for a massage-like effect.
People get it for many purposes, including to help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and well-being, and as a type of deep-tissue massage.
Cupping has been said to promote healing and has been used for sore muscles.
Cupping treatment can also strengthen the body’s resistance, restore the balance between positive and negative forces, remove disease-causing factors, and promote blood circulation.
Cupping has also been used for
- back and neck pain
- skin diseases such as acne and hives
- lowering cholesterol
- migraines
- knee arthritis
- improving immune function.
- brighten skin
- minimise the appearance of scars, fine lines, and wrinkles
- tone chin, jawline, neck, and decolletage
- decrease puffiness
- regulate oil production
- improve nutrient delivery and product absorption
Furthermore, cupping can be used for cosmetic reasons, for example, to enhance one’s assets.
In a recent video which went viral on Twitter, a woman was shown getting ‘cupped’ on her buttocks and the results were outstanding; an instant bum lift.
The technique is called fire cupping and the flames create a vacuum of hot air around the butt cheek, sucking it into the pot and making it swell.
The results are pretty amazing and the cheek in the video immediately inflates to twice its size giving an instant Kim K style booty without the surgery.
The problem is, of course, the butt will gradually deflate over the next couple of days.
Would you dare try it for yourself?