Venues offering Cupping Therapy

Cupping therapy (cupping) is a traditional practice in which glass, silicone or plastic cups are placed on the skin and a vacuum is created inside them. The suction draws the skin and the tissue beneath it up into the cup; the treatment is mostly applied to the back and shoulders. The cupping therapy offered at spas and massage venues is dry cupping, in which no incisions are made in the skin.

Dry cupping versus hijama

Cupping therapy and hijama are often thought to be the same thing, but the difference between them matters for safety. Hijama is wet cupping, in which small incisions are made in the skin and blood is drawn; in Turkey it is regulated as a traditional and complementary medicine practice and may only be performed by certified doctors at authorised healthcare facilities. No treatment involving incisions should be carried out at spas or massage venues; if you are offered such a treatment, question it before making an appointment.

How is cupping therapy done?

For cupping therapy the client usually lies face down. The vacuum is created either by briefly heating the air inside the cup with a flame and placing the cup on the skin straight away, or with a hand pump; flexible silicone cups stick to the skin when squeezed and released onto it. The cups can be placed on specific points and left in place, or glided over oiled skin in a massage-like movement. The treatment is often combined with a massage before or after.

Duration and the marks left behind

In cupping therapy the cups are usually left on the skin for 5-15 minutes; sessions combined with massage mostly last 30-60 minutes. The suction leaves round marks ranging from red to purple where each cup sat, and these usually fade within anything from a few days to two weeks. If you have an event where you will wear a backless outfit, or a beach holiday coming up, plan your appointment accordingly.

Who is it for, and who should avoid it?

Cupping therapy is chosen by adults who feel tension in the back and shoulders and want to try a different treatment alongside massage. It may help reduce the feeling of muscle tension; however, scientific evidence on its effects is limited. The treatment does not cure any disease and does not remove toxins from the body; if you have ongoing pain, see a doctor first.

In the following cases cupping therapy is not given, or a doctor's approval is needed first:

• A bleeding disorder and use of blood-thinning medication
• A history of thrombosis and varicose veins in the treatment area
• An open wound, infection, eczema, psoriasis flare-up or sunburn on the skin
• Pregnancy: not done without a doctor's approval, and not applied to the abdomen or lower back
• Illness with fever, diabetes, skin thinned by long-term cortisone use, and recent surgery

How it differs from similar treatments

At some venues cupping therapy is offered under the name cupping massage; in sessions with this name the cups are mostly glided over oiled skin and the session follows a mainly massage-based flow. Deep tissue massage addresses similar tension complaints with slow, deep pressure applied with the hands, forearms and elbows; it leaves no cupping marks. For muscle fatigue after sport, sports massage may be a better starting point, and for assessment-based work on a specific complaint, medical massage.

Questions to ask before your appointment

When making an appointment for cupping therapy, asking the following makes it easier to make a safe choice:

• Is it dry cupping; are any incisions made in the skin?
• Are fire cups used, or pump or silicone cups?
• Are the cups single-use; if not, how are they cleaned after each client?
• Is the session offered together with a massage, and how long is it in total?
• Has the practitioner been trained in this? To assess a venue's documents, you can read how to tell whether a massage salon is trustworthy.