Fire Cupping 拔罐

What it is

A glass cup is briefly warmed with a flame and placed on the skin. As the air inside cools it contracts, and the cup draws gently upward. The flame never touches you — it heats the air in the cup, and the cup is placed after.

This is fire cupping rather than the plastic pump kind. The physician chooses where the cups go after the consultation, and may move them along the muscle rather than leaving them still.

What a session is like

You lie down and the cups stay in place for several minutes. The sensation is a firm, steady pull — most people describe it as a deep stretch rather than a pinch. Say so at the time if a cup feels too strong; it can be released and reset immediately.

The marks, and how long they last

Cupping therapy is an ancient practice that involves placing specialized cups on the skin to create suction. This suction draws the skin and underlying tissues into the cup, which increases blood flow, loosens muscles, and helps to detoxify the body. The marks that appear after a cupping session are not bruises but rather a result of the embedded toxins being lifted. The appearance of these marks can vary widely depending on several factors, including the individual's health, the intensity of the suction, and the location of the cups. The colour of the marks may range from bright red to dark red to purple to dark purple, they are usually painless and fade over time, typically within a few days to two weeks.

Worth planning around if you have a wedding, a holiday or anything sleeveless coming up. Tell the physician and she can work on areas your clothing covers.

Before your first session

Tell the physician at the start if you are pregnant, take blood-thinning medication, bruise very easily, or have any skin condition, recent burn, wound or mole in the area. None of these means you cannot be treated — they change where the cups go and how strongly.

Afterwards

Keep the area covered and warm for the rest of the day, and leave swimming, a sauna or a hot shower directly on the marks for another time. Drinking water is the usual advice.