Cupping on the face is one of the easiest, quickest and safest ways you can improve your skin. Once you learn the technique, it only takes a couple of minutes of your day to perform it and you can see results right away! Here are some benefits of facial cupping:

  • reduced puffiness and edema by stimulating lymph circulation
  • reduced cellulite
  • imrpoved complexion
  • increased skincare product absorption
  • reduction and prevention of wrinkles
  • relief of facial muscle tension

What is facial cupping?

Cupping therapy is a technique borrowed from Traditional Chinese Medicine but it is also very popular in many cultures in Asia, Russia, Europe and Africa. The technique is amazingly effective for rejuvenation and maintenance of cellulite. Cupping can be performed on the face and the body. In this book, we will focus on therapeutic cupping for the skin.

When the skin is stimulated by this technique, the benefits are not just skin deep. The skin contains a large amount of blood vessels and nerve endings in epidermis and dermis and a fatty layer. Epidermis (the thin outer layer which is 0.1-1 mm thick depending on the body part) does not have any blood vessels or nerves. But the deeper layers that are stimulated by cupping contain a blood vessels and nerves and this network extends to the internal organs as well. From the point of view of Chinese medicine, the stimulation by cupping helps the function of the Lungs which are related to the skin tissue. Lungs are in charge of skin respiration and distribution of energy and body fluids through the whole body. Healthy skin reflects robust Lungs function.

Small suction cups are applied to the skin and gently moved over the skin while maintaining gentle suction. It helps to stimulate the lymph circulation and drainage which helps eliminate toxins and reduces facial puffiness. The cups also draw fresh oxygenated blood to the skin while carry away toxins with the lymph fluid. The effect is more radiant complexion. The muscle cells become less congested and the muscle tension is relaxed. The small lines and wrinkles will be more filled in from better circulation and equal distribution of moisture through the skin layers. Cupping also helps to regenerate collagen and elastin. If you use great facial products, their absorption will also be increased by virtue of better blood flow to the skin surface.

Facial cups

There are many types of cups but for the purposes of rejuvenation, we prefer using glass cups with silicone bulbs or simple silicone cups. They are easy to use and you can simply squeeze them to create vacuum suction before placing the cups on the skin.

How to do it

1) Apply your favorite facial moisturizer or liberal amount of massage oil if your skin is not too oily and can tolerate the oil exposure. In either case you need to apply enough moisturizer or oil to create a slick layer on top of your skin so that the cup can glide easily.

2) Squeeze the cup gently and place it on the skin. The cup should be securely attached to skin through suction. If the cupping is too strong, it will be difficult to glide the cup. If the cup is attached too gently, the cup will loose suction. If you lose suction, simply re-apply the cup and keep going.

3) Repeat gliding the cup 2-3 times.

This whole process should take a couple of minutes.

Where to cup

  • From the center of the chin to the top of the cheekbone
  • From the center of the forehead to the sides of the forehead
  • From the side of the nose to the outer corner of the eye (below the eye)
  • Under the chin – from the center to the outer corner of the jaw (under the jaw)
  • On the neck from the collarbone to the jaw line
  • From the top of the shoulder to the spot below the ear
  • Up and down on buttocks, back and front of the thighs (usually for cellulite)

Precautions of cupping

Precautions of cupping: do not glide the cups over the open sores, pimples or bumpy moles. It is better to avoid these areas altogether. Do not cup over the belly of the pregnant woman.