I Tried Facial Cupping for 1 Week!

Facial Cupping is a practice that has been used for years to help give the skin a youthful appearance. Can something so simple truly yield such great results? I wanted to put it to the test and see what facial cupping would do for my skin. I tried Facial Cupping for 1 Week.

What Is Cupping?

Cupping is an alternative therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine that helps to stimulate muscles and skin tissue in both the face and body. It can be an effective, cost-effective way to relieve tension in the muscles, aid in cell repair and regeneration. Its earliest uses date back to Ancient Egypt!

How Does It Work?

As the suction cup pulls the skin, it pulls blood into the area saturating skin tissue underneath the cup with fresh blood and promotes the formation of new blood vessels.

“The vacuum-like suction separates different layers of tissues, resulting in microtrauma and tearing. This triggers an inflammatory response, flooding the area with white blood cells, platelets, and other healing aids.”

— Healthline.com

What Are The Benefits?

This practice is known for its ability to increase circulation of oxygen-rich blood, strengthen skin and connective tissues, stimulates collagen production, relaxes tense muscles and allow products to penetrate easier.

Because of these benefits, you may see:

• brighter complexion

• minimized appearance of scars, fine lines, and wrinkles

• toned facial muscles (including chin, jawline, neck, decolletage)

• decreased puffiness in the face (because of fluid drainage)

• oil production regulation

• better product absorption

The Cupping Process

To use: gently squeeze and apply to the skin. Release pressure to latch on to the skin. Apply light pressure and glide across the skin. Squeeze onto the cup once again to release the suction hold. Work each site 3x before moving onto the other side. Work one half of the face at a time and repeat on other side.

Unlike body cupping, the goal is not to leave any marks. The suction should not leave any marks or bruising if you keep the cup moving.

Two kinds of cupping:

1. Site cupping: Rest cup on the skin for several seconds before moving

   • done over deep wrinkles to plump the area and bring fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the skin.

2. Gliding Cupping: Suction and gently glide cup along the face.

   • Reduces congestion and encourages lymphatic drainage

Two cupping speeds:

1. Slow: increases lymphatic drainage, reduces puffiness

2. Fast: increase circulation, stimulate collagen, improve elasticity

My Experience

The Facial Cups I used are from Amazon. 

Please Note

• do not wear makeup during the cupping process

• stay hydrated before and after treatment

• do not shave or do hair removal because the skin may be more sensitive

• do not apply heat or go out into sun for 12 hours after treatment

• you may experience breakouts resulting from bringing toxins to the surface so do this treatment 3-5 days before an event (risk of breakouts decreases with regular use)

Do not use if any of these are on the skin:

• cold sores

• severe acne

• cuts, open wounds, sores

• swelling, fresh bruising

• bleeding or have broken capillaries

• eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis

• bleeding

• over moles skin tags, warts

Cupping Instructions

1. cleanse face

2. tone skin

3. exfoliate

4. apply a thin layer of oil (you may add more later)

5. starting off with 1-inch cup, move outwards from the center of decolletage (clavicle) chest to neck, and up towards the ear (repeat 3x)

6. cup center of chin and glide along jawline towards ear (repeat 3x)

7. using 1/3 inch cup, suction upper lip center and glide along lip curve towards the corner of the mouth (repeat 3x)

8. Sit cup on each deep wrinkle (along smile lines starting from the nose downwards, along lip creases) then repeat step 5,6 to drain lymph nodes with the 1-inch cup.

9. Using 1/3 inch cup, suction from the inner eye, gliding cup outwards (repeat 3x)

10. continue, just beneath the browbone gliding towards the tail of the brow (repeat 3x)

11. site cup corner of the eyes (outer eye wrinkle lines, between eyebrows)

12. with the 1-inch cup, suction the center of the cheek (beside nose) and glide outwards towards temples/top of the ear (repeat 3 times) and continue moving slightly downwards repeating until you reach jawline, then repeat step 5,6 to drain lymph nodes.

13. begin at the center of the forehead between the brows and glide towards the temple/above ear (repeat 3x) continue moving the cup slightly upwards in the same motion until you reach the hairline, then repeat steps 5,6 to drain lymph nodes.

14. suction cup to face and glide in swift circular motions to increase circulation

15. repeat steps on the other side of the face