It’s a good question! With all the buzz about face cupping, it’s worth asking whether this ancient beauty and wellness technique actually works – and how. We’ll share what we know about the art and, more importantly, the science of face cupping.
The short answer is, yes, face cupping works! Many who try it notice improvements in their skin’s texture, clarity, puffiness, and elasticity. It’s also an amazing way to relax and de-stress.
Face cupping works by using the pull of suction to boost circulation in the skin and muscles of your face. This nourishes those tissues with oxygen-rich blood, helping to repair and rejuvenate from the inside out. Research has shown that face cupping can help stimulate collagen production and ease muscle tension, which translates to minimized lines and wrinkles, and even a smoother facial silhouette.
Consider face cupping as an alternative to fillers or injections – it’s a non-invasive, all-natural technique to explore before you consider something harsher (and much more expensive). As a first-line therapy, face cupping is a as good as it gets.
Enthusiasts love cupping’s detox properties; scientists point to its push-and-pull motion, which helps flush harmful substances out of the blood vessels, tissues, and fluids that make up your skin. For those seeking clearer complexions, this could be the key to face cupping’s acne-fighting reputation.
Plus, there’s evidence that cupping stimulates production of your brain’s feel-good chemicals, called endogenous opioids – you probably know a type called endorphins – which can help relieve pain and give you a sort of stationary runner’s high.
As cupping is studied more and more, we’re seeing promising links to all kinds of benefits, from headache relief to reduced blood pressure to strengthened all-around immunity.
It’s something practitioners have trusted for thousands of years, though modern research takes time to catch up. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, face cupping was used as a way to unblock stagnation and release the flow of Qi, the body’s essential energy. On the face in particular, cupping has long been practiced in pursuit of a youthful glow, just as we do today.
For the best results with face cupping, we do have a few pointers. Always use facial cups together with a serum, oil, or lotion, so the cups will glide easily over your skin’s surface rather than sticking or tugging. As you move the cups, try to keep a gentle and steady pace, which will help prevent bruising (known around here as “cup hickeys”). Aim for a cupping therapy session two to three times a week, but know that even once a week can help reveal clearer, brighter skin, and give you an equally blissful moment of self-care.