Cupping Marks: What Are They? | Vive (2024)

If you’ve been keeping up with the latest trends in fitness and wellness, you’ve probably heard of cupping therapy. This ancient form of alternative therapy involves the use of cups to create suction on the skin.

Cupping can provide a number of health benefits, including reducing muscle soreness, improving range of motion, and relieving pain.

If you’ve ever undergone cupping therapy, you may have noticed that the treatment can leave behind distinctive marks on the skin. Or maybe you’ve seen athletes on social media or TV with those marks.

These marks, also known as “cupping marks” are reddish, purple, or blue round spots that look like bruises. They may be accompanied by swelling or tenderness in the affected area.

So, what are these marks and what do they mean?

Cupping marks are generally considered to be a normal and expected part of cupping therapy. They are not considered to be harmful or dangerous.

They are caused by the vacuum effect created by the cups. This in turn causes blood and lymphatic fluids to flow into the affected area.

Some practitioners believe that cupping marks are a sign that the treatment was effective. They are thought to indicate the release of toxins or the flow of blood and lymphatic fluids.

But lets dig a little deeper to separate myth from fact.

Cupping Marks Come From Negative pressure

When the cups are applied to the skin, they create a vacuum effect that can cause the skin to become red or bruised, a process known as ecchymosis. These marks are often referred to as “cupping marks” or “cupping bruises.”

So how does the negative pressure from cupping therapy create these marks?

The negative pressure created by the cups causes a change in the blood flow and fluid dynamics in the affected area. The suction of the cups can cause the capillaries (small blood vessels) near the surface of the skin to expand. This causes blood and fluids to be drawn into the area.

This increased flow of blood and fluids can cause the skin to become red or bruised looking, leading to the appearance of cupping marks.

Are Cupping Marks The Same As Bruises?

The marks left by cupping may look like bruises, but they are different.

First, it’s important to understand what causes bruises.

Bruises, or contusions, occur when blood vessels, muscle, connective tissue under the skin are damaged. They leak blood into the surrounding tissues.

This can be caused by trauma, such as collisions in sports or a fall. It can also occurs when someone suffers a muscle strain or ligament sprain.

Bruises are usually painful and tender, and they may be accompanied by swelling and stiffness.

On the other hand, cupping ecchymosis is caused by the vacuum effect created by the cups. This is turn causes blood and lymphatic fluids to flow into the affected area.

Cupping marks are generally not painful or tender, and they are not accompanied by swelling or stiffness.

Those Cupping Marks May Assist Healing

Diapedesis is the process by which blood cells, and other substances pass through the walls of blood vessels and enter surrounding tissue. This process occurs from the negative pressure of cupping.

Hemoglobin (the protein that carries oxygen in the blood) is broken down after diapedesis into the molecule of heme.

One theory is that the breakdown of heme may lead to the release of molecules such as carbon dioxide, biliverdin, bilirubin, and iron. This is believed to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

These molecules may help to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, which can lead to tissue damage and impaired healing.

By reducing local inflammation and oxidative stress, the breakdown of heme may potentially promote the remodeling of fascia and the extracellular matrix.

And that’s a good thing. Because fascia is a type of connective tissue that surrounds muscles, organs, and other structures in the body. It helps to provide support, stability, and flexibility to the body. It plays a key role in movement.

However, it’s important to note that this theory is still being studied and is not yet fully understood. More research is needed to confirm the effects of the breakdown of heme on fascia and the extracellular matrix, and to understand the mechanisms behind these effects.

Are Cupping Marks Toxins Being Released?

One of the myths that surrounds cupping therapy is that cupping bruises are a sign of detoxification. According to this myth, the bruises that appear on the skin after cupping therapy are a sign that the treatment is “drawing out toxins” from the body, and that the darker and more extensive the bruises, the more effective the treatment is.

However, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. Cupping bruises are caused by the vacuum effect created by the cups, which causes blood and lymphatic fluids to flow into the affected area. They are not a sign of detoxification, and there is no evidence to suggest that cupping therapy is capable of “drawing out toxins” from the body.

It’s important to note that the human body has its own complex and highly effective system for eliminating toxins and waste products, which includes the liver, kidneys, and gastrointestinal system.

Summary TL;DR

So in summary cupping marks are often a normal and non harmful part of cupping therapy. They are the results of a process called diapedesis and actually may contribute to the healing of local tissues.

It’s important to understand that they differ from bruises which are an indication of tissue damage, And no they don’t indicate the release of “toxins” either.

So if you’re considering trying cupping therapy, don’t be surprised if you end up with some cupping marks. While they may look a little strange, they are generally considered to be a normal and expected part of the treatment, and they are not considered to be harmful or dangerous.