Cupping massage is a popular health and beauty procedure that helps improve blood circulation. The method is based on the effect of vacuum on the skin, which provokes a rapid rush of blood to the tissues for enhanced nutrition and cleansing of toxins. This method is prescribed as physiotherapy for various diseases; it is also considered an effective healing procedure for cleansing the skin of toxins and normalizing metabolism. In terms of its cleansing effect, it is comparable to visiting a bathhouse, so this procedure is recommended to get rid of excess salts and accumulated toxic substances.
What is cupping massage and how does it work?
Cupping massage has been familiar to many since childhood: even grandmothers used cupping for colds to increase blood flow to the skin. A modern cosmetic procedure works on the same principle: silicone or glass jars are placed on the skin lubricated with a special massage cream, which are tightly suctioned due to the vacuum effect. To reduce the pressure inside the glass jars, oxygen is burned off, and the silicone jars are simply squeezed by the massage therapist’s hand.
The placed cans are moved along the working area of the body in a circular rotational motion, they move along the massage lines. Depending on the purpose, the procedure lasts for 5-15 minutes , after which the cups are removed from the skin. Vacuum therapy provokes a rapid flow of blood to the tissues, so after it minor bruises remain on the body, which, however, disappear quite quickly.
When performed correctly, the procedure causes virtually no pain or discomfort, although the patient feels the pulling effect of the vacuum on the skin. It gives a warming effect, helps reduce muscle pain, and significantly improves well-being in various diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Cupping massage is a quick way to activate metabolism and improve body tone, and it has relatively few contraindications.
How are glass jars worse than the machine?
Glass jars effectively treat the skin and subcutaneous fat. However, after their use, various complications may arise. For example, if cupping massage is performed by a person without experience, skin burns may occur. Therefore, when performing vacuum massage using glass jars, it is necessary to carefully monitor safety precautions.
Hardware massage is simple to perform, unlike massage with glass jars. At the same time, it works just as well in all hard-to-reach areas. After it, as a rule, there are no complications if the technique was followed during the procedure. In addition, hardware massage gives results much faster than manual cupping.
In what cases is cupping massage prescribed? Main indications
The vacuum effect on the skin gives a toning, cleansing, healing effect, so cupping massage has a number of indications:
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical, thoracic, lumbar regions. Massage is prescribed not only for the treatment of the disease, but also for its prevention.
- Scoliosis, radiculitis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Exposure to vacuum improves muscle tone, helps restore normal blood circulation and reduce pain.
- Hypertension in the initial stage. Vacuum massage normalizes blood circulation and helps reduce blood pressure.
- Frequent colds (in the non-acute stage). Vacuum massage helps strengthen the immune system and improves the body's resistance to bacteria and viruses.
- Injuries, bruises in the recovery period. Cupping massage promotes accelerated tissue regeneration, but massage should only be performed by a specialist.
- Fat deposits in problem areas, cellulite. Massaging the thighs and buttocks helps make the skin smooth and eliminate excess fat deposits.
This is an incomplete list of indications. The procedure can be carried out for general strengthening and health purposes; it is used as a way to increase the overall vitality of the body. Cupping massage activates the secretory function of the skin: it is quickly cleansed of toxins, swelling goes away, and the body’s water-salt balance is normalized. Active work of the sebaceous and sweat glands helps remove excess salts from the body, normalize metabolism, and improve overall vitality. Regular courses of health procedures provide a noticeable rejuvenating effect and improve well-being.
Contraindications for cupping massage
Like any other method of treating diseases, cupping massage has a number of contraindications. It is not carried out in the following cases:
- The presence of oncological neoplasms and benign tumors.
- Inflammatory processes in the acute stage, increased body temperature.
- Hypertension in advanced stages. Massage puts additional stress on the heart and blood vessels, so it is necessary to use other treatment methods.
- Skin diseases , the presence of large moles and age spots in the area of massage.
- Kidney diseases , in particular urolithiasis. The procedure increases the load on the kidneys, so it can provoke an exacerbation of the disease.
- Periods of pregnancy , breastfeeding, days of menstruation, period after abortion.
- General exhaustion of the body , insufficient subcutaneous fat layer.
Before using cupping massage for the first time, it is better to consult a specialist and make sure there are no contraindications.
Types of cupping massage
Cupping massage is usually divided into two main types:
- Static (classic) . In this case, several cans are placed on the massaged area; they do not move for 5-15 minutes, depending on the purpose of the treatment.
- Dynamic . In this case, only 1-2 cans are used and they are slowly moved over the massaged area. The dynamic method is used more often and demonstrates higher efficiency.
In some cases, these types of massage can be combined with each other. When carrying out the procedure, children are recommended to use only plastic or silicone jars - air can be removed from them to create a vacuum effect without the use of fire.
Other cupping massage techniques can be used in beauty salons. For example, it can be can-roller: a special roller is installed inside the can, which enhances the impact on the body when moving the container. Hardware vacuum massage is performed using special equipment that changes the intensity of the effect of vacuum on the skin.
Selection rules
Vacuum silicone massage cups
- an excellent alternative to expensive hardware massage. But in order for the method to work, you need to select them correctly. It is worth noting that in the long term, in terms of ease of use and other factors, silicone can be called the optimal material for such medical procedures. The material does not cause allergic reactions, is easy to maintain and store, and is hygienic. In addition, glass and rubber models can also be found on sale. The former are characterized by a higher level of rigidity and, when exposed, can severely injure tissue. The second ones are made of rubber, absorb oil and creams, and over time they can deteriorate and crack, reducing the severity of the effect of the procedure.
Silicone is free from all these disadvantages. It is elastic enough to provide a soft and effective effect on fabrics, is neutral in contact with oils and greases, and does not require preheating. During exposure, if the compression becomes too strong, you can easily remove and reinstall the product on the skin without wasting time.
Vacuum massage cans with a pump deserve special attention
. They use special valves through which you can, by connecting additional equipment, regulate the pressure level in the container. In this case, the intensity of the impact can be varied not randomly, but within the framework of objective control. In addition, the use of products with different diameters will also be important - in sets they are usually present in a fairly wide size range. The only thing worth considering is the need to observe safety measures when working with this type of medical massage devices, due to the risk of tissue injury.
The fate and specificity of the treated area is important. For the face, jar sizes range from 2 to 4 cm; a diameter of 4-5 cm is already aimed at treating the soft tissues of the abdomen. The back, hips, and buttocks are treated with the largest products in terms of coverage area.
On what parts of the body is cupping massage performed? Features of the technique
Salon cupping massage is not cheap, so for health purposes you can try it yourself. At home, not all areas of the body can be massaged; in addition, the massage therapist must act especially slowly and carefully. To carry out the procedure, you will need jars and massage oil - you can choose jojoba oil, olive oil, almond oil and more; you can also add lavender and lemon essential oils to the composition.
Before the procedure, you need to take a bath and exfoliate the working area to thoroughly cleanse the skin and prepare it for the massage. The technique of performing the procedure depends on the area of the body:
- To massage the abdominal area, jars with a diameter of 50 mm are used ; the working area is massaged in a circular motion clockwise. The jar is installed so that the tubercle inside it is no higher than 1.5 cm.
- The buttock area is massaged with jars with a diameter of 50 mm in the direction from the center to the sides. This effect effectively improves skin tone and helps remove the “orange peel” that occurs due to uneven fat deposits due to poor circulation.
- Back massage is carried out in the direction from bottom to top. A layer of massage oil is generously applied to the skin; a jar with a diameter of 50 mm . The jar is placed on the skin and moves slowly without lifting off. When carrying out the procedure, you should not rush: the can will slide off the skin, and a noticeable bruise will appear at the site of the tear.
- The legs are massaged from bottom to top, starting from the knee area. After a massage, it is not recommended to wash it off immediately: if you exercise for an hour, you can significantly increase the effectiveness of the massage to get rid of fat deposits in problem areas.
- The shoulders are massaged from top to bottom; when applying it, it is especially important not to rush. For this area, as well as for the hands, jars with a diameter of 33-44 mm are used .
- Vacuum facial massage is carried out using jars with a diameter of 11 to 22 mm . They move slowly along the massage lines; the impact should not cause pain. As a result, blood circulation increases, skin tone improves, and fine wrinkles are effectively smoothed out.
After any type of cupping massage, it is necessary to take a contrast shower to improve skin tone and treat areas of the body with a softening cream. The marks completely disappear in 3-5 days , and the result can last for several weeks.
Salon procedures are much more effective and safer than massage performed at home. An experienced massage therapist will know how fast to move the cup across the body to ensure a strong enough impact on the skin without causing serious bruising. The correctly selected diameter of the cans allows you to provide dosed vacuum effects with maximum efficiency.
If vacuum massage is performed to combat cellulite and excess fat deposits. It must be combined with proper nutrition and exercise. The vacuum effect itself only helps eliminate the uneven formation of fat deposits, but does not guarantee the formation of an ideally slim figure. Massage can be used as an additional means to improve metabolism and improve skin tone.
Will bruises hurt after cupping?
Patients are often concerned about what marks will remain on the skin after a cupping massage and whether they will hurt. Since the massage involves a fairly intense effect on the skin vessels, it usually leaves spots that normally disappear within 3-5 days. If the massage is performed correctly, the bruises will not hurt and will quickly disappear without a trace. Experienced massage therapists can judge by their color the processes that occur in the body:
- purple spots indicates stagnant processes in the tissues. The patient needs to increase physical activity and regularly undergo massage therapy.
- If red spots with small dark dots appear on the skin, this indicates circulatory problems in the upper layers of the skin.
- If the spots that appear have acquired a bluish tint , this indicates an excess of toxins in the body and the need for cleansing therapy.
- The appearance of swelling in the area of the spots may indicate hormonal imbalances in the body.
Cupping massage can be just one of the procedures in a complex of general health improvement of the body. As with any other medical effect. It should be used after consultation with a doctor, taking into account the individual characteristics and condition of the body. Only in this case will it give a good healing effect without causing harm.
Precautionary measures
It is imperative to monitor the condition of the skin after each procedure. If the skin reacts to the massage with very strong redness, itching, the appearance of a large number of bruises, and the appearance of veins on the skin of the abdomen, then it is better to stop performing the procedures.
Severe redness and itching of the skin of the abdomen may occur due to an allergy to the oils or the material of the jar. To reduce these phenomena, you need to identify the allergen, and then, having eliminated it, begin resuming the procedures.
The appearance of a large number of bruises can indicate several things:
- A type of skin that reacts with the appearance of bruises at the slightest mechanical impact.
- Strong pressure on the skin - in this case, it is necessary to weaken the vacuum in the jar.
If veins begin to appear on the skin of the abdomen during a massage, then it is necessary to urgently stop the procedures. The occurrence of such a reaction to cupping massage may be a sign of a disease of the gastrointestinal tract or venous system, so you should definitely consult a doctor before resuming sessions.
It is also necessary to observe safety precautions when using glass jars. You need to carefully get rid of the air using fire. Otherwise, burns may occur.
