Facial cupping is a transformative and health-promoting technique used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), as well as, other traditional medicine modalities. It's also referred to as "cupping" or "facial suctioning", and it's become more popular with Western skincare enthusiasts more recently.
Facial cupping helps improve the appearance of your face by gradually boosting the health of the facial soft tissue, tightening the skin and restoring volume to the cheeks and jawline. The result is a more youthful and glowing appearance.
Facial cupping is effective in improving circulation and drainage, reducing puffiness under the eyes and much more; however, it's not just for beautification. This treatment has been used for centuries to treat various ailments, including acne, jaw pain, and migraines. In this article, we'll explore how facial cupping works, what benefits you can expect from it, where to buy them online safely, and why it’s great for skin health.
You may be familiar with cupping, the ancient practice of placing warmed glass cups on your body to create suction, and then breaking that suction to relieve muscle pain. Facial cupping is just like this—except it's for your face.
Cupping has been used for thousands of years to treat pain, speed healing, and improve overall health. It's also known as huǒ liáo (火拉疗) in Chinese and daepi in Korean. While it might look strange if you've never seen it before, here's what happens when someone gets a cupping treatment: a small glass jar or other enclosed container is used to create suction over an area of skin that needs healing or relieving from pain. Traditionally, this is done by heating the air inside the cup or jar until it becomes warm enough for the air pressure to create a vacuum seal. In the modern times, the vacuum can be created without using heat. The resulting vacuum pulls the soft tissue and all its fluids upwards, inviting fresh blood into the area, increasing lymphatic exchange, and encouraging all sorts of healing processes.
Facial cupping works deeply into the physiology of the skin, helping to release micro adhesions in the fascia and increase lymphatic flow
Cupping is a form of deep-tissue massage that draws blood and lymph to areas that need it most. This increases circulation, which in turn helps relieve pain, improves muscle function, and relieves congestion.
The benefits of cupping are well documented in the medical literature worldwide. Many health conditions have relied on cupping for treatment and alleviation, including:
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Chronic pain
- Bronchitis
- Colds/flu
- Headaches
- Hypertension
The suction draws blood and lymph to areas that need it most, minimizing the effects of aging. The vacuum pressure pulls stagnant blood and toxins out of the tissues, helping reduce swelling and inflammation—which is especially good for people who suffer from swelling and pain in certain areas of the face and neck, areas with old scars, dull and lackluster skin, and more.
This means that more oxygen gets into your skin, as it works to break down toxins and other impurities. Facial cupping also causes a slight increase in blood pressure, which can help boost your immune system by increasing its ability to fight off infections or disease-causing pathogens that exist within your body's tissues
Cupping boosts the immune system by stimulating the release of white blood cells, aiding in detoxification and healthier skin
White blood cells are a type of immune cell that travel throughout the body and help fight infections, foreign invaders, and other types of attacks on the body. White blood cells are produced in the bone marrow and then released into the bloodstream where they travel to wherever they're needed.
Cupping is thought to increase the number of white blood cells in your bloodstream by stimulating their release. This can help improve your overall immune system health and provide relief from chronic conditions from allergies to arthritis.
Facial cupping also increases blood flow, and oxygen supply and speeds up the skin’s metabolism (yes the skin has a metabolism!), thus allowing more nutrients to move around. This means that the skin can hold on to moisture longer and repair itself more efficiently, allowing for a detoxifying effect, which results in removing toxins that may be present and stagnant. The increased flow of blood will flush out these impurities and improve your overall complexion.
As well as helping with wrinkles, facial cupping also helps with scars – including acne scarring – because it increases blood circulation which stimulates collagen production in the skin’s dermis (the layer beneath our outer layer or epidermis). This gives you clearer pores and makes them appear smaller than before.
Cupping helps to rejuvenate the soft tissue of the face by helping reduce oxidative stress, a major factor in accelerated aging
Oxidative stress is one of the major contributors to aging. It causes damage to DNA and cell membranes, resulting in premature aging of cells and tissues throughout your body. Oxidative stress is caused by a build-up of free radicals—molecules that have an unpaired electron that makes them unstable and reactive.
Free radicals are created in the body by normal metabolism, but they can also be introduced into our systems through pollutants in our environment, like cigarette smoke or car exhaust fumes.
Antioxidants are molecules that neutralize free radicals before they can cause any damage to healthy cells and tissues, thus lowering oxidative stress levels throughout our bodies. Facial cupping increases circulation in this area of skin tissue where it's applied, which stimulates the production of antioxidants like Vitamin C + E + A + D3 in the skin.
Many studies show that facial cupping boosts antioxidant levels within minutes after treatment as well. These results indicate how effective facial cupping therapy could be for reducing chronic inflammation.
Lymphatic drainage is stimulated by cupping, which helps rid the body of toxins and create a slimmer, more toned appearance
The lymphatic system is our body's waste disposal system. It transports toxins away from the cells and helps bring nutrients to them. Cupping stimulates lymphatic drainage by pulling stagnant fluid and moving it along the lymphatic channels which aids in healthier soft tissue and skin.
Proper lymphatic drainage can also be a powerful pain relief treatment. Cupping therapy may help with discomfort related to muscle tension and joint stiffness, with TMJD, a stiff neck, or headaches.
Cupping requires dedication, and commitment to reveal the most productive results
It’s important to remember that like any skincare treatment, it takes practice to perfect. Don't expect immediate results if you're just starting! It's not a magic pill, it takes practice and commitment. It is a complex and powerful technique that requires attention to the sensitivities of your skin.
The result of cupping therapy is absolutely worth the effort! When you use natural holistic tools like vacuum cupping, you are helping your body gradually rejuvenate, help it operate at its optimal and guide it to a better stronger state in all aspects. This means the results will be long-lasting and at no point should you worry about what would happen to this treatment after 15-20-30 years, like the concerns we may have about some of the traditional cosmetology methods.
It's important to use high-quality cups designed specifically for facial cupping
If you're looking to buy a vacuum cupping set, you may be wondering where to look. There are plenty of options out there to choose from. I encourage you to invest in a quality set with product sourcing you can trust.
When seeking out a high-quality facial cupping set, here’s what you want to look for:
- It's important to use cups specifically created for facial cupping. Body cupping sets are made differently and could cause damage to the delicate soft tissue of the face
- Avoid cheap Chinese sets that could be made from toxic materials. This is something that will be pressed into your skin, it’s important to have a standard of purity
- Quality cups are made from medical-grade silicone and glass
- Well-made cups will last a long time if proper care is applied
If you want to try out this amazing technique yourself, be sure to visit YouthRecipes Store to purchase a quality set. You can also depend on us to help with any questions or concerns about using the facial cupping set!
