Skin Suction

The procedure being performed on this man’s back looks a lot more painful than it feels. The welts it causes are the result of a treatment called cupping—a traditional healing practice that’s been used in Chinese, Egyptian, and Middle Eastern cultures for thousands of years.

Today, some medical doctors offer cupping as an alternative to conventional treatment options for pain and muscle soreness. Despite looking like it would hurt, “it’s very comfortable,” says Dr. Houman Danesh, who directs the pain management department at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

To perform cupping therapy, a doctor places special cups made of plastic, glass, or squishy silicone wherever a person is experiencing pain. A doctor uses a handheld pump to suck air out of the plastic cups or squeeze silicone ones to draw up the skin underneath. A flame may be used to heat the air inside glass cups. The cups are then immediately set on the body. As the air inside the cups cools, suction is created, which pulls up a person’s skin.

All these methods produce the same effect, says Danesh: “Suction pulls layers of skin and tissue away from muscle, which relaxes tightness and relieves pain.” However, it can also create large purple bruises. That’s because the increased pressure bursts tiny blood vessels, causing blood to pool under the skin. After the treatment, the welts may be tender to the touch. “This isn’t harmful, and the bruises do go away,” says Danesh. “For some patients, a bruise is a small price to pay