Frequently asked questions.
Does it hurt?
Define hurt 😀. Just kidding. It does not. Cupping generally feels like a slight pinch for a second and then the body acclimates very quickly. The small, superficial incisions feel like tiny scratches, and they are so small that it looks like someone dug a nail into the skin - no blood is visible with the scratch. It’s only after the reapplication of the cup and suction that the blood is released.
What’s the difference between moving, fixed and wet cupping? Do I have to do wet cupping?
Do you? No. Will you have better results if you do? Yes.
Moving cupping is when I apply just ONE cup to the area under treatment with just a small amount of suction and then move the cup all over the area. This loosens up the muscles, begins to break apart any tissue adhesions (knots) and increases circulation to the area. Next, I apply a series of cups across the treatment area and apply more suction and leave the cups “fixed” for about 10 minutes, allowing the blood to circulate even more, draw out toxins, and continue to break apart any adhesions. After 10 minutes, the cups are removed and the tiny incisions are made with a very small blade - think of it as an immediate cleanse and detox of all the toxins in the blood and fluids that have become “unstuck” in your body because of the moving and fixed cupping. While your lymph system will hopefully also grab the toxins and eliminate them, the wet cupping helps your body by immediately eliminating them for you.
Will my back look like Micheal Phelp’s with those circles?? How long will they last? Is that bruising??
Well I can’t speak to the muscle definition 😀 but yes, anywhere the cups are applied will look like Michael Phelp’s back! Those circles are not bruised; it’s a process called ecchymosis. Ecchymosis is the leaking of blood from blood vessles into the subcutaneous (fancy way of saying beneath the skin) tissue that lies underneath the skin whereas brusing is true skin discoloration.
What about the little incisions? How do they heal?
They heal on their own! Take a look at this picture - the incisions have already been made but they truly look like just little
nail indentations and there is no bleeding unless the cup and suction are applied! There are many incisions but they are all
very superficial. After the treatment, you continue to apply olive/coconut oil to the area and they heal beautifully!
I want to start living more toxin-free and use better products but I am overwhelmed. Where do I start?
I always tell people two things - start with deodorant and then the next products should be those that you use the most (for most people, this is soap and lotion). Why is deodorant important? Because it is applied to the area of your body with the highest concentration of lymph nodes! I always suggest this deodorant because it not only does what it is suppsed to do - keeps you smelling wonderfully (like for real, everytime someone passes by me, they say, “wow, you smell like a spa!” It’s true. I do 😃) - but it is also FUNCTIONAL. It stimulates your lymphatic system and helps detox your body. If soap and lotion are your two most used products, I like to suggest GO WATERLESS. Water is an unstable ingredient and in order for it to remain stable in a product, the product must have preservatives in it and while there are some naturally occuring preservatives in nature (salt and sugar), these are usually not the preservatives companies use. They are usually using some sort of synthetic, highly processed lab-made ingredient. Go waterless, and you can avoid the extra toxin burden of the preservatives!
