Cupping: How to do anti-cellulite massage at home?

Cupping: How to do anti-cellulite massage at home?

How to get rid of cellulite fast? The answer is cupping therapy - a procedure that not that long time ago was mainly associated with its applications in medicine, yet nowadays it is clearly taking beauty parlours and SPAs by storm. What are suction cups? How do vacuum cups work? Are they really able to shape our bodies? Discover the secrets of cupping massage and improve your appearance at home.

The health benefits of regular full body massage have been long known to everyone. For many years massages were used to not only cure body but also to soothe the soul. Nowadays, we eagerly turn to various forms of this treatment as we for example willingly expose our bodies to the full body oil massage or the very cupping massage in order to improve our physical appearance. And there is nothing wrong with this because after all one of the main purposes of massages is to make us feel like we are in heaven!

Suction Cups: What are they?

Let us start from the beginning, shall we? Suction cups aka vacuum cups. Year by year their popularity has been continuously growing, a lot has been said about their applications in medicine, yet just few are able to define what they really are. What are suction cups? These are small cups that - as the name speaks for itself - create suction on skin so that blood supply in tissues improves.

In most cases, the cups used for cupping therapy are usually made of plastic material. Rubber suction cup is easier to use than its glass or bamboo alternative. Nevertheless, no matter the type of suction cups used, they all deliver the same effects. They have to be put on the selected body parts, and sucking the skin up, they should be slowly glided across the body.

Cupping Therapy: More than health benefits!

How does cupping look like and what benefits does it actually give us? This is a way to improve blood and lymph flow that is known to humans for centuries. This type of massage was already used in traditional Chinese medicine - at the beginning, they turned to it in order to cure a common cold, boost the immune system but with time the application of suction cups expanded to deal with muscle pain and even backache. This is what inspired people to start using suction cups to do body massage.

Today, we make use of vacuum cups to do anti-cellulite massage. We discovered that apart from stimulating blood flow, suction cups leave skin more resilient and supple. It cannot be denied, application of vacuum cups in anti-cellulite massage is growing in popularity - both in a professional beauty parlour/SPA and at home. Undoubtedly, this is a natural way to shape body, nourish skin and stimulate cell renewal.

What are the benefits of cupping? Each case is different because the possible effects that you can achieve with vacuum cups are closely associated with the problem you want to handle. Still, one thing is certain, suction cups always focus on improving the appearance of skin. This means that if you want to reduce cellulite, cupping therapy will surely help you fight it back, but this is not everything because suction cups can also help you to reduce fat tissue.

Benefits of cupping

  • Boosts blood and lymph flow.
  • Improves the resilience of abdomen, thighs and buttock skin.
  • Speeds up the process of burning fat tissue (lipolysis).
  • Makes body slimmer and slender.
  • Reduces cellulite and brightens stretch marks up.
  • Aids is removing toxins from the organizm.
  • Smooths skin out and improves its elasticity.
  • Makes skin more nourished and leaves it revived.

Step-by-step cupping massage

Vacuum massage done with suction cups giving relaxing and healing effect originates from folk medicine and was later adopted by professional beauty salons, but obviously it can be also performed at home. However, before doing so, you must know how to use vacuum cups correctly. Below you will find a step-by-step vacuum massage guide - especially useful for those who are newbies in doing this form of massage and would like to learn the proper way of using suction cups.

What to begin cupping massage with?

Before reaching out for suction cups and moving on to doing massage, you must make sure that your skin is prepared for this procedure. It is recommended to take a shower in order to cleanse the body thoroughly. Then, the body parts that are going to be treated with a suction cups have to be covered with an olive oil or massage oil, which in fact can be an oil blend containing anti-cellulite agents such as caffeine, sea algae, elderberry, menthol, white tea or capsaicin.

What suction cups should you choose for the massage?

The size of the cup should match both the body part it is supposed to be used on and the needs of the skin. For example, if you want to do facial massage with suction cups, you should go for the smallest cup. Similar case is when you have not used this type of massage before. In general, the more serious problem is or the bigger the body surface you wish to expose to the suction cup, the bigger cup can be used. It is worth realizing that the best suction cup is the one that comfortably lies in and adjusts its shape to your hand. In this way you will make sure that its size is optimal and prevent it from sliding out of your hand during vigorous massaging.

How to do massage with suction cups?

STEP 1. Warm the suction cup to approx. 40°C by immersing it in hot water and keeping it there for a few minutes. Towel dry before use.

STEP 2. It is time to press the suction cup to the skin. In order to do this correctly, you have to squeeze the top of the cup with your fingers, put in on the chosen body part and release the grip by pressing the suction cup to the skin continuously. In this way you will create negative pressure thanks to which the cup will suck the skin and cling to it.

STEP 3. The massage involves sliding the suction cup across the chosen body part without detaching it from the skin. The pressure that affects the skin due to the sucking and gliding the cup improves blood flow and breaks down fat tissue. The gliding should be done in a few directions:

  • first, move the cup linearly, from the bottom part of the body part upwards
  • then use circular motions sideways
  • finally, try to draw an invisible 8s on the massaged skin

STEP 4. If you want to end the massage, you have to remove the suction cup by lifting its edge (mouth) with the fingers and letting the air get inside. It is also recommended to help the skin relax by ending cupping with doing regular massage - gentle circular motions with hands.

How long does cupping massage take?

Home cupping massage should be done on a regular basis. You can expect to notice the desired effects to appear no sooner than after the third session. However, to enjoy the best effects, you should expose the body to the series of 10 massages. Each body part (e.g. abdomen, tights, buttocks) should be massaged with a suction cup from 15 even up to 30 minutes. It is recommended to make at least 3-day break between the sessions.

Oils for cupping massage

In order to make the massage with a vacuum cup easier and efficacious, it is suggested pairing it with a natural oil. For example, it can be massage oil that is often enriched with some extra substances responsible for speeding up the process of burning the fat tissue and improving skin resilience. Nevertheless, it is recommended to try all-natural, cold-pressed vegetable oils. Which natural oils should be used for vacuum massage? Surely, the lightweight ones (just like castor oil) and the ones which do not penetrate skin quickly (e.g. macadamia oil). Otherwise, the oil may not serve its purpose well. Actually, there are two natural oils recommended for the cupping massage.

  • argan oil - is perfect for all skin types, ensures easy glide of the suction cup, protects skin against irritations, maintains the adequate levels of nourishment and moisture in skin and on the top of that it rejuvenates skin and regenerates skin cells.
  • sweet almond oil - since it is not only a potent antioxidant but also it has anti-ageing properties and supports cell renewal process, this oil is recommended mainly to women who struggle with stretch marks after pregnancy as well as persistent cellulite.

Does cupping massage hurt?

One of the frequently asked questions concerning vacuum massage is about the possible pain that this procedure is connected with. Obviously, whether cupping will be painful or not depends on our pain threshold. Indeed, during the procedure a slight discomfort can be felt; it may appear when the cup starts sucking the skin. It is also worth realizing that this feeling can be stronger for those who have never exposed their bodies to cupping massage before, especially when compared to those who have already achieved more resilient and resistant skin.

In order to reduce the discomfort during cupping massage, it is suggested beginning with smaller suction cups and then, over time, replacing them with bigger ones - this is how you can get your skin used to this form of massage. Another way of alleviating the discomfort after vacuum massage is taking a hot shower. This helps relax the body and reduce the risk of possible bruises that may appear after the treatment.

Indications for cupping massage

Anti-cellulite cupping massage. Who can benefit from this treatment? As the name speaks for itself, you should turn to it when you want to reduce orange peel and improve skin resilience. These however are not the only indications for using vacuum cups. Who should consider exposing their bodies to suction cups?

The common indications for using suction cups include:

  • tense muscles and the pain that is strictly connected with it
  • chronic backache or joint pain
  • cellulite, that is uneven distribution of fat tissue
  • blemishing stretch marks
  • body that needs to be slimmed down and shaped
  • low metabolic rate
  • willingness to free the body from toxins

Contraindications for cupping massage

It may seem that cupping massage makes a perfect solution for everybody. However, there are a few situations when exposing the body to cupping massage does not make the best idea. As it is with all treatments, there are a few contraindications to vacuum massage as well.

The common contraindications for using suction cups include:

  • period, pregnancy and lactation
  • problems with fragile blood vessels
  • varicose veins and cardiovascular system disorders
  • all kinds of cancers
  • infectious diseases
  • a fever of unknown origin
  • old age (being above 80 years of age)

If you are not sure whether cupping massage is safe for you, you can consult your physician on this. The GP will advise you if the ailments and disturbing symptoms that you currently observe qualify as contraindications for cupping massage.

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