Photos of deep purple cupping circles can suggest stronger is better. Here is why the mark is only one observation, and what is more worth discussing after a session.
Social media is full of dramatic cupping photos, dark circles across shoulders and backs. It is easy to assume the darkest marks belong to the most effective sessions. That assumption does not hold up.
Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, offers cupping at the Lane Cove clinic and encourages people to look past the colour.
The strength of suction, how long the cups stay in place, your skin type and your individual response all affect what you see afterwards. Two people can receive similar treatment and leave with very different marks. A vivid circle does not show that more benefit has taken place.
Many people know the feeling of tenderness after a deep massage and wonder whether cupping marks are similar. Both are responses of the body, and neither is a reliable scorecard. The more useful question for either therapy is whether daily activities feel easier and whether you were comfortable during and after the session.
When it comes time to choose whether more sessions make sense, return to your original reason for trying cupping. Consider your comfort, the recovery of your skin, any change in function and the other options you could choose instead, including massage or simply a period of rest. The mark is one detail in that picture, not the deciding factor.
If you have questions about where cupping fits among the therapies you already use, a short discussion in Lane Cove before booking a session can help you decide calmly.
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