Cupping, and what the marks actually are
Almost everybody asks the same two questions, so here they are answered before you have to ask them.
It is a lift, not a press
Everything else I do presses into tissue. Cupping does the opposite — it lifts, and it feels completely different. Some people love it immediately and some people decide once is enough. Both are fine.
I mostly use it as part of a session rather than as the whole session: a few minutes on a stubborn area inside an hour of hands-on work.
The marks
They are not bruises in the sense of an injury, and most people find they are not sore to touch. They fade over several days, sometimes up to a week. If you have a wedding, a holiday or anything sleeveless coming up, say so and we will either skip the cups or put them somewhere your clothes cover.
I will show you what has come up before you get off the table so nothing is a surprise in the mirror later.
When I will not use them
Blood thinners, a clotting history, fragile or broken skin, or being on medication that thins the skin. Tell me on the phone and we work without them. It costs the session nothing.
Questions
Does cupping hurt?
It is a strange sensation more than a painful one — a strong pull rather than a press. If a cup is too much I move it or take it off. Nothing about this needs to be endured.
How long do the marks last?
Usually a few days, sometimes up to a week. They fade the way a bruise does, and most people find they are not tender.
Can I have cupping without the massage?
Yes — there is a half hour on the menu for exactly that. But if you have never had it, add it to a massage first: twenty dollars onto whatever you were already booking, and it does not take time away from the hands-on work. I would rather you find out whether you like it inside a session you were having anyway.