Cellulite is a common problem that most women experience at some point in their lives. It has nothing to do with being overweight and even the slimmest woman can be affected by dimpling of skin (otherwise known as cellulite). Cellulite has an orange peel appearance and can appear anywhere on the stomach, thighs, hips, and bottom.
These dimples are fatty deposits, toxins, and impurities that haven’t broken down and remain underneath the skin. The main cause of cellulite is poor circulation. When the blood circulates well, it helps to break down these fatty deposits and removes them via the body’s natural lymphatic drainage system. Other factors of cellulite include poor diet, fluid retention, lack of exercise and genetics.
There are lots of faddy diets and so-called “miracle” cures that target cellulite reduction but generally, they don’t work. Yes, they might make your skin feel softer and smoother but the underlying dimpling won’t disappear unless circulation is vastly improved. Deep tissue massage can make a difference in cellulite-busting but actually, there’s a far better, far more successful alternative therapy treatment and that’s cupping.
What is Cupping Massage?
Excellent for boosting the lymphatic system and detoxing the body, cupping is favored by many celebrities worldwide, including Victoria Beckham and Gwyneth Paltrow.
The Ancient Chinese therapy dates back over 5,000 years and is an alternative practice that has numerous benefits. From aiding muscular recovery post-workout to reducing stretch marks, banishing cellulite and boosting weight loss, it’s a relaxing treatment that generates superb results as long as it’s practiced with care.
Using warmed suction cups that are usually made out of flexible plastic (or sometimes glass), the massage therapist places cups on areas of concern and this creates a vacuum between skin and cup. The cups are slowly moved over the skin and then they are left on the skin for a while (sometimes up to 15 minutes).
Once the massage is complete, they are gently removed so as not to damage the skin. They do leave marks on the skin. The darker the mark, the more toxins present. Marks typically last anything from three days to three weeks but are nothing to be alarmed about.
Does Cupping work for Cellulite?
The answer to this is it definitely helps to reduce the appearance of cellulite but it depends on how significant your cellulite is. Many Hollywood celebrities swear by cupping and there are lots of truth in vacuum treatments on the skin. These types of treatments definitely help to boost circulation in areas where lymphatic drainage is sluggish and they help the skin to increase its elasticity.
Cupping for cellulite tutorial![]()
and before and after pictures:
How to Use Cupping Therapy at Home
It’s possible to use cupping therapy in the comfort of your own home, either on yourself or with the help of a partner. You need a set of cups (choose something with multiple sizes so you can use it on different parts of the body), a warm room and a little patience to get it right.
Here’s how to reduce cellulite:
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- Shower and wash your body
- Remove any body hair as this prevents achieving good vacuum with the cups
- Make sure your room of choice is warm and comfortable
- Prepare your cups, connecting the extension
- Apply oil or massage cream (some cups cannot be used with oil) to the area of concern
- Warm your cups
- If your cups are flexible, squeeze them gently to get rid of any air
- Place the cup on the area of concern and tighten the piston on the top (if your set has these types of cups). This should create a nice vacuum between the cup and your skin
- Then gently move the cups around the area without releasing any air and without applying too much pressure. Do this for a few minutes
- Place the next cup and continue until you’ve covered the entire area (thighs, abdomen, hips, bottom)
- Finish off by applying a little more pressure
- Gently remove each cup taking care not to pull away from the skin as this can cause blistering and damage to the skin (if your cup has a piston on top, simply unlock it to release air)
- You will likely have red rings left on your body from the cupping; this is entirely normal and they will fade between 3 days and 3 weeks.
Now you’re ready to try cupping massage at home.
Cupping Massage Therapy Set
Lure Cupping Therapy Massage Set
This set comprises of a variety of different sized cups and retails at approximately $27 (depending on where you buy it from). Effective for cellulite massage, boosting weight-loss, muscle pain and muscle recovery it’s a useful set that can be used for lots of therapies.
The cups are made out of silicone so they won’t harm your skin, there are no phthalates present and they’re lightly flexible which makes this set ideal for beginners. Being pliable, you can use these cups for gliding cupping massage or static. The set also comes with a useful downloadable instruction guide which gives you extra tips on best practices.
They’re also packed in a useful travel-friendly zip-locked case for storage. Easy to grip, the cups are ideal if you want to use massage oil too as they still create a good vacuum. Possibly the best set if you’re new to cupping, they create an instant vacuum and glide over the body with just a little pressure required from you.
