Face cupping is a technique that will give you a facelift without needles, pain or injection

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Face cupping is a technique that will give you a facelift without needles, pain or injection


Face cupping, practitioners believe, can offer some dramatic results, a natural facelift – similar, they find, to Photoshopping. While this might be music to any skin lover’s ears, how does it actually work? We ask the experts to weigh in.

What is face cupping?

Face cupping has been around for centuries and finds mention in Chinese, Korean, Tibetan and other Oriental traditions. Lee Zavorskas, Esthetician and Owner of Holistic Skin & Tonics, explains that this method was originally called ‘Jiao fu’, which means ‘animal horn’ and adds that in ancient times people used animal horns as cupping tools. “Face cupping is a gentle suction treatment that uses soft silicone or glass cups to encourage lymphatic drainage,” explains International Skin Expert and Consultant Avni Amlani. 

How does it work?

This treatment works by improving blood flow to the surface area of your skin. “Gentle suction is created by squeezing the facial cup onto an area of the face, which draws blood into that area. This increases the blood flow into the skin underneath the cup area and surrounding tissues, encouraging the formation of new blood vessels,” says Zavorskas.

The benefits

Dr. Geetika Gupta, Aesthetic Physician and Medical Director at ISAAC Luxe, says, “Face cupping is extremely effective and helps boost blood circulation and collagen. It only relieves muscle tension but also aids in cell repair and regeneration. It helps detoxify the skin, slows the ageing process, encourages lymphatic drainage and reduces the appearance of fine lines, puffiness and wrinkles, leaving you with brighter, more toned skin.”

The right strokes

Amlani recommends getting a trained professional to do this treatment as they would understand the channels and meridians for lymph drainage. But for those who want to try this at home, she advises taking a class from a professional practitioner to learn the technique until you are knowledgeable enough to do it on your own. “Start with a gentle cleanser. Ensure the cups are cleaned with cleanser or micellar water. Apply a face oil or serum to reduce friction between the cups and your skin. With sweeping strokes, guide the facial cup upward and outward. Use a squeeze-and-release technique to glide your facial cup along your skin, and use your free hand to anchor the skin behind the cup for a smoother glide and to prevent pulling. Post-treatment, it’s important to stay hydrated by drinking water, ideally with fresh lemon to drain out excess toxins,” she suggests. Zavorskas cautions against using the cups on the carotid and the jugular vein. “You never go up and down with a facial cup as it will back up lymphatic fluid,” she adds. Stick to not more than twice a week, as over-cupping can make your skin more elastic and cause it to sag over time. 

How is it different from kansa and gua sha?

Vibhuti Arora, face yoga and face tools expert and founder of House of Beauty, explains that gua sha involves stroking the face with natural stones to contour and sculpt. In contrast, kansa, the Indian alternative to face rollers, works on cooling the skin, reducing acne and channelling the natural flow of chi (energy) into the marma points of the body. “Face cupping, however, uses the suction method to boost collagen and lift the skin, although, like the others, it also helps tone the face and gives you a lit-from-within flush,” she says.

It can be a double-edged sword

While face cupping can indeed be your go-to skin investment, there is a need for caution. Celebrity Dermatologist, and Founder & Creator of Sol Skin Corp, Dr. Rashmi Shetty, warns that you can bruise your skin if done wrong. “If the suction pressure is too much, cup size is not right, or the way you draw the cup on your skin after the suction pressure is applied, you may end up with broken capillaries, bruises or micro cuts on your skin, which makes the skin sensitive to whatever you apply next. In delicate areas, such as under the eye, it can even cause the skin to loosen, which can attract fluid to that area causing an increase in eye bags,” she says. 

While Amlani confirms that there is no age limit to opting for this treatment, she advises those with thin, crepey skin to avoid it as the slightest suction can rupture the tiny capillaries visible with this skin type. Lastly, face cupping should also never be done over botox or filler areas of the face.

Also read:

Facial cupping is trending due to its circulation and lymphatic drainage benefits

The Victoria’s Secret Angel-approved facial you need to try

These are the non-surgical facelift treatments to consider for glowing skin



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