Deborah Tosline wrote and published “Skin Remodeling DIY: An Introduction to the Underground World of Do-It-Yourself Skincare” in 2015. Her approach to skin care is based on a scientific background, love of research and over 30 years of DIY skincare experience.

Follow Skin Remodeling DIY on Facebook for weekly messages on health and beauty.

Cupping therapy is an ancient practice that has been used for thousands of years in China, Egypt and Middle Eastern cultures. Cupping consists of applying a vessel in the shape of a cup, under a vacuum, to the skin to gently suck the skin and soft tissue into the vessel. In the past, cupping treatments used a glass cup. A vacuum is created by heating a glass cup or by using a device or bulb to create a suction. Cupping may also be done using soft plastic, rubber or silicon cups. In facial cupping, the cup may be left in place briefly or moved across the surface of lubricated skin while maintaining suction. Cupping is used for pain relief, musculoskeletal injuries, inflammation and lymphatic drainage. Anecdotal evidence associated with the benefits of cupping spans thousands of years but high-quality scientific cupping studies are lacking.

Based on my personal experience, a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) facial cupping massage is an easy, inexpensive treatment that may be used to increase circulation, loosen stiff facial fascia and muscles, promote facial lymphatic drainage, reduce inflammation and treat scars.

I purchased a set of three glass cupping devices fitted with suction bulbs about 15 years ago from eBay. The cups that I purchased are 2.5, 2.0, and 1.5 inch inside diameters. At the time, I did not know how to use the cups and the cups were too large for me to easily use for DIY facial cupping. I attempted a couple of facial massages and never used the cups again, until now. In October 2020 I acquired a two-inch laceration down the middle of my forehead and developed an atrophic (depressed) scar. I’ll write more about my scar and my DIY scar treatment in a future article.

An atrophic scar results in an indentation in the skin and may occur due to acne or trauma. Internet searches showed that suction may be beneficial for smoothing atrophic scars. One article recommended using microdermabrasion to use suction to lift atrophic scars and to smooth the skin surface.

I immediately purchased a microdermabrasion machine to treat my scar. I was somewhat desperate while waiting for the delivery when I remembered my glass cupping set. I began using the smallest cup in the set (1.5 inches) on my scar when my wound had healed seven days following the injury. It was a relief to lift the scar using suction and to dramatically increase circulation at the scar site. I began moving the cup up and down my scar and back and forth and soon I was gliding the cup under vacuum across my entire forehead. That is when I experienced my first true facial cupping massage.

It was love at first swipe. I found DIY facial cupping to be easy and beneficial.

As I moved the cup across my forehead, the skin and soft tissue were sucked into the cup and I could feel the underlying fascia, tissue and adhesions release and become more supple. I now believe that facial cupping is an important tool that may be used to maintain the health of facial soft tissue in addition to other methods like trigger point therapy, manual facial massage and facial exercise.

While the cup was under vacuum, I glided the cup in circles, up and down and from side to side across my forehead. I could feel popping sensations as the tight fascia and small adhesions released. I now use cupping on my facial scar several times every day and am grateful for this treatment. I give myself a full facial and neck cupping massage two to three times a week, it takes me about 5 to 10 minutes for a quickie.

In addition to releasing tight fascia, facial cupping increases circulation, plumps the skin, helps move stagnant lymphatic waste away from the face and may help you achieve a smooth forehead. As a bonus, facial cupping is soothing and feels great!

After my first successful DIY facial cupping massage, I realized that I would prefer a set of smaller cups. I purchased a small diameter cupping set from Amazon (not affiliated) cup sizes: 1.5, 0.8, 0.65, and 0.35 inch inside diameters. For DIY facial cupping massage, I recommend using a cupping set with small diameter cups. Small cups may be used for scars, lips, eyes and hard to reach areas. Larger cups may be used for the forehead, cheeks, jaw, and neck. I prefer to use glass cups fitted with suction bulbs but I am open to trying silicon cups one day.

Facial Cupping Massage

Prepare the skin for a DIY facial cupping massage

Prepare the skin by washing the face and removing any makeup. Apply a small amount of a pure natural lubricant. I use a good quality raw organic oil such as coconut oil, avocado oil, rosehip oil or a blend that contains cocoa or shea butter but any oil or vegetable butter will do. I have also successfully used fresh aloe vera gel.

Apply the cup(s)

It may be easiest to begin on the forehead. I squeeze the suction bulb on my cup, apply the cup to my forehead and release the bulb. If the cup is in full contact with the skin it will create a pressure that sucks the skin into the cup.

Flash Cupping - Squeeze and Release

The squeeze and release method involves applying the cup to the skin with a slight vacuum and then quickly popping the cup off the skin. This applies a quick pressure to the skin to promote increased circulation and skin plumping.

Leave the cup in one location for 10 seconds and check it

This method is not recommended by folks on the internet. Personally, I leave the cup in one location over my scar or facial lines for 30 seconds to one minute and find the increased circulation and skin lifting to be beneficial. You may briefly leave the cup in one location, remove the cup and check the skin response. The skin will be red due to the increased circulation but this should diminish quickly. If you leave the suction on the skin too long, you may get a temporary red mark. For example, I left the cup in one place on my lip for too long and got a little red mark that disappeared in two days. It was easy to cover with makeup. I am not typically concerned about temporary red marks on facial skin that result due to skin care treatments. I learned from Deborah Crawley, founder of Flex Effect facial exercise, that when you bruise the skin on the face, it becomes stronger after it heals, so I don’t mind a little facial bruise now and then.

This video shows a facial cupping massage using silicone cups.

Move the cup across the facial skin

Apply the cup to lubricated skin under a vacuum and glide the cup across the face. You may move the cup from the middle of the face out towards the edge of the face, I used this practice. You may also follow typical facial lymphatic massage methods. I used my facial lymphatic massage practice to guide my DIY facial cupping massage. When treating my forehead I moved the cup up and down, back and forth and in circular motions to loosen forehead tension.

Facial skin may benefit from any treatment that increases circulation, brings color to the skin and increases lymphatic drainage.

Facial cupping massage is a low cost, effective treatment that can make a difference in skin health with consistent use. I still have a small dent in the lower portion of my forehead scar but most of my scar is smooth. I hope to smooth the entire scar over the next year using facial cupping and microdermabrasion. In the meantime, facial cupping massage has become a part of my skin care routine.

If you need more information, go to the library, search the Internet, read my past Blog articles, or get my book “Skin Remodeling DIY: An Introduction to the Underground World of Do-It-Yourself Skincare” 

Take good care of yourselves!

XO Deborah

This article is intended to be used as general information only and is in no way intended to replace medical advice, be used as a medical treatment program, diagnosis, or cure of any disease or medical condition. There are no warranties, expressed or implied, regarding the effectiveness of the practices described in this article. Products or substances discussed herein are for educational purposes only and are not intended as recommendations of the author.