We often discuss silicone cupping in our articles, but we relatively rarely mention that it can be used as a part of facial rejuvenation treatments! It makes sense: cupping can help promote blood circulation, reduce muscular tensions, and facilitate healing, as well as help smooth out the skin both temporarily and long term. These effects can also help make one’s skin look younger and more radiant! So why not put some of your regular silicone cups on your face? Well, for one, most cups are too large, and regular cupping treatments often leave red marks, which is an understandably undesirable side-effect if it occurs on the face. Another consideration is that an intense degree of suction can break capillaries and aggravate rosacea: because the skin on the face is thinner, it is more fragile than the one on the back, where cupping marks will always disappear after a few days.Given these very real concerns, how can we then adapt this practice to facial treatments? It’s a two part answer: first, it’s important to purchase the right format of silicone cups, which is to say much smaller, elongated ones; and it’s best to avoid stationary treatments, and to instead opt for flash cupping and cupping massage. It’s also preferable to choose non-comedogenic products as lubricants for this practice.While you can, of course, use oil, it’s best to avoid the ones that are more prone to blocking pores. Targeted lotions and creams also make fantastic choices. Instructions:
- Make sure that your skin and hands are clean and dry before the treatment. If you’re using cups as a part of your routine, you may choose to use non-irritating exfoliants or cleansers beforehand.
- Apply moisturizers, lotions, creams or oils on the face, without rubbing them in too vigorously. They will serve as lubricants: it’s important that they cover the treatment area uniformly to provide an even, low friction surface.
- Gently massage your skin, moving away from your nose. The pressure should be enough to activate some blood circulation, but shouldn’t be intense enough to be uncomfortable.
- Choose the right size cup for the area, then squeeze it and place it on the skin. You may feel a very light pinch or a sensation of tightness, but it should not be painful: pain is an indication that you’ve squeezed the cup too hard, and you should remove the cup immediately.
- For cupping massage: Gently lift the cup by a millimetre or two, creating a tension, then slide it in even, slow motion across the treatment area. Repeat until you’ve massaged every centimetre of the area. For optimal effects, move away from the nose, with the lymphatic system, in a slight upwards arc.
- For flash cupping: Remove the cup after 5 to 10 seconds and repeat step 3 until you’ve used the cup on the majority of the surface area.
- Gently massage the treatment area with your hands for a few seconds, and then the treatment is over!
- You may want to gently wash your face with water, as the cups can lift out dead skin cells from your pores; if you’ve already used a cleanser beforehand, simply pat down the excess oil or lubricant.
If you are interested in these simple but great products, you can refer Lierre on line shop@: https://www.lierre.ca to know more details. On the other hand, there is a Cupping FAQ page you can find more as well. For others cupping massage therapy, licensed acupuncturist Xiao Lei Wang offers professional treatment per your request.