09/03/2026
Cupping marks can look dramatic, but they’re not actually bruises.
The cups gently decompress the tissue by drawing it upward, separating the muscle fibres releasing tight, restricted areas.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine this helps move Qi and Blood, clearing what we call stagnation in the channels.
That’s why the marks can vary in colour:
• Dark / purple → more stagnation in the tissue
• Red / pink → circulation moving
• Light or none → tissue already quite balanced
As circulation improves, the marks usually fade within a few days.
Cupping is often incorporated into treatments to support recovery and restore healthy tissue movement.
Have you ever tried cupping before?
