So last week my back felt like concrete, you know? Like I slept funny or something. Decided to try cupping after hearing friends talk about it. Found a legit therapist nearby, booked a session, figured why not. Didn’t really know what to expect though.
The First Look Was… Wow
Went in, laid face down. Therapist warmed up these glass cups, placed them on my upper back and shoulders with this little flame thingy to suck out the air. Felt weird, intense pressure pulling my skin up, like a really deep pinch but constant. After maybe 15 minutes per spot, she took them off. Felt looser already, kinda nice.
Then she gave me a mirror. Holy smokes. Dark purple circles everywhere, like big bruises, especially thick over my really tight spots. The therapist called them ‘marks’ and said they were normal, good even – meant stagnant stuff was being pulled out. Okay, cool… but dang, they looked scary. I wasn’t leaving the house without a high neck shirt anytime soon, that’s for sure.
The Long Haul: Watching Them Fade
First 3 days: Colors deepened. Went from purply-red to a serious, dark bruise purple. They felt tender, like a mild bruise does. Made sure to avoid really tight clothes rubbing them.
Around Day 4-5: Finally saw some change! Edges started getting lighter, like the purple was breaking down from the outside in. Started getting that greenish tint in some spots, like old bruises do. Tenderness faded a lot.
Week 1-Week 2: The fade-out show began in earnest.
- By Day 7: Maybe 50% lighter overall? More green/yellow patches.
- By Day 10: Significant fading for most marks, especially the lighter ones placed first or on less tense areas. Down to faint yellowish stains mostly.
- The stubborn ones: Couple of the really dark ones, especially over knots on my right shoulder? Still hanging on like faint brown shadows at Day 12.
Day 14 & Beyond: Got the all-clear from my skin around day 14-15. All traces gone. The super dark ones took maybe 18 days total? Definitely over the two-week mark.
Stuff I Did (And Messed Up) Trying To Speed Things Up
Honestly, seeing those marks kinda freaked me out at first. Wanted them GONE. Tried a few things:
- Rubbing Arnica Gel (like Day 2 onwards): Slapped this bruise cream on twice a day. No idea if it actually sped things up, but it felt soothing.
- Staying SUPER Hydrated: Drank way more water than usual. Therapist said good circulation helps flush things, makes sense.
- Mistake – Trying Heat Too Soon: Dumb move. Around day 3, I thought a hot shower might help… big nope. Made the marks look SUPER red and angry again. Stick to lukewarm.
- Gentle Movement (Walking): Kept moving with walks, avoided anything jarring or heavy weights on my back. Got the blood flowing gently.
- Massage – Nope: Didn’t even try rubbing the spots directly. They felt tender and looked delicate, like skin about to peel after a sunburn, just darker. Left them alone.
The Takeaway: For me, average was 10-14 days for most cups to be gone. The serious ones held on for close to three weeks. Hydration and leaving them alone seemed best. Heat = bad early on. Patience is really the key. They do go away, just feels slow when you see that big purple splotch in the mirror every morning. Would I do it again? Yeah, the relief was worth the temporary tattoos.