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Cupping Therapy has 9 recognized types. The four main (technical) types are: dry cupping, wet cupping, sliding cupping, and flash cupping.
And the other five types of cupping are silicone, fire, needle, water, and magnetic cupping. These five types are made from the main technical types yet unique with their own suction method, different cup material, additional material-added. Each type uses cups to pull your skin up with suction. The core concept always stays the same.
Dr. Taylor Cox categorizes the 9 cupping types into four groups:
Dry cupping is the most common type. It’s also the most researched cupping type on the planet. Wet cupping (Hijama) is the only common type that involves small cuts in your skin. Most cupping therapy’s leave round, red marks that look like bruises. These marks fade on their own, usually within two weeks.
| Cupping Therapy Names | How it works | Why people use this type of cupping? |
| Dry cupping | Your provider places cups on your skin and creates suction. The cups stay in one spot for 5 to 15 minutes. | Muscle tension and pain in the back, neck and shoulders. |
| Wet cupping (Hijama) | Your provider applies suction, makes a few tiny cuts in the skin, then reapplies the cups to draw out a small amount of blood. | Muscle and joint pain. Many people also choose it as a traditional practice. |
| Fire cupping | A brief flame heats the air inside a glass cup. As the air cools, it creates suction on your skin. | Deep muscle tension and stiffness, for people who like warmth. |
| Sliding cupping | Your provider spreads oil on your skin, then glides the cups over large muscles. | Tightness across the back, hips and legs, and soreness after exercise. |
| Flash cupping | Your provider places a cup and removes it within seconds, over and over. | A light treatment for people who bruise easily or are new to cupping. |
| Silicone cupping | Your provider squeezes a soft silicone cup, then presses it onto the skin to create suction. | Gentle work on tight muscles, curved areas like the neck, and home use. |
| Needle cupping | A provider trained in acupuncture inserts needles, then places cups over them. | Pain treated with acupuncture and cupping in the same session. |
| Water cupping | Your provider fills the cup partway with warm water before placing it on your skin. | Muscle tension, for people who want a gentle, warm feel. |
| Magnetic cupping | Your provider uses pump cups that have small magnets built in. | Muscle tension. Research hasn’t shown the magnets add any benefit. |
Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine. A trained provider places special cups on your skin and creates suction inside them. The suction pulls your skin, fascia (the thin connective tissue that wraps your muscles) and other soft tissue upward. This pull creates negative pressure, which means the pressure inside the cup is lower than the air around it. Negative pressure draws blood in and puts relief to the treated area.
Your provider places the cups on your back, shoulders, arms, legs or other areas. The cups may be glass, plastic, bamboo, ceramic or silicone. Cupping is a form of traditional medicine that started in China and West Asia. People have used it for thousands of years. Other names for it include cup therapy and suction cup therapy.
If you’re new to cupping, start with what cupping therapy is and how it works.
Most people use cupping to ease muscle pain and tension. Cupping therapy relieves the body by using suction to lift skin and muscle tissues, which improves blood flow, breaks up tight knots, and releases natural pain-relieving chemicals.
Most people use cupping to ease muscle pain and tension. Researchers are still studying how it works. Possible reasons include:
Cupping isn’t a cure. A 2020 review of 18 studies found that cupping eased chronic pain in the short term compared with no treatment. But it didn’t clearly work better than sham (fake) cupping. For that reason, most providers use cupping alongside other care, not on its own.
Cupping is most often done on your back, shoulders and neck. These areas have large, flat muscles where cups seal well. Providers also use cupping on your legs, arms and abdomen. Facial cupping uses special small cups on your face.
Your provider will avoid placing cups on:
All nine types USE A CUP TO CREATE SUCTION on your skin. The list starts with dry cupping, the most common type. For each one, you’ll learn how it works, how it feels, the marks it leaves and who should check with a doctor first.
Dry cupping is cupping that uses suction only, with no cuts in your skin. It’s the most common type of cupping therapy. It’s also called static, stationary or fixed cupping, because the cups stay in one place.
Much of the research on cupping has studied dry cupping for neck and low back pain. Reviews show it may ease pain in the short term compared with no treatment. But it hasn’t clearly worked better than sham (fake) cupping in trials.
Wet cupping (also known as Hijama) is cupping that combines suction with tiny cuts in your skin to draw out a small amount of blood. It’s also called Hijama or bleeding cupping. Hijama is the name used in Islamic and Middle Eastern tradition, where people have practiced it for centuries. You can read more in our history of cupping.
Wet cupping should only be done by a trained provider using sterile, single-use equipment.
Because wet cupping breaks the skin, it carries risks that dry cupping doesn’t:
Researchers have mainly studied wet cupping for muscle and joint pain, in small trials. It hasn’t been shown to work better than dry cupping. Wet cupping is often described as removing toxins, but there’s no evidence that it does. Your liver and kidneys clear waste from your body.
Sliding cupping (also known as massage cupping) is cupping where your provider moves the cups across your skin instead of leaving them in one place. It’s also called massage, running, dynamic or gliding cupping. It works much like a massage, except the cups lift your tissue instead of pressing down on it.
Studies on sliding cupping are small and short-term. There’s no reliable evidence that it improves athletic performance or speeds up recovery from an injury. Some people find it relieves muscle tightness and soreness.
Flash cupping is cupping where your provider places a cup and removes it within seconds, then repeats this many times. The cups never stay in place long. That’s why it usually leaves few or no marks.
There’s very little research on flash cupping on its own. Most cupping studies look at cups left in place. Flash cupping is best seen as a gentler option, not one with proven extra benefits.
Fire cupping is a traditional way to create suction using heat instead of a pump. It’s a method of dry cupping, so there are no cuts in your skin. Fire cupping is one of the oldest forms of cupping, and providers still use it widely in traditional Chinese medicine.
Important Note: The flame never touches your skin. Some providers also slide fire cups over oiled skin, like sliding cupping.
Pump cups make it easier to fine-tune the pressure, so tell your provider if the pull feels too strong.
• Round marks like dry cupping.
• They usually fade within a few days to about two weeks.
• People who like warmth and a traditional approach.
• People with deep muscle tension and stiffness in the back and shoulders.
Burns are one of the most commonly reported side effects of cupping, and they’re linked to heated cups. A trained provider lowers this risk by keeping the flame away from your skin and checking the cup’s rim before it goes on.
• Anyone who takes blood thinners or has a bleeding or clotting disorder.
• Anyone with very sensitive skin or skin that burns easily.
• Anyone who is pregnant.
There’s no evidence that fire cupping works better than cupping with pump cups. Fire cupping over the upper back is a traditional remedy for coughs and congestion. But there’s no good evidence that it helps breathing problems. See a doctor for a cough that won’t go away.
Silicone cupping is cupping with soft, flexible silicone cups instead of rigid glass or plastic ones. You squeeze the cup to push the air out, and it creates suction as it springs back. Because the cups bend, they fit curved parts of your body that rigid cups can’t.
If you plan to use silicone cups at home, ask a trained provider to show you safe placement and pressure first.
Very Little research is done silicone cupping itself. They create the same kind of suction as other dry cupping, only usually lighter.
Needle cupping is a combination of acupuncture and cupping. Your provider inserts thin acupuncture needles, then places a cup over each needle so the needle sits inside the cup. Only a provider trained and licensed to perform acupuncture should do needle cupping.
There’s very little research on needle cupping as its own technique. Some studies combine acupuncture and cupping, and their results are mixed.
Water cupping is a traditional method where your provider fills a cup partway with warm water before placing it on your skin. The water warms the cup and the skin beneath it.
A related traditional method, herbal cupping, heats bamboo cups in boiling water, sometimes with herbs. As the cup cools on your skin, it creates suction.
There’s almost no research on water cupping specifically. There are some claims about water cupping that it hydrates or nourishes the skin aren’t supported by evidence.
Magnetic cupping is cupping with pump cups that have small magnets built in. The suction works the same way as other pump cups. Supporters believe the magnets add an extra effect, but research doesn’t support that idea.
• People who prefer magnet-based treatments.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health studies found no clear proof that magnets relieve pain Any benefit from magnetic cupping most likely comes from the suction, not the magnets.
These methods appear on some lists of cupping types. They’re variations of the nine types above, not separate treatments.
Hot cupping uses cups that are warmed before your provider places them, without an open flame. The warmth adds a soothing feel, much like fire cupping.
Pump cupping uses plastic or glass cups with a valve on top. Your provider attaches a hand pump and draws out air until the suction feels right. Electric cupping uses a machine to create and control the suction. These methods are also called vacuum or mechanical cupping. They give the most precise control over pressure. Many clinics use them for dry cupping.
Facial cupping uses very small, soft cups with light suction on the face. Your provider keeps the cups moving so they don’t leave marks. People use it to ease facial muscle tension and reduce puffiness, though any effect on puffiness is short-lived. Claims that facial cupping boosts collagen aren’t supported by evidence.
The research on cupping is promising but limited. A 2020 review of 18 trials found that cupping eased chronic pain and improved function in the short term compared with no treatment. But it didn’t clearly work better than sham (fake) cupping. The reviewers noted that many of the trials had design flaws.
A 2023 review of the evidence found support for cupping in:
That support ranged from very low to moderate quality. No high-quality evidence was found.
Most cupping studies use dry or wet cupping. There’s little or no research on flash, water or magnetic cupping on their own. For a closer look at each benefit, read about the benefits of cupping therapy.
No. Neither dry nor wet cupping removes toxins from your body. That idea comes from traditional descriptions, not from research. Your liver and kidneys clear waste from your body. The marks after cupping come from blood drawn into the skin, not from toxins rising to the surface.
Cupping therapy is a relatively low-risk treatment when a trained provider does it. Most side effects are mild and short-lived.
Cupping isn’t recommended during pregnancy unless your obstetrician or midwife approves it. Researchers know little about its effects in pregnancy. If you’re cleared, your provider will avoid certain areas, including your belly.
You should also avoid cupping, or talk to your doctor first, if you have:
When to call your doctor
Call your healthcare provider if you have any of these after cupping:
Many types of healthcare providers train to perform cupping, including:
Before your first session, ask your provider:
No type of cupping has been shown to ease pain better than another. Your comfort, your skin and your goal usually decide which type suits you.
| If you… | Consider |
| Are trying cupping for the first time | Dry cupping with light suction, or silicone cupping |
| Bruise easily or want to avoid marks | Flash cupping |
| Have tension across a large area | Sliding cupping |
| Have a tight, focused knot | Dry or fire cupping |
| Like warmth | Fire, hot or water cupping |
| Want the traditional Hijama | Wet cupping, with a trained provider and sterile equipment |
| Want no cuts or needles | Any type except wet and needle cupping |
| Already get acupuncture | Needle cupping |
| Have a pacemaker or insulin pump | Any type except magnetic cupping |
At Hometown Chiropractic in Holly Springs, NC, Dr. Taylor Cox, DC, offers all 9 types of cupping therapy and recommends a type after an assessment.
The main difference between dry and wet cupping is that wet cupping includes tiny cuts in the skin. Dry cupping uses suction only.
| Dry cupping | Wet cupping | |
| Cuts in the skin | No | Yes, tiny and shallow |
| Blood drawn | No | A small amount |
| Marks | Round marks | Round marks plus small cut marks |
| Aftercare | Usually none | Keep the cut area clean and covered |
| Main risks | Marks, mild soreness | Infection, scarring, fainting |
There’s no good evidence that one works better than the other for pain. Dry cupping is the less invasive choice.
Fire cupping isn’t a separate treatment from dry cupping. It’s one way to create the suction for dry cupping. Fire cupping uses heat, while other dry cupping uses a pump or a silicone squeeze. Some people prefer fire cupping for its warmth and tradition. Pump cups are easier to adjust and carry no burn risk.
Stationary cupping leaves the cups in one spot for 5 to 15 minutes. It focuses on a specific area, such as a tight knot in your shoulder. Sliding cupping moves the cups over oiled skin. It covers a larger area with lighter suction and usually leaves streaks of redness instead of circles.
Different websites list different numbers of cupping types because they mix three things together:
A 2018 research review groups cupping into six categories:
The same type of cupping also goes by several names. This table matches the names you may see to the types in this guide.
| Name you may see | What it means |
| Static, stationary or fixed cupping | Dry cupping with the cups left in one spot |
| Massage, running, dynamic, moving or gliding cupping | Sliding cupping |
| Bleeding cupping or Hijama | Wet cupping |
| Vacuum, pump or mechanical cupping | Dry cupping with a hand pump or machine |
| Hot cupping | Cupping with pre-warmed cups and no flame |
| Acupuncture cupping | Needle cupping |
Most providers use glass or plastic cups, but cups come in several materials.
| Material | How suction is made | Notes |
| Glass | Flame or pump | Lets your provider see your skin during treatment. The usual choice for fire cupping. |
| Plastic | Hand pump or machine | Lightweight and easy to adjust. The most common choice for pump cupping. |
| Silicone | Squeezing the cup | Soft and flexible. Good for sliding, curved areas and home use. |
| Bamboo | Heat, often from boiling water | A traditional material. You can’t see the skin through it. |
| Ceramic | Heat | A traditional material that’s less common today. |
| Metal | Heat | Rare in modern practice. |
On average, providers use three to five cups in a session, though they might use up to seven. It’s uncommon to use more than seven cups at once. To learn how cups changed from bamboo and clay to modern glass and silicone, read our history of cupping.
Flash cupping and silicone cupping are usually the gentlest. Flash cupping keeps the suction brief, and silicone cups create a lighter pull. Most people feel pressure rather than pain with any type. Wet cupping adds a brief sting when your provider makes the small cuts.
Cupping marks usually fade within a few days to about two weeks. Flash and sliding cupping tend to leave lighter marks.
Providers use three to five cups on average, and sometimes up to seven. Sliding cupping may use just one or two cups that move across a larger area.
Yes, with silicone or plastic pump cups made for home use. Ask a trained provider to show you safe placement and pressure first. Never try wet, fire or needle cupping at home. These types carry risks of infection, burns and injury.
No single type has been proven best for back pain. Most back pain studies used dry cupping. Sliding cupping suits tension spread across your back, while dry or fire cupping suits a tight, focused area.
Want help choosing the right type for you? Book cupping therapy in Holly Springs.
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