This At-Home Body Cupping Kit Has Saved Me Hundreds On In-Office Treatments

Chances are you've heard of cupping. Maybe you were introduced to the circular dark red bruises à la Michael Phelps in the Olympics in 2016 or from one of the many professional athletes, wellness enthusiasts, and TikTokers who have sported cupping marks since then.

If you've experienced cupping firsthand, you're likely familiar with the traditional Chinese medicine–based practice's tension-relieving, detox-inducing effects—but did you know you can achieve all these benefits of cupping from home? 

While I'm a big fan of daily facial cupping (even Mama Medicine loves it), I was a bit skeptical about how effective at-home body cupping would be—especially because I swear by my biweekly acupuncture and cupping appointments. How could a case of silicone cups that cost me less than $70 get me the same benefits as a practice I'd been dropping over $100 per month on?

As an athlete, I was first drawn to cupping for its recovery benefits. I thought if one of the most medaled Olympians in the world is cupping, it must have an impact. Licensed acupuncturist, board-certified Chinese herbalist, and co-founder of WTHN acupuncture studio, Shari Auth, confirms, "Cupping is often used by athletes to speed recovery after difficult workouts and to keep muscles energized." 

I personally have turned to cupping while training for multiple marathons, and it gives me a looseness in my muscles that a typical (and still essential) stretching routine just does not achieve. The cups act as a suction against your skin to improve circulation, pulling tension from your muscles and toxins from your body. The results are similar to a really great massage—but the process simply uses pulling instead of pushing.

Whether you're training for a 5k or simply increasing the intensity of your typical training, Auth recommends cupping as a way to ease the stress put on your body. She further points out that research1 proves the treatment has a "significant effect on relieving muscle fatigue." 

WTHN created its at-home body cupping kit as a way to make cupping more accessible and to help people heal from their own homes. The set of eight silicone cups comes in a sleek black case that can easily be tossed in your luggage or bag, so you can truly achieve the benefits of cupping from anywhere. I'd know, I just packed my kit and brought it to Europe for the Berlin marathon—that's how obsessed I am.

Auth says the cups can be used two to three times per week, or as often as you see fit. You can use them anywhere on your body, but (as a runner and someone who sits a lot for work) I mostly use them to relieve tension in my back, legs, and shoulders.

Better yet, the cups are incredibly easy to use. You'll simply place them on your skin, push down on the top, hold for a few seconds, and release. This process suctions the cups to your body, and you can remove them about 15 minutes later.

Ah, yes, the famous cupping marks. When I first started getting cupping, I would be stopped regularly and asked about the circular bruises on my back. Now, with the practice becoming more mainstream, it happens far less frequently.

I actually like sporting my recovery marks, as it feels like evidence that the treatment actually works. In reality, it's just a sign of increased blood flow. However, if you're deterred by the visual appearance, rest assured knowing the bruises typically fade within 10 days (though it can take as little as three). I've never had cupping marks last longer than five days, but it all depends on how your body heals.

My favorite fact? The color and darkness of the marks can actually be informative. It indicates what may be happening within a specific area of your body, and the brand even offers a visual to help you get better insight about your cupping bruises. I've noticed my cupping marks getting lighter and lighter, which means my body is getting even healthier, according to WTHN's handy chart.

While, yes, I'm always one to try a new fitness trend or recovery method, I wouldn't have been dropping money on regular cupping sessions for the past five years if I didn't feel the results. And while I won't sit and calculate all the money I could have saved had I been introduced to WTHN's body cupping kit sooner, let's just say I'm going to have a lot more room to splurge on other recovery tools in the future.