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The colour of a cupping mark depends on suction, time and your skin, not on how much good was done. Here is what to focus on instead.

The trouble with dramatic photos

Social media is full of backs covered in deep purple circles, which can leave the impression that stronger cupping must be more effective. The appearance of a mark actually depends on several factors: the amount of suction, how long the cups stay on, your skin type and the way your body responds. A vivid mark is not evidence of greater benefit.

Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, prefers to talk about the reason for cupping before anything else, and to choose an intensity that suits the person rather than the camera.

Talking it through beforehand

Ask why cupping is being suggested for you and how Christine will decide on suction strength and duration. Mention anything that affects your skin, such as eczema, easy bruising or blood-thinning medication.

Afterwards, check what changes are normal over the next few days and which signs should prompt a call or a visit to your GP. If you are comparing one session with another, think about comfort, how you are moving and your original goal rather than trying to achieve the deepest colour.

A better yardstick for follow-up

Pick something concrete before treatment, perhaps reaching to a high shelf, carrying shopping or turning your head while reversing the car. At the next visit, discuss that activity along with how your skin settled. The decision to continue should rest on your purpose, how you responded and what other options exist.

Cupping at the Lane Cove clinic

Remember that marks can take several days to fade, so plan around beach outings, formal events or sports photos if visible circles would bother you.

If you have been curious about cupping but put off by the photos, Christine is happy to explain the gentler end of the range. Bring along a note of the everyday movement that bothers you most, and the conversation at the Lane Cove clinic can start there.