Beauty Tips

I Got Cupping on My Face for Anti-Aging and It Wasn't At All What I Expected

What happened when I went all Michael Phelps on my face

by Katie McCarthy | COMMENT

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I'm pretty sure my awareness of cupping therapy began at about the same time that everyone else's did: when celebs like Gwyneth "Goop" Paltrow, Jennifer "Body Goals" Aniston, and Justin "I Need Attention" Bieber appeared in photo opps with big, red-brown dots on their backs and torsos. Then came Michael Phelps, who swam in the 2016 Olympic games in Rio covered in cupping marks from neck to knees.

Here's more proof that the cupping trend isn't going anywhere: Influencers like Kim Kardashian are raving about facial cupping, a similar treatment that involves gliding suction cups along the face. Practitioners and fans say it boosts lymphatic drainage, circulation and collagen production; smooths fine lines; relieves puffiness and dark circles; and so much more.

Being in my 30s, and perhaps the oldest contributer on the Total Beauty editorial team (LOL, but seriously), I had to see if cupping really is as great an anti-aging treatment as celebs say. I visited Boynn McIntire, licensed acupuncturist and doctor of Oriental medicine at All and One Acupuncture and Wellness in Portland, Oregon, to try facial cupping myself. Here's what happened.

Image via Getty

SEE NEXT PAGE: Facial Cupping: How It Works

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