Cupping therapy
Cupping Therapy in San Diego, Added to Your Massage
Modern silicone cups, a genuinely different sensation, and an honest account of what cupping does and doesn't do.
Cupping uses suction to lift and decompress soft tissue — the opposite of massage, which presses down into it. At Vitality it’s a +$20 add-on to any massage session, done with modern silicone cups rather than fire and glass, and we bring it to your home anywhere in San Diego County.
It isn’t a standalone appointment, and we think that’s the right way to use it: ten to fifteen minutes of cupping woven into a full massage lets the cups and the hands-on work build on each other. The rest of this page covers what the suction actually does, what the marks are, and who tends to get the most out of adding it.
The honest read
What cupping actually does
Here’s the part that’s real: suction pulls skin and superficial tissue upward, increases local blood flow where the cup sits, and produces a stretching, decompressive sensation that pressure-based massage can’t replicate. Clients with dense, stubborn tissue — upper backs and shoulders especially — often say the pull reaches something the hands-on work didn’t.
Here’s the part that isn’t: claims that cupping draws out toxins, corrects energy flow, or treats disease aren’t well-supported. NCCIH describes the evidence that cupping reduces pain as not very strong, and we won’t pretend otherwise. What we can say from the table is that many clients feel a distinct looseness in cupped areas afterward, and they keep asking for it — which is a fine reason to add something that costs $20 and, done dry with silicone cups, has few side effects beyond the marks.
Because your muscles are already warm and lotioned mid-massage, silicone cups can also glide — a moving suction stroke that pairs especially well with deep tissue work on the back and with sports massage on heavily trained legs and shoulders. For a longer walk through the mechanism and the evidence, read our full guide to cupping.
Silicone cups, not fire
Traditional cupping often uses glass cups set with a flame. We use silicone instead — here’s the practical difference:
| Silicone (what we use) | Traditional fire cupping | |
|---|---|---|
| Suction | Squeeze-applied, adjustable in real time | Set by flame-heated air, fixed once placed |
| Movement | Glides over lotioned skin for moving strokes | Usually stationary |
| Heat & flame | None | Open flame near the skin |
| In your home | Nothing extra to set up | Not something we’d bring into a living room |
About the circles
The marks, plainly
What they are
Suction bruising. The vacuum draws blood toward the skin's surface, and the circles are simply that — not toxins surfacing, not a diagnostic map.
How they feel
Usually not much. Some people feel slightly bruised or sore where the cups sat, which should stay mild. Darker circles usually reflect stronger or longer suction, not toxins.
How long they last
Typically a week or two, lightening steadily. If you'd rather not have visible circles before a beach day or an event, skip cupping for that session.
Pricing
A $20 add-on to any session
Cupping isn’t booked on its own — you choose a massage session, then add cupping for a flat +$20 at any length:
- 60 minutes + cupping$129 + $20
- 90 minutes + cupping — room for cups without shortening the massage$179 + $20
- 120 minutes + cupping$229 + $20
CBD lotion is a separate +$10 add-on. Travel: free in Point Loma & Ocean Beach, $20 elsewhere in the city of San Diego, $40 county-wide. Everything is laid out on the pricing page.
Questions
Cupping FAQ
Ready to book?
We bring the table, linens, and calm — you keep the couch afterward.