Dry Cupping · Fire Cupping · Hertfordshire
Cupping Massage for tight muscles, recovery and cupping marks
Dry cupping, fire cupping and suction therapy for back tension, neck and shoulder tightness, sports recovery and tight muscles. Based in St Albans and serving Hertfordshire, cupping can be booked standalone or as part of a deeper recovery session with massage and IASTM.
What to expect
Dry or fire cups applied to back, shoulders or legs
Vacuum suction lifts and decompresses soft tissue
Combined with hands-on massage or as a standalone
No incisions. Temporary marks may appear
Hijama wet cupping also available separately
Choose Your Type
Dry Cupping or Fire Cupping?
Both use the same vacuum suction principle. The difference is in how the suction is created and how the session feels. Standalone from £35. Both can also be added into a full Recovery Session with massage.
Clinical Dry Cupping
Plastic pump cups create a vacuum on the skin to lift and decompress soft tissue. Static cups are held on tight spots; sliding cups move across oiled skin. The most commonly used type for muscle recovery and combined massage sessions. No heat, no incisions — clean and easy to adjust throughout.
- Back, shoulders, glutes, hamstrings or calves
- You want the decompression benefit without heat
- First time with cupping — this is the best starting point
Traditional Fire Cupping
Glass cups where a flame briefly removes oxygen before the cup is placed on the skin. The cooling air creates a strong natural vacuum. Fire cupping is the original Chinese cupping method and the source of all modern cupping therapy. It tends to feel warmer, deeper and more intense than dry cupping.
- You want the traditional Chinese cupping experience
- The warmth and deeper pull feel soothing on a tight back
- You have had cupping before and want to go deeper
Not sure which to choose? WhatsApp us and we'll advise based on what you are dealing with.
What dry cupping marks can look like
Cupping marks are common after dry cupping. They can be light pink, red or darker in some areas depending on skin response, suction level and how the area reacts. They usually fade over a few days.
How It Works
Vacuum Therapy: The Science Behind Cupping
Whether you call it cupping, vacuum therapy, suction therapy or Chinese cupping, the mechanism is the same.
Why suction works differently to pressure
Massage Pushes Down. Cupping Pulls Up.
Standard massage applies downward pressure into muscle tissue. Cupping does the opposite — the vacuum created by the cup pulls the tissue upward. This decompression effect lifts the layers of fascia, muscle and skin away from each other, which can reach restrictions that hands alone cannot get to.
The increased blood flow drawn into the area by the suction may help support the body's natural recovery process. Many clients notice the area feels noticeably different immediately after cups are removed, with a sensation of looseness or lightness that goes deeper than what massage alone produces.
The mark comes from suction, not cuts
Dry and fire cupping do not involve incisions. The circular marks come from suction and local tissue response. Hijama is different because it is wet cupping and uses small superficial scratches.
In a Session
What Happens During Cupping Massage
Cupping is used alongside massage within the same session, not as a separate treatment.
Static Cupping
Cups placed and held on specific tight areas. Creates sustained suction over localised spots. Most effective for concentrated deep tightness on the back, shoulders and upper traps.
Sliding Cupping
Cups moved across oiled skin in broad strokes. Covers more surface area and produces a broader release. Often used on the back and hamstrings as part of a full-body session.
Combined with Massage
When cupping is part of a Recovery Session, it is used alongside hands-on massage and IASTM. The combination addresses tissue at multiple levels in one appointment.
Cupping Marks
Circular marks are common, particularly on areas with greater tension. They are caused by increased blood flow — not bruising. Usually painless and fade within 2-7 days.
Darker marks do not automatically mean better results
Marks are only one visible response to suction. The goal is not to force dark circles, it is to use the right amount of suction for your comfort, tissue response and reason for booking.
Know the Difference
Cupping Massage vs Hijama
Both are available here. They are different treatments for different goals.
Dry & Fire Cupping
– No incisions. Vacuum suction only
– For muscle tightness, recovery and pain
– Standalone from £35 or part of massage session
– Chinese, dry and fire cupping all available
Hijama (Wet Cupping)
✓ Small sterile incisions, single-use equipment
✓ Traditional Sunnah practice and general wellbeing
✓ Available standalone or with recovery massage
✓ Recovery + Hijama sessions from £95
Pricing
Session Prices
Cupping is available as a standalone session or as part of a full Recovery Session with massage and IASTM.
Standalone Cupping Sessions
Dry Cupping
Clinical Dry Cupping
Also called: vacuum therapy, suction therapy
Plastic pump cups. Static or sliding. 20-30 min session.
Fire Cupping
Traditional Fire Cupping
Also called: Chinese cupping, flame cupping
Glass cups, heat-applied vacuum. 20-30 min session.
Cupping + Massage + IASTM (Recovery Sessions)
Targeted Recovery
60 minutes. Cupping, massage and IASTM. Focused on specific areas.
Best for: Back, shoulders, specific tension areas.
Targeted Recovery + Hijama
60 minutes. Cupping massage and recovery work with Hijama included.
Best for: Physical recovery combined with Sunnah Hijama.
Full Body Recovery
90 minutes. Full-body massage with cupping across back, legs and shoulders.
Best for: Full-body tightness, general reset.
Full Body Recovery + Hijama
90 minutes. Full-body cupping massage with Hijama included.
Best for: Comprehensive session, everything covered.
Returning client? Lower rates apply for sessions booked within 8 weeks of your last visit.
FAQs
Common Questions
Dry cupping uses plastic pump cups to create suction. Fire cupping uses glass cups where a flame removes oxygen to create a natural vacuum. Both produce the same lifting and decompression effect. Fire cupping feels warmer and is the traditional Chinese method. Dry cupping is more commonly used within combined massage sessions.
Chinese cupping traditionally refers to fire cupping using glass cups, which is the original form of the practice. Dry cupping is the modern clinical version. Both are forms of vacuum therapy or suction therapy and work on the same principle. We offer both.
These are alternative names for cupping. The cups create a partial vacuum on the skin that lifts and decompresses underlying soft tissue. Same mechanism whether using dry cups or fire cups.
It can. Circular marks from increased blood flow are common, particularly on tighter areas. They are not bruises, are usually painless, and fade within 2-7 days.
Cupping (dry or fire) uses suction only, with no incisions. Hijama involves small sterile incisions. Both are available here. Cupping is recovery and muscle-focused. Hijama is traditional wet cupping, available standalone or combined.
Standalone dry cupping is £35 for 20-30 minutes. Fire cupping is £45. Cupping is also included in Recovery Sessions from £75. Returning clients within 8 weeks receive a reduced rate.
Most clients feel a pulling or stretching sensation. On very tight areas it can feel more intense. Cup pressure is adjusted throughout.
6B St Brelades Place, St Albans, AL4 9RG. Private one-to-one sessions, open 7 days.
Book Cupping Therapy
Dry cupping, fire cupping or full recovery massage with cupping. Private one-to-one clinic in St Albans serving Hertfordshire and surrounding areas.