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Dry and wet cupping differ in whether the skin is opened. Learn why that changes the safety conversation and why one is never assumed to include the other.

Cupping is often spoken about as a single therapy, but the word covers procedures that differ in important ways. Knowing whether the skin will be opened is one of the first things to clarify, because it changes almost every other part of the conversation.

How the two differ

Dry cupping relies on suction alone; the skin is not deliberately broken. Wet cupping adds a puncture or small cut to the skin, which means blood exposure becomes part of the procedure. That extra step brings additional safety considerations that deserve their own discussion.

Questions for a skin-breaking technique

If a technique that breaks the skin is being discussed, Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, should be able to explain:

• How infection is controlled at every step
• What the bleeding risk is for you, given your medicines and history
• What aftercare will be needed
• Which alternatives might reach the same goal

Never assume it is included

Hearing the word cupping does not mean wet cupping is part of the plan. Confirm with Christine exactly which procedure she has in mind. Being comfortable with dry cupping in the past is not a replacement for a full explanation of the additional steps involved in a wet technique.

Listening to your own hesitation

If the idea of blood or skin puncture makes you uneasy, say so. That reaction is valid and can guide the choice of approach. Feeling pressured into a procedure rarely sits well with the body or the mind.

Following up thoughtfully

Before treatment, choose an everyday activity or symptom that you would like to revisit, such as reaching overhead or sitting through a long drive. At the next visit, include comfort and skin healing in the conversation. A mark is only one observation; deciding whether to carry on should come back to your purpose, your response and the alternatives available to you at the Lane Cove clinic.