Fire cupping in San Diego, done the traditional way, by trained practitioners
You have probably seen the round marks on an athlete’s back. Fire cupping is one of the oldest bodywork practices in Chinese medicine, and it feels very different from massage: instead of pressing down, the cups gently lift the skin and muscle up.
At Saffron & Sage, fire cupping is done by practitioners trained in Chinese medicine and bodywork, in the same clinic as our acupuncturists, massage therapists and doctors. You can book it on its own, or add it to acupuncture or massage so it fits the rest of your care.
- Traditional glass fire cupping
- Practitioners trained in Chinese medicine
- HSA, FSA and LSA welcome
- Best of San Diego, 2020, 2021, 2022
Why people in San Diego book fire cupping
These are the reasons we hear most from people across San Diego, from Little Italy and Downtown to Hillcrest, Mission Hills and Point Loma. Your practitioner will ask what is going on and suggest where the cups should go.
Neck and shoulder tension
That tight band across the upper back that builds after long days at a laptop.
Cupping for desk-bound necks →
A back that feels stuck
Tension across the mid and lower back that pressure-based massage hasn’t quite reached.
Cupping for back and neck tension →
Training and recovery
Heavy, tired muscles between workouts, races and surf sessions.
Cupping after a hard workout →
Stress you carry in your body
Shoulders up by your ears, shallow breathing, trouble switching off at night.
Cupping and a calmer evening →
Muscles that won’t let go
Knots that come back no matter how much you stretch or foam roll.
How cupping works on muscle tension →
An add-on to acupuncture
Many members pair cupping with their acupuncture visit for a longer, fuller session.
Acupuncture and cupping together →
Belly discomfort and sluggish digestion
Gentle abdominal cupping, as one part of a plan with your practitioner.
Bodywork and digestion →
Curiosity about the tradition
You have seen the marks and want to know what it actually feels like.
The history of fire cupping →What is fire cupping?
Fire cupping is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that uses glass cups and a brief flame to create gentle suction on the skin. Instead of pressing down like massage, the cups lift the skin and the tissue beneath it.
Your practitioner holds a lit cotton swab inside the glass cup for a second, takes it out, and places the cup on your skin. As the air cools, it draws the skin up into the cup. The flame never touches you. Cups may stay in one place for several minutes, glide over oiled skin, or be placed and lifted quickly, depending on what your practitioner is working on.
Cupping often leaves round marks that range from light pink to dark purple. They aren’t bruises from impact and usually aren’t tender, and they fade over a few days to about a week. We don’t make promises about results. Your practitioner will be straight with you about what cupping can reasonably help with, and when something else, like a visit with one of our doctors, should come first.
How fire cupping fits into integrative care here
In Chinese medicine, cupping is used to encourage the movement of qi and blood through the channels of the body. In plain terms, it is a way to work with tissue that feels tight, heavy or stuck. At Saffron & Sage it is rarely a stand-alone novelty. It sits inside a plan your practitioner builds with you, alongside acupuncture, massage, herbal support or movement work.
Members often add cupping to an acupuncture visit or finish a deep tissue massage with a few cups on the upper back. Others book a dedicated fire cupping session every few weeks. Either way, you leave with a suggestion for what to do next, not a package you have to buy.
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What cupping feels like, and what the marks mean
Most people describe the suction as a strong pulling or tugging sensation, a bit like a deep stretch from the outside in. It shouldn’t be sharp or painful. Your practitioner starts with lighter suction and checks in, and you can ask for less, more or a different area at any point.
The marks are the part people ask about most. Their color varies from person to person and session to session, and they usually fade within a week. If you have a wedding, photo shoot or beach day coming up, tell us and we can keep cups away from visible areas.
Prefer something gentler?
If strong suction isn’t for you, ask about:
- Flash cupping (quick on and off, fewer marks)
- Lighter suction with fewer cups
- Gua sha, a smooth tool gliding over the skin
- Massage or acupuncture on its own
Your first fire cupping appointment, step by step
- Before you arrive. Eat a light meal a couple of hours before, drink water, and skip lotion on your back that day. Plan to arrive about 10 minutes early for your first visit.
- Intake. Your practitioner asks about your health history, medications (especially blood thinners), skin sensitivities, pregnancy and what you want from the session.
- The session. You lie on a warm, padded table, draped except for the area being worked on. Cups are placed, and sometimes moved, while you rest. Tell your practitioner anytime you want lighter suction.
- After. Cups come off with a gentle press at the edge. Keep the area covered and warm, drink water, and skip a hot tub, sauna or hard workout for the rest of the day.
- How often. Some people come every week or two during a busy or training-heavy stretch, others monthly. We usually wait until marks fade before cupping the same area again. You decide.
Meet our San Diego fire cupping practitioners
Fire cupping here is done by practitioners trained in Chinese medicine and bodywork. Because they work alongside our massage therapists, naturopathic doctors and medical team, members’ cupping can be coordinated with the rest of their care.
Dr. Kolin Durrant
Doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, herbalist and integrative care coordinator. Uses cupping as part of broader plans for digestion, skin and whole-body care.
Dr. Scott McFarlane
Acupuncturist and certified massage therapist. Brings cupping into acupuncture and bodywork sessions for tension and nervous system care.
Dr. Mahshid
Doctor of Chinese medicine. Uses cupping alongside acupuncture.
Trained in the tradition
Our practitioners learned cupping as part of Chinese medicine, so placement is based on your intake, not a one-size pattern.
More than one technique
Stationary, sliding and flash cupping, plus gua sha, so your session can change with what your body needs that day.
Part of a care team
Members’ practitioners can see the rest of the plan and coordinate with acupuncture, massage and naturopathic care.
How much does fire cupping cost? Two ways to start
Your first visit is where the relationship starts. A first appointment runs much like any other: a short intake, your session, and a few minutes at the end to talk about what comes next. If you add a consultation, your practitioner takes a fuller history and reviews your labs, if you have them. Pick the way in that suits you.
First visit and consultation
Your first appointment and a full consultation together, for half the usual price.
Book your first visitNew patients. Through October 31, 2026.
Your first appointment
Start with a single first appointment, then decide what comes next.
Book my first appointmentNew patients. Through October 31, 2026.
Then, as a member
Monthly credits you can use for fire cupping and the rest of your plan. Each fire cupping session uses one non-medical credit. Ask us about membership on your discovery call.
Use pre-tax dollars
Welcome for many bodywork services, especially when a provider recommends them. Check eligibility with your plan administrator. We're direct pay and don't bill insurance. How HSA, FSA and LSA work here Get our free HSA and FSA guide
Have your most recent labs? Upload them here for a free overview.
Upload a recent lab report and get a plain-language overview of what each marker measures. You arrive at your first visit with better questions, and our team starts from what you already have.
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- UploadA recent lab report, as a PDF or a photo.
- ReadA plain-language overview of what each marker measures.
- Talk it throughWith our team on a free discovery call, if you would like.
Fire cupping near Little Italy, San Diego
Saffron & Sage is on State Street, just north of Little Italy, a short drive from Downtown, Bankers Hill, Mission Hills, Point Loma and North Park. Many members come in before or after work.
Saffron & Sage
2555 State St, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 933-2340 · Get directions
Hours: Monday and Thursday 8 to 2, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 8 to 8.
Fire cupping FAQs
How much does fire cupping cost in San Diego at Saffron & Sage?
New patients can book a first visit and consultation together for $300, normally $600, or a first appointment for $250, normally $300. After that, members use monthly credits, and each fire cupping session uses one non-medical credit. HSA, FSA and LSA dollars are welcome for many services.
Does fire cupping hurt?
It shouldn’t. Most people feel a strong pulling sensation that eases after the first minute or two. Your practitioner starts light and checks in, and you can ask for less suction at any time.
Will cupping leave marks?
Usually, yes. Stationary cupping often leaves round marks from pink to dark purple. They are rarely tender and usually fade within a few days to a week. Flash cupping and facial cupping leave little or no marking.
Is fire cupping safe?
In trained hands, cupping is generally well tolerated. The flame is only inside the cup for a second and never touches your skin. Tell us at intake if you take blood thinners, have a bleeding or skin condition, are pregnant, or have had recent surgery, so your practitioner can adjust or suggest something else.
How often should I get fire cupping?
Many people come every week or two during a stressful or training-heavy stretch, then monthly. We generally let marks fade before cupping the same spot again. Your practitioner will make a suggestion, and you decide.
What should I wear to a cupping session?
Something comfortable. You’ll undress to your comfort level for the area being worked on and stay draped the rest of the time. Skip body lotion or oil on your back that day.
What should I do after cupping?
Drink water, keep the cupped area covered and warm, and give yourself a slower evening. Skip saunas, hot tubs, cold plunges and hard workouts for the rest of the day.
Fire cupping vs silicone cupping: what’s the difference?
Fire cupping uses glass cups and a brief flame to create suction, which gives your practitioner fine control over how strong it is. Silicone or pump cups are squeezed or pumped instead. Our fire cupping sessions use traditional glass cups.
Should I get cupping or massage?
It depends on what you want from the session, and many members do both. Massage presses into tissue; cupping lifts it. If you’re unsure, add a few cups to a massage first, or ask on a free discovery call.
Can I combine fire cupping with acupuncture?
Yes, and it’s one of the most common combinations here. Cups can be placed before or after the needles in the same visit.
Can I get cupping while pregnant?
We don’t do abdominal or lower back cupping during pregnancy. Other areas may be possible with your OB or midwife’s approval. Tell us at booking so we can plan the right session.
Is cupping covered by insurance or HSA?
We’re a direct pay clinic and don’t bill insurance. HSA, FSA and LSA dollars are welcome for many services, especially when a provider recommends them. Check eligibility with your plan administrator.
Do I need to be a member?
No. You can start with a first visit or a free discovery call, then decide whether membership makes sense for you.
Where are you located?
2555 State St, San Diego, CA 92101, just north of Little Italy.
Ready when you are
Book your first visit and consultation for $300, normally $600. Not sure yet? Request a free discovery call. Our team will listen to what's going on and help you pick the right fire cupping session and practitioner. No cost, no pressure.
Or call (619) 933-2340
All medical services are provided by Kasawa Medical APC dba Saffron & Sage MD. Fire cupping at Saffron & Sage supports your overall care and doesn’t replace medical treatment. Please tell us at intake about blood thinners, bleeding or skin conditions, pregnancy or recent surgery. If you have chest pain, trouble breathing or sudden swelling in one leg, call 911.
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