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Cupping blister
*Corresponding author: Yogindher Singh, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy, Sri Venkateshwaraa Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry, India. yogindher4@gmail.com
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Received: ,
Accepted: ,
How to cite this article: Vijay V, Manobalan K, Singh Y. Cupping blister. Indian J Skin Allergy. 2025;4:173-4. doi: 10.25259/IJSA_24_2025
A 35-year-old male patient presented with numerous fluid-filled lesions on the upper back, which he had developed 2 days after undergoing cupping therapy for upper back pain. Clinical examination revealed multiple non-umblicated vesicles and bullae on an erythematous base within the circular line of demarcation of the Hijama cup (Arabic term meaning sucking, used traditionally for cupping therapy) over the left upper back [Figure 1]. Dermoscopy (Heine’s delta 30, non-polarized mode, ×10 magnification) showed multiple clods with surrounding erythema [Figure 2]. Tzanck smear was negative for multinucleated giant cells and acantholytic cells. Based on these findings, the diagnosis of cupping blister was made. Deroofing of the blisters was done, and the patient was started on topical antibiotics, following which the lesions resolved.
- Multiple vesicles and a few bullae on an erythematous base with a circular line of demarcation of Hijama cup over the left upper back.
- Dermoscopy (Heine’s delta 30, non-polarized, ×10 magnification) showed multiple clods with surrounding erythema.
Cupping therapy (Hijama in Arabic), meaning sucking, is a form of complementary and alternative medicine performed by medical as well as non-medical individuals. It has been utilized for the management of chronic pain within Egyptian and Chinese medicinal practices for numerous centuries.[1] An alcohol-soaked cotton is ignited and placed within a glass container, which is then applied over the skin. Cupping therapy can induce considerable dermatological conditions, including blisters, koebnerization in psoriasis, keloid formation at the site of application, and panniculitis.[2] The practice of cupping therapy, done as a part of cultural habits and by alternative medicine professionals, has posed a risk of augmenting the adverse effects due to cupping therapy. While cupping presents potential risks on one hand, it may also exhibit therapeutic benefits within the field of dermatology on the other hand, as demonstrated by Jain et al., who employed cupping therapy to create blisters for suction blister grafting in the treatment of vitiligo.[3]
Ethical approval:
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Declaration of patient consent:
The authors certify that they have obtained all appropriate patient consent.
Conflicts of interest:
There are no conflicts of interest
Use of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted technology for manuscript preparation:
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References
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