Category: (Sado)Masochism
Subcategory: Types

Cupping / Suction

Cupping involves creating vacuum pressure against the skin using specialized cups made of glass, silicone, plastic, or bamboo. The suction is created either by briefly introducing flame into glass cups (fire cupping), using mechanical pumps, or squeezing flexible cups before application. The cups are placed on fleshy areas of the body and left in position from a few minutes to half an hour.

The physical sensation begins with a sharp pulling as skin and surface blood vessels are drawn upward into the cup, transitioning to a deep pressure or throbbing as blood flow increases to the area. The suction creates distinctive circular marks ranging from light pink to deep purple depending on intensity and duration. These temporary marks typically fade within days but can last up to two weeks with stronger applications. Moving cups while maintaining suction (gliding cupping) creates different sensations from stationary placement.

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This is a description of an activity in the BDSM checklist (also known as a 'kink list'). Want to discover what (more) kinks you might have? Maybe share them with a partner? Start the checklist!

About the category (Sado)Masochism

Sadomasochism involves the consensual exchange of sensation that many would find painful or intense in non-erotic contexts. This spectrum encompasses both the giving (sadism) and receiving (masochism) of such sensations, creating experiences where pain, intensity, and pleasure become interwoven through deliberate and controlled application.

People enjoy sadomasochistic activities for diverse reasons: the intense endorphin rush that creates natural highs, the intimate trust required between partners, the transformation of pain into pleasure through context and arousal, and the cathartic release many experience through intense sensation. Rather than being about suffering, well-executed SM play creates unique states of consciousness and connection that many practitioners find impossible to access through other means, offering profound physical and psychological experiences when practiced with skill and care.



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