5 Celebrity Cupping Fans: Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and More

Stars have turned to an alternative Chinese medicinal procedure to detox and relieve chronic pain

By Rose Curiel Apr 20, 2013 1:00 PMTags
Watch: Doctor Demonstrates Cupping Celeb Trend

Celebs are putting their backs into it!

The tell-tale circular marks of the ancient Chinese practice known as cupping have been popping up on the toned backs of many a Hollywood star. But what exactly is cupping and why does it leave a hard-to-miss ring pattern on those who receive the treatment?

The Eastern practice is said to help with everything from circulation to neck and shoulder pain, and to detox the body—no wonder it's so popular among cleanse-loving stars!—with cups that create suction on the skin and just so happen to leave colorful circles as a result.

And the unsightly side effect isn't enough to deter stars like Jennifer Aniston from going out in public. And we've got to say, if we can look as fresh-faced as the Wanderlust star and these other four fans of the alternative medicine, we might just cozy up to a cup soon, too! 

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1. Jennifer Aniston: The star showed off her fit form—and cupping marks—in a Dior Romper at the Los Angeles premiere of Call me Crazy on Tuesday night. Though it looks like she attempted to cover the circular marks with a bit of concealer, the semi-camouflaged rings were almost as distracting as her massive engagement ring from fiancé Justin Theroux. Almost.

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2. Gwyneth Paltrow: Not surprisingly, the Goop gal was ahead of the health trend, sporting head-turning blotchy red cupping marks back in 2004 at a New York film premiere. The blonde beauty turned to the procedure to alleviate back pain, but it looks like her diet could have used a little help, too, since dark marks indicate a lot of toxicity in the body, while clear ones signal an oxygen-rich bod. Wonder what Gwynie was chowing on during her pre-Goop days? 

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3. Victoria Beckham: There's nothing like a long flight to stiffen up one's body, so it makes perfect sense that we spotted the jet-setting fashion designer rocking a row of the familiar marks down her back when landing at Heathrow Airport during the summer of 2010. Plus, we're guessing she needed a little detoxing after returning from what was rumored to be a raucous anniversary celebration with hubby David Beckham in the South of France. Who knew cupping could be a hangover cure?!

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4. Jessica Simpson: The bombshell kicked her health into high gear during one very ambitious weekend back in June 2010, when she took to Twitter to tell her followers about a super-fit few days. "Shocked my system with a vegan diet, special Pu-erh tea from China, and cupping since friday!" she wrote. Apparently, she quickly became a fan, raving, "Love it!" about the ancient practice a few minutes later. 

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5. David Arquette: Simpson isn't the only star to tweet her love of cupping. Last spring, Courteney Cox's ex shared a pic of himself mid-cupping prior to a trip to trip to DC. A fan of the practice, he nevertheless didn't hesitate to call the process "creepy" or to refer to the tell-tale markings as "giant hickeys." 

(Originally published April 17, 2013, at 5:32 p.m.)