[Skin lesions from the application of suction cups for therapeutic purposes]

The application of suction cups or cupping is a medicinal practice that is very widespread in Asian countries. The presence of circular areas of erythema, ecchymosis or blood blisters symmetrically distributed on the shoulders, back, thorax or lumbar area should suggest the use of this technique. The number of followers of traditional Chinese medicine is increasing in the Western world, so we should be familiar with these practices in order to prevent social and/or legal conflicts that may arise from mistaken diagnoses of abuse. We present the case of a 65-year-old male with multiple circular, erythematous, bullous lesions, symmetrically distributed, which occurred after the application of suction cups in the context of polymyalgia rheumatica.