In a typical cupping session, glass cups were warmed using cotton balls, which were fixed on stick, soaked in alcohol, lighted, then put for a while inside the cup. Flame inside the cup removes all the oxygen, which creates a vacuum. The practitioner then places the cups on the patient's back 3 cm apart each other for 10-15 minutes. This is believed to open up the skin's pores and draws toxins out of the body.