The discolouration that appears during most treatments is the desired effect. The more visible or the darker the mark, the greater the level of stagnation and toxicity that has been removed. This is the effect of stagnant fluids (toxins, blood and lymph) that often appear on the skin as discoloration being brought to the skin surface during treatment. The cupping marks can last anywhere from a couple hours to no more than 1 week depending on the severity of the mark.