CT is usually categorised in to two types: Dry and Wet. In Dry CT, a cup is applied to the body and suction is applied; the cup stays on the skin for a short period of time before being removed. There are many variations of dry cupping with massage cupping (where a cup is applied to an oiled area of body and moved around) being the most common. 

Wet cupping is a follow-on procedure from dry cupping; after the cup is removed at the end of Dry cupping, small superficial incisions are made in the relevant area and the cup is reapplied with suction for a few minutes so that a very small amount of blood is extracted.