LOS ANGELES, July 9 (UPI) -- Gwyneth Paltrow has acupuncture to thank for the red marks on her back revealed by the strapless dress she wore to the Hollywood premiere of "The Anchorman."
The marks prominently seen at Wednesday's film premiere were caused by cups of hot air used in a 2,500-year-old acupuncture treatment called cupping, Paltrow's publicist told Friday's New York Post.
The treatment involves placing a glass cup containing heated air against the skin, creating a vacuum effect. The suction causes blood to flow to that area, supposedly easing obstructions that cause pain.
Though ancient, cupping has only been used in the United States for about 35 years and can treat everything from back pain to the common cold. Marks tend to fade in about a week.
Given the placement of Paltrow's cupping marks, experts speculated the actress was being treated for back pain, the Post said.
Paltrow stars in "The Anchorman," which opened Friday in U.S. theaters.
