6 Therapies That Were Disproven Yet Still Cost Thousands

Some Therapies That Were Disproven Still Cost Thousands

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There’s a certain kind of magic in hope—and nowhere does that magic get more expensive than in the world of wellness and therapy. For decades, people have shelled out big money for treatments promising everything from perfect posture to instant trauma relief.

The catch? Many of these so-called “breakthroughs” were later debunked, discredited, or flat-out disproven by science. Yet somehow, they refuse to die. They keep circulating through glossy magazines, influencer videos, and wellness retreats—like a bad pop song you can’t get out of your head.

1. The Miracle of “Cupping Therapy”

You’ve seen it—the perfectly round red circles on the backs of celebrities and athletes who swear by this ancient “healing” ritual. Cupping therapy, which involves placing heated glass cups on the skin to create suction, claims to increase blood flow, release toxins, and relax muscles. Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, scientific reviews have found little to no evidence that it does anything beyond leaving temporary bruises. Still, wellness spas and “sports recovery” clinics charge hundreds per session for what is essentially a glorified hickey. The power of placebo and celebrity endorsement keeps this one burning bright, even as researchers keep shaking their heads.

2. The Oxygen Bar Craze

Oxygen bars first popped up in the 1990s, promising “pure oxygen boosts” that supposedly enhanced energy, focus, and even mood. For a few bucks a minute, people sat around breathing through colorful tubes, believing they were giving their brains and bodies a life-changing refresh. The problem? Your lungs already do an incredible job delivering oxygen to your bloodstream, and unless you have a medical condition, your body can’t use the extra. Studies have shown that inhaling oxygen from these bars offers no measurable benefit whatsoever. Still, you can find oxygen bars at airports and resorts worldwide, charging premium prices for fancy air with a lavender scent.

3. The Lie of “Crystal Healing”

Ah, crystals—the glittering gateway drug of pseudoscience. From rose quartz for love to amethyst for calm, crystal healing promises to harness “vibrational energy” to align your chakras and balance your aura. But despite decades of mystical marketing, science has repeatedly confirmed that crystals have zero measurable effect beyond placebo. Yet the industry is booming, with gemstone-infused water bottles, crystal grids, and even energy-charged facial rollers selling for hundreds or thousands of dollars. The truth is, people aren’t paying for the rocks—they’re paying for the story. It’s proof that belief, when beautifully packaged, can be the most profitable therapy of all.

4. The Myth of “Colonic Cleansing”

It’s hard to think of anything less glamorous than paying someone to flush your insides with a tube of warm water—but thousands of people do it every day in the name of “detoxing.” Colonics, or “colon hydrotherapy,” claim to remove harmful waste and boost digestion. However, medical research has shown repeatedly that the colon does a fine job cleaning itself without help. Worse, colonics can sometimes cause dehydration, infection, or even intestinal injury. But wellness centers still sell multi-session “cleansing packages” for hundreds or even thousands of dollars, proving that one person’s discomfort can be another’s business model.

5. The Outdated “Rebirthing Therapy”

This one’s as unsettling as it sounds. Rebirthing therapy, popular in the 1980s and 1990s, was based on the idea that people could overcome trauma or attachment issues by reliving the birth process—often literally, by being wrapped tightly in blankets and “pushed” or “pulled” through them. Practitioners claimed this symbolic “rebirth” released buried emotions and healed psychological pain. Tragically, several incidents—including deaths—led to the therapy being discredited and banned in many places. Still, variations of it persist under names like “breathwork rebirth” or “emotional release sessions,” and people continue to pay large sums for a dangerous process long proven harmful.

6. The Persistence of “Homeopathy”

Homeopathy is the grandparent of modern pseudoscience: a 200-year-old system claiming that “like cures like” and that water “remembers” substances once diluted in it. The problem is, most homeopathic remedies are so diluted that they contain no trace of the original ingredient at all—just sugar pills and water with a good imagination.

Dozens of scientific reviews and meta-analyses have found that homeopathy performs no better than a placebo. Yet, the global homeopathy market continues to thrive, raking in billions from people who swear by its “gentle” effects. It’s not the science that keeps it alive—it’s the comfort of feeling like you’re doing something, even if that something is nothing.

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When Hope Costs More Than Healing

It’s easy to roll our eyes at these therapies, but the truth is, they reveal something deeply human: our desperation to feel better, to find control, to believe that wellness is within reach. Most of these treatments thrive not because people are gullible, but because modern life is stressful and traditional medicine often feels cold and impersonal. Hope, unfortunately, can be expensive. Before spending thousands chasing the next miracle cure, it’s worth asking: does it heal, or just help me believe it does?

Have you ever tried one of these therapies—or something equally strange? Share your thoughts, stories, or experiences in the comments below.