Get Rid of Hickies with these Proven Remedies

hickeys on neck

Every once in a while, in this adventurous journey of life, we adults find ourselves in scenarios that are rather embarrassing not only to ourselves but also to our loved ones and the people around us. Spotting a hickey is one sure way of attracting stares and giggles, causing the affected person untold embarrassment and therefore they become uncomfortable and are not able to go about their daily business with ease. For obvious reasons, those who have hickeys would like to get them off as fast as they acquired them. To better understand how to manage and get rid of a hickey fast, it will be better if we first understand what a hickey is.

The most common ways of concealing a hickey are:

  1. Use of make-up. One can conceal one by creative and wise use of make-up. The make-up should incorporate blends that will conceal the injuries. A green lining that will conceal the red soreness is commonly used, with a yellow foundation placed on top to prevent reflection of the lining. The foundation should be applied evenly on the areas surrounding so as to not make it look obvious.
  2. Wearing clothes to conceal hickies. Fashion is normally employed as a last minute ditch when it comes to concealing hickeys. Long sleeved blouses and turtle necks can do the job in cold weather. When employing this tactic, the clothes worn need to match the weather or else mismatched dressing to season will only draw more attention to you.
  3. Application of Vitamin K cream. Vitamin K cream helps in absorbing the blood clot on top of the skin and by doing so reduces the intensity of the skin discoloring. Its disadvantage is that it is not easily available.
  4. Wait it out. If all this fails, then it is best just to wait it out and let the hickey heal on its own. As one waits, it is advisable for them to employ proven ways of treatments. In most cases, individuals who will sit it out until it heals shun going to public places. Normally, a hickey will take maximum of two weeks to completely heal. Keeping in mind that they occur amongst young couples, then hickeys are a main contributor to wait-it-out culprits missing out on lectures and absenteeism at the work place.

What Causes the Development of a Hickey?

A hickey is a bruise caused by biting or hard-kissing on the soft tissue parts of one’s body, for example the neck. The bruising occurs as a result of the thinly walled capillaries that lie under our skin being put under pressure and eventually they rapture, releasing blood into the cells around them. This blood clots around this area, causing a reddish blemish on the skin around it but after a while due to lack of oxygen, the blood clot turns dark brown or a blue shade. This discoloration is what is observed on the external skin and is known as a hickey (also called “love bite” or a “kiss mark”), and can last for a week to a fortnight, depending on which part of the body has developed it.

So a hickey is simply a bruise. Does this mean that it can be treated like any other bruise? The treatment of a hickey will depend on two things – how intense was it, and he body part that has been affected.

Treatment Methods For Getting Rid of Hickeys

1. Making the affected area cold

This method is best to use immediately after one has acquired the hickey. As mentioned earlier, hickeys develop as a result of ruptured capillaries that ooze blood to the surrounding tissues. Making the area cold slows down the flow of blood to the area hence reducing the size of the hickey. One can make the affected area cold by use of the following:

  • Wrapping frozen ice in a towel and pressing on the affected area for an average of twenty minutes, with a break interval of also twenty minutes before applying pressure using frozen ice on the area again.
  • A common method used is the application of a cold spoon on the affected area. Take several spoons and place them in the freezer for fifteen minutes. The frozen spoon is then pressed on the affected area and pressure is spread also to the adjacent areas for a while. Replace the spoon once it has become warm with a cold spoon from the freezer. Repeat this process for twenty minutes for best results.

However, great care should be observed when using the cold method. Placing very cold objects on the skin may cause frost bite and may trigger asthma attacks in asthmatic people.

2. Rubbing the hickey with a toothbrush

This method works best hand-in-hand with making the affected area cold. The idea is to increase blood flow from the hickey area to other tissue parts. The blotted blood is spread to adjacent tissue parts with the help of a stiff brush. Of course, a new tooth brush will work best. The results should be visible after a few hours. The brush reduces the intensity of the discoloration on the affected part by spreading the clotted blood, hence making the discoloration spread to a wider area.

3. Applying heat in the affected area

This is in direct contradiction with the cold method. However, the trick lies in the timing. The hot method is only used after a period of forty eight hours since the formation of a hickey. Normally, after forty eight hours, the broken capillaries have healed and the reason for the discoloration is due to the blood clot on the tissues surrounding the broken capillaries. This clot will slowly be re-absorbed into the blood stream. What the heat does is it increases blood flow in the area, hence hastening the re-absorption of the clot into the blood stream thus clearing the discoloration.

4. Use toothpaste

This is another way of increasing blood flow to the kiss mark area and hence ensuring that the clot is re-absorbed faster. One should look for mint based toothpaste and apply it on the hickey. This will create a tingling effect. Once the tingling sensation has subsided, wash away the toothpaste with warm water. Caution should however be observed not to use this method too frequently since it can cause local irritation of the skin.

5. Use of a coin

The coin here is used like a scraper whereby the skin affected is stretched by two fingers. The coin is then used to scrape away from the center of the hickey outwards. The idea is to break down the blood clot on the area and to spread it to other surrounding tissues around it. This eases the re-absorption of the clot into the blood stream.

Care should be taken when administering this procedure. Adequate pressure should be used when scraping away to avoid making the hickey develop into a wound. Naturally, the area scraped will become red but only for a short while.

6. Twisting cylindrical objects (e.g. pen caps) on the hickey

This method aims at breaking down the clot just like the use of a coin. The cylindrical object is pressed hard on a hickey and whilst on this position, turned around as far as possible. The object is held in the turned position for five minutes or so, after which it is released. This breaks down the blood clot making it easy to be re-absorbed into the blood. Care should be taken to ensure that excessive force is not used to further damage.

7. Massagingrubbing a hicky

The concept behind massaging hickeys is the same as for both when using a coin and when using cylindrical objects; to break down the clot. Before one begins massaging, apply warm water or a warm cloth on the bruise. Immediately after removing the hot cloth, apply two fingers and exert pressure as you move the two fingers outwards from the center.

8. Medication

Just like any external bruise, medication has little effect in healing a hickey too. However, medicines aid in relieving pain and altering the blood composition to hasten healing. For example:

  • Taking Vitamin E supplements immediately after getting a hickey will aid in repair of the broken capillaries. Also foods rich in Vitamin E can help in the tissue repair.
  • Vitamin K is a good anti-coagulant. When taken immediately, it helps in the re-absorption of the blood clot back into the circulatory system. This helps clear the hickey faster.
  • Aspirin is a well re-known painkiller. However, it is also a good thinner and comes in handy when looking for ways to get rid of a hickey. It is best used twenty four hours after acquiring the love bite and blood from the ruptured capillaries has started clotting. As an anti-coagulant, the clotting blood is thinned and easily re-absorbed back into the blood.

In general, any medication taken for the purpose of aiding hickey removal should not be abused and any allergic reactions should be considered.

9. Rubbing alcohol

Rubbing alcohol creates a soothing and cooling effect, not to mention that it has disinfectant properties. It should be applied as soon as possible so as to relieve soreness and possible itchiness. However, one should have moisturizing lotion to apply on the area, since alcohol dries up the skin.

10. Banana peelings

Banana peelings have a soothing effect. The peelings are put on the bruise with the inside part facing down. They are then left on for ten minutes or so before discarding. This should be done at least three times in a day to ensure success. Banana peelings from kitchen use can be used.

11. Vitamin C

Vitamin C comes in handy when trying to heal hickeys since it aids in the repair of skin tissues. Vitamin C is best consumed from fresh orange fruit juice instead of packaged orange juice.

12. Cocoa butter

Cocoa butter acts as a good skin moisturizer. Dry skin will flake off and heal slowly whereas moist skin has a higher chance of generating new tissue and growing. Care should be taken not to put on a lot since it melts easily and can attract insects, for example bees.

13. Warm tea bag

Warm tea bag can be used as a warmer, where it is compressed on the skin. This warmth just plays the same role

making a hickey

as the hot compressors, whilst the tea is said to speed regeneration of dead skin although no scientific evidence exists.

14. Tuna

A home remedy when tuna oil is placed on the hickey and left to stay for around five minutes was also reported

to work.  Thereafter, the tuna oil is washed off leaving useful Vitamin E and Omega that are crucial for regeneration of skin.

15. Arnica Salve

Arnica salve  is a healing ointment that has been medically proven to reduce swelling and soreness. When applied, it reduces the soreness and also helps in the repair of the broken capillaries. This boosts the fast healing of hickeys.

16. Preparation H

Preparation H is an anti-inflammatory used to treat puffy eyes. Some users have also put it to use to soothe hickeys and have recorded that it has considerably reduced the soreness.

In some situations, it may not be possible to have the hickey healed in time or it may be severe and requires more time to heal. In such cases, the best way to get rid of a hickey (or not make it seen) is to conceal it.

 

Hickeys can cause embarrassment, and the fact that there are so many home remedies out there just qualifies the fact that they can be a nuisance. Of all the methods, it is advisable that once you notice to have a hickey, apply cold ice followed by one of the regimes to ensure it disappears quickly. The lesser the blood that is spread to tissues from the burst capillaries, the lesser the soreness of the hickey.

Let’s watch out where we bite!

53 thoughts on “Get Rid of Hickies with these Proven Remedies”

  1. The toothpaste thing worked really well for me. I left it on about 30 minutes right before bed, rinsed it off with a warm wet towel and the next morning I could tell a huge difference.
    And the mint was very soothing. Kinda like icy hot!

  2. The cold spoon works really well, it’s just most of the time the heat of the moment doesn’t allow you to apply in the right time frame! But if it’s not your first hickey and you still haven’t invested in some of that green concealer makeup, you should it makes a difference.

  3. I put biofreeze on mine and then scraped it with a coin and then reapplied biofreeze and kept it on all night and made a huge difference!

  4. I have a love bite but i don’t want my family to see it because they might be ashamed of me, i need help. I need a quick and easy way to get rid of it! Do you have any suggestions?

  5. The coin remedy works really well! After scrapping the coin from the inside of the hickey towards the out for a few minutes it instantly began to fade and became near invisible, now I’m going to try soothing it with some aloe or cocoa butter to finish it off..thanks for the tips!

  6. Use a pink eraser place it on the hicky and twist the eraser on skin and hold for about 15 seconds. Repeat in opposite directions. It will turn red and look irritated but after the redness goes away in about 30minutes the hicky is gone.

  7. I’ve been doing the massage on for a couple months now last time i had one i did the massage and it went away in probably 6 days now just because you do the massage doesn’t mean it will go away the next day but it really works if you want to try massage the area 3 times a day 15minutes

  8. The coin trick works wonders on large dark hickeys, but be prepared for a lot of pain and doing it over a long period of time ( an hour or so ) and also cocoa butter works great, especially a stretch mark cream with cocoa butter. Drenching a clothe in witch hazel and laying it over for about 15 minutes works too to lighten!

  9. I used a toothbrush and brushed the hickey from the inside outwards in different directions for about 20 minutes. It’s faded the hickey quite a lot. Once the redness is gone you’ll see the difference.

    Pain comes with the package, but ice can also help ease it and reduce any swelling that may occur.

  10. I know it may sound stupid but none of these really worked so what i did was i grabbed a water bottle or a gaterade just anything that is liquid i put it into the freezer until it froze and i applied to the hicky until the product became liquid and the hickey went away.

  11. You’re 100% right!! Thank god I have pink undertones to my skin because I have so much green concealer! For anyone that wants a cheap drugstore green concealer, the nyx green color correcting primer with the green concealer wand work perfectly together!! Also, a bit on the pricey side, but my sister does SFX so this helped me SOOOO much but kryolan cosmetics are extremely pigmented and covered that sucker up! They’re also activated my alcohol so you get the alcohol treatment with the makeup concealing it at once it’s awesome!!!

  12. Me and my girlfriend agreed no hickeys do these work because I would tell her she can give me one if they do work

  13. I did the coin one… It turned red, and I was excited. I thought it would do away soon… Nope. After 43 minutes, I got tired of waiting and got an ice-pack and put it on it. It lessened the redness, but it is still clearly visable. I have a uniform day today, so I am stuck having to use makeup. Lovely. At least the hickey isn’t a dark purple anymore, and my mom was cool about it….

  14. I got a giant dark hickey on an overnight catholic youth group retreat. I had an hour drive home. Someone told me to comb it. The whole ride home i combed it with a black hair comb. By thevtime i got home it was gone. I hadcsome redness from the comb butvthat went away quickly.

  15. Cold drink from the fridge water bottle or bottle of Coke hold on the area works wonders ole case of the friends with benefits got the best of me this time.

  16. Get your boyfriend to cum on it, mine did and i couldnt see it for the rest of the day until my shower for some reason, might of just been the heat of the water?

  17. I used just a spoon in the same way they were describing to use the coin and it did an amazing job. I have really sensitive skin so they’re always popping up and the spoon has always been my go too.

  18. I have a hickey from my boyfriend… i need it to go away because my wife will get upset if she sees it… i am looking for an easy and quick method so i can contine this gay love affair without having to worry!! Please help!

  19. Man, I feel like this is a joke, but I also feel like it isn’t… ???? If it’s not a joke you need to grow a pair and tell your wife you like dick.

  20. Got one on my lips and around the lips…
    I have an interview
    I look like I have a purple reddish all around the lips
    Totally within the last 13 hours.
    Cold spoons god!! Save me.

  21. Rubbing an eraser will help the hickey go away
    •any eraser
    •helps most light
    •the longests you should need to rub it us only 15 min
    Guys this saved my life

  22. I’ve been using the spoon, ice, and the toothbrush. So far, I’v found the ice and toothbrush work well together. I get mine on my huge chest. I ask for them, but this time it was done by someone other than my fwb and he will get pissed.

  23. Nothing worked…. The mint just made my neck smell good.. spoon was just cold… Heat pack did nothing…. Coca butter didn’t work I wear that everyday…. Don’t wanna wait it out… I have a lot of family coming over for dinner in 2 days… WHAT AM I TO DO????????

  24. I got a hickey from my boyfriend and I’m meeting his parents tomorrow and it’s huge and it’s on my neck so I’m screwed

  25. im only14 and i was at my bf house and he gave me a hickey and im scared my parents will see i tried makeup toothpaste and ice it wouldnt get off

  26. I don’t know what’s more embarrassing: getting a hickey because you were intimate with another person or getting a hickey because you put a suction cup on your forehead and tried to pull it off. However I may or may not have gotten a hickey on my forehead, I tried some of the above things and noticed significant improvement. After maybe 5-10 minutes after I got the hickey, I placed a cold object from my fridge on my forehead, and a few minutes later, used a combination of the coin/toothbrush method. An hour later, I went to bed and noticed significant improvement the next morning. As a warning, be careful to not be too abrasive with your skin, as it can leave some minor damage afterward. All else fails, wear a scarf.

  27. To answer your question they dont work but.....

    My bf and I put them in private places …. Like tummy, chest, thighs. Nobody but you two would see them unless you go swimming. Then in that case plan ahead.

  28. Mine is on my arm and it won’t go away… none of this stuff will help.my moms gonna love me when I tell her this.

  29. SceniePumpkin

    I mean, it’s kinda no one’s fault but your own that you got a hickey. Like I understand wanting to get rid of it but like don’t blame the person who wrote the article for your hickey not going away instantly?

  30. Elizabeth Edwards

    Put hot compress and massage for 15 mins and went right away and it worked for me .

  31. my ex came over when i was “sick” and i let him give me hickies. i tried to hide it with my hair and clothe sbut my sister seen and i told her it was from my camera strap bc im in photography. my mom just noticed a day after…im dead bc after that i have dinner with my dad

  32. I’m screwed, my neck is covered in places I cant hide with makeup because theres so much, I’m an SFX artist and I can’t even seem to cover them, I tried some of these and they dont seem to be working, someone please tell me they have some other life saver, I have family gets togethers and my mother will kill me

  33. Toothbrush & ice have helped me fade it a lot in an hour!!! Be consistent, have patience, and catch it fast if possible!!

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