How To Get Rid of Hickies? Hickeys aren’t just for inexperienced teenagers making out in their cars. Unfortunately, they don’t discriminate when it comes to making their mark on the skin—anyone is vulnerable to the horror of a hickey. Whether you notice one on your neck the night before an important meeting or a hickey lingers during dinner with your grandparents, no one wants to deal with these love bites. So, you’ve likely reached a point in the past when you wondered how to get rid of a hickey.
Unfortunately, there’s no magic cream or clear-cut trick that will immediately get rid of a hickey. Remember, hickeys are bruises as well, so like any other mark, it will take some time to disappear. However, dermatologists and skincare experts showed some tried and true tips for how to get rid of a hickey. (And if all else fails, go for your makeup bag.)
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What is a hickey?
If you’ve woken up after a passionate night in bed, looked in the mirror, and noticed bruised skin on your neck (or hey—anywhere on your body), we’re thinking you let a few curse words slip out. Your next train of thought might have been irritation at whoever branded you. But have you ever ceased to think, “How did this even happen?”
“A hickey is a deep red or purple bruise on the skin that is induced by suction,” Board-Certified Dermatologist of Riverchase Dermatology, Dr. Stacy Chimento, tells HelloGiggles. “Intense suction and stress on the skin can result in burst blood vessels. These blood vessels release tiny amounts of blood when broken, which provides a hickey its red/purple color.”
How to get rid of a hickey?
Thus, you have a hickey to deal with. Now, how do you get rid of it? (Because turtleneck tops aren’t still an option during warm weather days.) Above all else, timelines are key; Dr. recommends tending to your hickey as soon as possible to prevent it from growing darker and bigger.
“As soon as you see a hickey on your body, you should apply a cold compress, like an ice pack or a spoon chilled in the freezer,” Dr. advises. “Cold temperatures can help decrease the blood flow from the broken blood vessel into the skin and stop a bruise from getting darker or larger. Hold a cold compress on the hickey for 10 minutes as many times as possible for the first one to two days.”
Here are five ways to get rid of a hickey, stat.
Give yourself a mini massage
“Massaging the skin where a hickey is present can regulate blood flow to the area and may be able to support the bruise fade quicker,” Dr. says. “Try massaging a hickey in circular motions for two to three minutes at a time as many times a day as possible—if the bruise is yet prominent after the first two days.”
Apply a cold compress
As Dr. mentioned, a cold compress can help stop the hickey in its tracks, preventing it from spreading across more skin. So, the whole
The spoon-in-the-freezer trick isn’t a myth after all. Anything cold, like a bag of frozen food or an ice roller will do the way, too.
Use Arnica gel
“Arnica gel allows speed up the body’s healing process and stimulates circulation which aids in reducing swelling, bruising, and pain,” Dr. explains. “Applying arnica gel one to two times a day to a hickey may decrease its discoloration and help it heal at a faster rate.”
Moisturize with aloe vera
“To help the healing rate of a hickey, you need to utilize something that will help the skin heal and repair, like vitamin E cream, aloe vera gel, or essential oils,” aesthetician Alison Angold tells HelloGiggles. “Lavender, chamomile, and marjoram are particularly good at healing bruises, while clary sage and bergamot are good for decreasing the redness and inflammation in the area, and sandalwood specifically reduces the redness of broken capillaries. Remember to dilute the necessary oils in a carrier substance before applying to the skin.”
Eat helpful foods
Surprisingly, there are specific foods that help bruises heal faster. For example, pineapple has an enzyme called bromelain that can reduce swelling and inflammation. Plus, vitamin K helps your body soak up clots of pooled blood (like those in a hickey), so fuel up on foods rich in Vitamin K, like kale, broccoli, spinach, and brown rice. It can’t hurt, right?
How to hide a hickey
If you have no luck with the tricks above, you might have to resort to concealing rather than recovery until the hickey goes away on its own.
Use your hair
If you have long enough hair to cover a neck hickey, take benefit of it. Just position your hair so it hides the hickey, and make sure you keep it there while you talk to other people.
Cover it with clothes
If you don’t have long hair or it doesn’t go to the spot where the hickey is, you might have to opt for a turtleneck, scarf, or thick necklace. This will help to hide the love bite.
Grab your makeup bag
As a last resort, go for your makeup bag to get the job done. “Concealing a hickey can be a small tricky but not impossible,” makeup artist Desireé Delia tells HelloGiggles. “First, you want to prime the space with your favorite primer.
Then, apply a layer of green color corrector to cancel out any bruising, and then complete by using concealer and foundation to smooth out the area and complete coverage.”