A hickey, also called a love bite, is a bruise like lesion that is caused by either kissing or sucking of the skin. The bruises can occur even when subtle pressure is applied to the skin. For instance, sucking alone is sufficient to cause bursting of the blood vessels located on the skin surface. The marks are very conspicuous hence it is important to know how to get rid of hickeys.

Best Tips to Get Rid of a Hickey

Here are some of the strategies on how to get rid of a hickey with the least effort.

1. Cold compress

A cold compress is a common strategy for managing bruises on the skin. The cool temperature elicited by this procedure helps in slowing down the flow of blood through the blood vessels that supply the skin of the bruised area. An ice pack or a cloth dampened with cold water is appropriate for the procedure. The overall effect is reducing swelling and redness in the bruised skin. It is best applied for about ten minutes several times a day for the first two days. It is one of the most common ways of how to get rid of a hickey.

2. Warm compress

A warm compress is always used after applying a cold compress. In this situation, you will start using this technique after two days when you have stopped using the cold compress. Applying some heat to the skin helps restore blood flow to the skin, which rapidly makes the hickeys fade away. Start the procedure on day three and apply a warm compress for ten minutes several times a day in the same frequency as you did the cold compress.

3. Apply aloe vera

Aloe vera is one of the most potent anti-inflammatory agents in nature. Anti-inflammatory properties make aloe vera useful in reducing symptoms such as swelling, pain, and redness. When treating a hickey, you have to apply a thin layer of aloe vera gel or cream directly to your bruise at least twice every day.

4. Use apple cider vinegar

It is a product that most people use to get rid of love bites. It is rich in minerals, vitamins, acids, and enzymes, which are effective for almost every skin problem. Applying it directly to the affected area reduces the intensity of the discoloration. Put one tablespoon of vinegar in a glass of water. Use a clean cloth to apply the solution over your hickey and hold it gently in place for ten minutes. You can then wash with cold water and repeat the procedure at least twice a day.

5. Banana peel

A banana peel conveniently helps to soothe the skin. This strategy appears ridiculous at face value but it actually works. The inside of a banana peel is a cooling treatment that can be used to shrink the hickey. Removing the peel of a ripe banana and placing the inside of the peel onto your hickey for about ten to thirty minutes will manage your hickey effectively. Repeat this procedure three times a day for good results.

6. Try out tea bags

Tea bags are effective in soothing the skin. Their properties eventually help to get rid of hickeys. Put a used tea bag or one that has been soaked in hot water, directly over the hickey until it cools off. You can do this at least five times every day until your hickey heals. During this process, you will feel the soothing effects of tea bags almost instantly.

7. Apply almond oil

Almond is rich in vitamin E, zinc, potassium, monounsaturated fatty acids, minerals, and other vitamins. Most of these components are potent anti-inflammatory agents. They also help dissolve blood clots and improve blood circulation, which will enhance the healing process of the affected area. Put some almond oil in a bowl and heat it in a microwave. After heating, remove it from the microwave and apply a warm compress. Then, use a little amount of almond oil over the affected area using the tips of your fingers in a circular motion to help dissolve the clots.

8. Use peppermint essential oil

Peppermint essential oil is lauded for its ability to improve blood flow to the skin. It helps supply the bruised area with enough blood to ensure that the size and severity of the bruises are well managed. Massaging the bruised area with diluted peppermint essential oils as many times as you like is a sure strategy on how to get rid of a hickey fast.

9. Toothbrush

A toothbrush is used to hide hickeys by massaging the affected area with the softly bristled ends of a toothbrush. The procedure is somewhat painful but massaging will help break up the coagulum and consequently increase the blood flow. Ultimately, the process will help you get rid of the hickey.

10. Cold spoon

Using a cold spoon is perhaps the most common and easiest technique to use. All you need to start the procedure is a frozen spoon. It functions to reduce swelling. To do this appropriately, put a metal spoon in your freezer for a few minutes then take it out and cover your hickey entirely with the cold spoon. Leave it in place for ten minutes and repeat the procedure as frequently as you can.

Conclusion

Irrespective of what efforts you make, your hickeys won't go away overnight. Nevertheless, the previously mentioned steps are the best ways on how to get rid of a hickey, because they speed up the healing process. Hickeys always resolve on their own after one or two weeks. It is not uncommon to find that these techniques don't work for some people. If that includes you, then you will just have to cover up your hickeys and wait for them to heal spontaneously. Here is a short video to help you with tips on how to get rid of a hickey fast.