6 Methods to Get Rid of Your Hickey
Since the earliest of days, people have been physically passionate toward one another. And one of the tell tale signs of love (or perhaps lust) gone wild is the hickey.
If you've ever had a passionate make-out session with someone else, you've undoubtedly given or received a few of these yourself.
And since a hickey is a very visual sign, and one that may not go over that well with others, people are always asking about how to get rid of a hickey. The signs of a passionate night are all good and well, but not necessarily if you have to go to school or work the next day.
So, with an eye toward helping you out, we've assembled some of the age-old advice for how to get rid of a hickey. Read on to find out some of the tips and tricks that have helped countless others to minimize or reduce the appearance of hickeys over the years.
How to get rid of a hickey: Method 1 – Keep things cool
A hickey is really just a bruise that is brought into existence because of suction. When that person you were getting frisky with was sucking on your neck, he/she was really just causing a bright, noticeable bruise.
And like bruises, you can often reduce a hickey, or prevent it from blooming by applying ice to the bruising. A cold compress or bag of frozen peas, held to your neck for 10 to 20 minutes may just prevent you from having to face the world with an embarrassing line of hickeys on your neck.
How to get rid of a hickey: Method 2 – Apply Pressure
Once again, we're going back to First Aid – 101 here. Since we know that a hickey is a bruise, we can try another age old fix for bruises and swelling – applying pressure. One of the best ways to do this is to take a lipstick or lip balm container, and use it to apply steady, rolling pressure to your hickeys.
This step can help to reduce swelling and move some of the blood away from the surface of your skin. Try doing this for about 10 minutes. Be warned, though, it can hurt after a minute or two, but it has been known to be a very effective method.
How to get rid of a hickey: Method 3 – Heat things up
It may sound strange to tell you to apply heat to get rid of a hickey, especially after we told you earlier to use a cold compress.
But applying a very warm washcloth to your hickey, can indeed help to reduce its appearance. It's usually best to alternate this method with Method #1, try the cold compress for 10 minutes, followed by 10 minutes with a warm washcloth.
How to get rid of a hickey: Method 4 – Vitamins
We all know that vitamins can help the body heal from various injuries and illnesses. So it makes perfect sense to apply some topical vitamin lotions to get rid of your hickey.
Of special note are Vitamin K and Vitamin E. Both of these vitamins have been known for years to help with various skin conditions. While this method would never be your first line of defense, when combined with some of the other methods listed in this article, it can be very effective to use topical vitamins to reduce the appearance of a hickey.
How to get rid of a hickey: Method 5 – The Hairbrush Technique
This is one of those home remedies that's been around for a while, and has actually helped quite a few desperate folks over the years. Using a hair brush or tooth brush, you'll want to apply a bit of light stimulation to the affected area.
This works in a manner similar to the lipstick pressure method, and can go a long way in reducing the appearance of a hickey. Just don't brush too hard, or do this step for too long, or it could irritate the area where the hickey is – making it all the more noticeable.
How to get rid of a hickey: Method 6 – Medicinal Treatments
When all else fails, you can turn to your medicine cabinet for a bit of help in getting rid of your hickey. Anti-inflammatory creams and lotions have shown to be somewhat effective in reducing the appearance of hickeys. One popular medicine is Preparation H. This over-the-counter medicated ointment is designed to reduce inflammation in a very sensitive area, and may help to get blood flowing away from the hickey. Be careful with this step, and avoid it if you are not sure how you react to this particular medication.
Cover it up
Now that we've discussed some methods of how to get rid of a hickey, there's something else that we need to address. You see, sometimes the methods we listed here just don't do the trick.
You may have a particularly noticeable hickey that just isn't going away. If that happens, don't give up hope. Simply find a way to cover the hickey up. Wearing a turtleneck sweater can work. So can the application of foundation to the affected area. Some people have even had success with Band-Aids or other bandages.
Now you know all the basics for how to get rid of a hickey. You may want to try using several of the methods, back-to-back, if one particular method doesn't do the trick.
And if the worst happens, and someone does notice that you have a hickey – just remember that it's not the end of the world. Millions of people have gone through this embarrassment over the years, and they all lived to tell their stories.
But if you act fast, and use our “How to get rid of a hickey” methods when you first notice that you have one, you stand a very good chance of getting rid of those unsightly marks of love. And once you find a method that works for you, you'll be all set to get rid of hickeys, after your next passionate hook-up.