Whether you have a committed life partner or simply want to have some fun, you may find that after an intense night that a hickey has taken residence on your body and neck.
Not that anyone is blaming you; after all, passion is passion, and a little hickey never hurt anyone.
Hickeys are rarely a problem anywhere on your body except your neck.
The problem with a hickey on your neck is that it is a prominent area, and anyone can and will notice.
While there is nothing to be ashamed of, we have all been in a situation where we have made a few lame excuses to cover up, from being burnt by a straightener to an allergic reaction.
There is no need to worry; however, you are not the first or last person looking into ways to heal your hickey overnight.
There are numerous tried and tested ways to reduce the healing time of hickeys.
What Is A Hickey?
To start with, you may wonder why your hickey looks exactly like a bruise.
This is because a hickey is a bruised area.
A hickey forms because of broken capillaries or blood vessels which causes pooled blood to accumulate under the skin’s surface.
This is the same process that occurs with bruises.
A bruise forms after trauma to the skin and causes damage to the blood vessels, which leads to blood pooling.
The extent of bruising depends on the trauma.
For small bruising like hickeys, the healing process is much shorter than for a black eye. A hickey can heal in as little as three days to a week.
7 Ways You Can Get Rid Of Hickeys
A hickey is a minor bruise and can take as little as three days to clear up.
However, if you can’t wait that long or don’t want to wander around in turtle necks and scarves to cover your endeavors, there are ways you can speed up the healing process.
These tips and tricks are not magic and won’t have your hickey vanishing in a single night, but they will help you heal faster compared to simply leaving the hickey as it is.
1) Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera is like a cureall plant.
It is on so many different lists, from improving hair health to improving your skin. It should come as almost no surprise that aloe vera is also on this list of how to get rid of a hickey.
Aloe vera is an easily accessible plant.
You can find it almost everywhere as a cream, gel, or as a plant itself. In fact, aloe can also be grown in your own home, and it is that simple of a plant to handle.
For healing hickeys, you need to use aloe vera pulp.
Apply a thin layer of the gel to the skin.
Not only does this help in the healing of your hickey, but it works to reduce skin swelling and any inflammation that may be present.
Apply the pulp to your bruise one to two times in the day to speed up the healing process.
If during this application, at any time your skin becomes irritated, stop the use of the aloe pulp.
2) Vitamin K Cream
Vitamin K is among the essential vitamins that our systems require to function. It is among the fat-soluble vitamins and is used to ensure proper blood clotting and bone health.
Vitamin K cream acts as a topical vitamin.
When you apply vitamin K directly to the bruise, you increase the effectiveness of the vitamin.
This trick works to get rid of hickeys by assisting your body in absorbing clots that have formed.
You can do this once or twice a day; however, if you feel that your skin is reacting to these creams, then stop the application.
3) Vitamin C Cream
Another vitamin that is incredibly essential for various functions is vitamin C.
It is used for repairing and growing tissues in the body. It also acts as a powerful antioxidant to protect the body from damage.
Vitamin C cream plays a major role in the repair of skin after a hickey. It allows the area to heal faster than if left alone.
You simply need to apply the cream directly onto the hickey once or twice a day.
4) Cold Compress
Another trick that works well when you are looking to get rid of a hickey is the use of cold compresses.
This cold compress can be anything from an ice pack to a cold spoon.
This works best in the first 24 hours of hickey formation.
When you apply a cold compress to the bruise, it reduces blood flow which prevents the seeping of red blood cells out of the blood vessels.
This decreases the spread of the bruise, minimizing its size.
All you need to do is place your spoon or ice pack in the freezer and allow it to become cold.
Once cold, you can place it on the hickey for a maximum of ten minutes, any more, and you may cause a cold burn.
Repeat this process as many times ad you like throughout the day.
5) Banana Peels
You read that correctly; you can use the peels of a banana to help you get rid of a hickey.
The peel of a banana comes packed with a number of different nutrients, and while you can not eat the peel, you can use it to fade your hickey.
Take your banana peel and rub it against the hickey until the banana skin turns brown or for 30 minutes in total.
This helps reduce the appearance of the hickey on your skin.
However, it is important to note that the peel of a banana can be irritating to your skin; if irritation occurs, do not continue using this tip.
6) Hot Compress
Just as you can use cold to get rid of a hickey, you can use the heat in the same way.
By using a hot water bottle or cloth soaked in warm water, you can increase blood flow around the hickey which speeds up the removal of clotted blood.
This allows you to get rid of a hickey faster.
The heat of your warm compress should be enough that you can barely withstand the heat.
Make sure that it is not hot enough to cause burning.
Hold the compress against the love bite and repeat this heat compression a few times. You will see the bruising go down in a few days.
7) Arnica Cream
Arnica also known as arctic arnica, arnica angustifolia and American arnica is an herb. It is usually found in the United States and Europe.
Traditionally it has been used to treat inflammation, swelling, bruising, and pain.
For skin issues such as bruising, arnica can be used in its topical form.
It usually comes in gel form. By applying arnica gel to your bruises, you can greatly reduce your bruising by increasing the speed of healing.
8) Pineapple
This is not just a delicious fruit that can be eaten on its own or used in desserts.
They can also work wonders on bruises. It can sound surprising, but this fruit can be used as a treatment for your hickey.
Pineapples contain an enzyme called bromelain, and this enzyme is used in the reduction of swelling inflammation and speeding up the recovery from love bites.
Simply apply a pineapple slice to the affected area a few times a day.
9) Self Massage
Massages are used to relieve pain and swelling by increasing the flow of blood.
A self-massage can be beneficial in reducing the appearance of hickeys.
In this situation, you need to be aware that you do not press too hard on your bruise as this will increase the appearance of your hickey rather than fixing it.
Ensure that you are applying soft pressure and are gentle.
Only massage the area for small time periods; give yourself time to heal.
10) Cocoa Butter
The last thing that comes to mind when someone says cocoa is hickeys.
You are more likely to imagine chocolates and desserts like ice creams and cookies, but cocoa butter is also a huge part of skincare.
It is a fat that is extracted from cocoa beans, and cocoa has long been used in traditional medicines.
It is used to increase hydration, elasticity, and softness in the skin.
Many people swear by cocoa and its benefits in reducing the appearance of stretch marks, wrinkles, and scars.
Keeping these benefits in mind, it is not hard to see why cocoa can be used to treat hickeys.
Take the butter and apply it to your hickeys, remembering to keep a soft pressure to prevent worsening of the hickeys.
Repeat this application once or twice a day, and you should see some improvement.
11) Peppermint Oil
Another option on our list that may surprise you is this essential oil.
Essential oils are usually sought out for their scent and calming properties.
However, they can be used to reduce signs of inflammation and improve the flow of blood because of the presence of menthol.
It is this property of increased circulation that can be beneficial in the treatment of hickeys.
You can’t apply this oil directly to your hickey as it can cause irritation; it requires mixing with a carrier oil like almond oil.
Mix your peppermint oil with another oil, and then apply it to your hickey.
Your ratio needs to be one drop of peppermint oil to 15 or drops of the other oil.
Gently massage this oil mixture into the hickey.
Remember to keep a gentle pressure, or you may do more harm than good to your hickey.
12) Diet Modifications
As we mentioned, there are certain vitamins like K and C that can be used in the treatment of hickeys.
You can get these vitamins from your diet; for example, the K vitamin can be found in foods like brown rice and leafy greens.
By adding these foods to your diet, you can reduce the time it takes for your hickey to clear up.
13) Laser Treatment
For people who simply can not wait and have money at their disposal, they can choose a cosmetic surgery procedure: laser.
This is a treatment that dramatically reduces the time it takes for a hickey to disappear.
Conclusion
With these tips and tricks, you no longer need to worry about a few pesky hickeys the next time you get too caught in the moment.
You can skip the scarves, concealer, and turtle necks and decrease the time it takes for your hickeys to fade.