How To Get Rid Of A Hickey

Hickeys have been around for a number of years gracing the neck and other associated body parts of those who engage in sexual play and activity. Hickeys are well known as love bites and can be characterized as a temporary bruise or mark on the skin where blood vessels have burst underneath the skin due to kissing, sucking or biting the skin with some force. The color of a hickey ranges from red dotted or speckled to a purple cluster depending on the severity of the bruise. Just as any other bruise that the body may suffer from, hickeys can last anywhere from 4 to 12 days.

There are many methods in which people have learned how to get rid of a hickey. For some people there are techniques that may work well and are preferred over others, but some procedures that work fine for some people may not be your first choice in preventative measures when figuring out how to get rid of a hickey. If one method does not help your hickey, do not be afraid to try something else as the size and severity of your hickey may require other alternative methods in order to help it heal faster than on its own.

If you are quick and have time on your side, ice works extremely well at stopping the blood flow from the broken capillaries under the skin that spread the blood and create the bruise. It constricts the flow just under the surface and helps keep the hickey from spreading and becoming larger than if left untreated. Ice can also help keep swelling down even if you are unable to treat the hickey immediately.

Massage is another method that many have used in the past when looking at how to get rid of a hickey. Devices such as a comb or brush can help distribute the blood that sits below the surface of the skin and causes the bruise. Although other massage tools can include your hands or even a cold spoon, the choice is yours.

Witch hazel is one alternative medicine method that some swear by when exploring how to get rid of a hickey. It is an extract that can be purchased over the counter at any drug store or pharmacy and is primarily used to treat bruises, insect bites, and acne along with many other medical ailments.

If you have found that none of these methods work when looking at how to get rid of a hickey, you can take solace in the fact that it will only last for a few days and you may just have to use a form of coverage such as turtleneck sweaters, blouses or even makeup in order to hide the hickey until it disappears. For women, these may be easier ways to hide a hickey rather than guys suddenly changing their wardrobe choices or purchasing makeup. Some people may try for the alternative option and rather than cover up a hickey, make it larger and try to devise it to resemble something else entirely such as a curling iron burn or an injury from an item such as a baseball.