Also known as love bite or kiss mark, a hickey is actually a kind of bruise. It is an after effect of sucking or kissing the skin too hard. This breaks down the blood capillaries and pools blood that eventually results in the dark purple or dark red hued bruise.
It can last for more than a week but eventually its appearance gets lightened over time. Once it is healed completely, there is no mark or scar left behind. But living with a hickey for a whole week turns quite embarrassing. You can wrap a stole or apply some foundation to hide it.
Get Rid Of A Hickey with these simple Home Remedies
Cold compress
To get rid of hickeys fast, the clotted blood needs to be broken apart. And this can be done by applying a cold ice pack on the affected part of the skin.
- Put some crushed ice or some ice cubes in a towel and hold it against the affected skin. Do it 15 minutes for two to three times every day. This method will also prevent swelling around the hickey and reduce the inflammation and pain if any. Take notice to not apply ice on the skin directly as it can damage your skin.
- Put a spoon in the refrigerator for about 10 to 15 minutes. Wrap it in a soft cotton cloth. Gently rub the spoon on the desired hickey area until the spoon is cold. Repeat this procedure several times a day.
Peppermint
It stimulates the blood clots and improves blood circulation. And hence is very effective in treating hickeys. It also heals the capillary vessels.
- Apply the peppermint oil gently on the affected skin. The method is accompanied with a tingling feeling initially that eventually goes out with time. Only do it twice a day otherwise it can irritate the skin.
- Use a peppermint based toothpaste on the affected area. Do it only once a day and it’s most effective when used immediately after noticing the hickey.
Rubbing Alcohol
It is just the right remedy if only a few hours have passed when you first noticed the hickey. Rubbing alcohol has disinfectant properties accompanied with cooling and soothing effect.
- Use a cotton ball to apply rubbing alcohol on the affected skin.
- Gently rub the area for a few minutes.
- This method can leave your skin a little bit dry. Apply a moisturizing lotion to the area after applying the rubbing alcohol.
- Repeat it several times a day for two to three days.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera has natural moisturizing properties that reduce the inflammation and soothes the affected skin. The reduced sensitivity results in bursting the capillaries lying just under the skin and heals much faster.
- Massage the Aloe Vera gel on the affected skin for a few minutes and repeat it for two to three times a day
- Wash off the area with warm water and pat dry.
Banana Peel
Banana peels have cooling as well as soothing properties which help to get rid of hickeys fast.
- Cut a hickey sized piece from the banana peel.
- Place it on the bruise for about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Repeat the process for about three to four times a day till the appearance of the bruise is lightened.
Vitamin K
It prevents the blood clotting and can be used to treat bruises. This gives your immune system a chance to reabsorb the pooled blood. This, all in all, fastens the healing process.
- Apply a Vitamin K rich lotion or cream on the affected area and repeat it two to three times a day for several days until you get rid of the hickey.
- You can opt for Vitamin K supplements which will make the healing of the hickey fast.
- Eat more of rice, spinach, soybean, fish and all other foods that are rich in Vitamin K.
If you have more than a few hickeys, then these remedies can take a while to give the most comfort. Hickey takes the time to heal. So give it a day or two and try the above-listed remedies to get away from the discomfort.
Hope the article helped, and you got rid of that embarrassing bruise!
