So, you had a little make-out session with your partner and things got a little steamy. Next thing you know, there’s a big hickey on your neck or maybe a lip hickey has formed. They’re embarrassing, and you panic a little.
Now, we know this article will give you hope and better the situation, but realistically, there’s no way to get rid of hickeys overnight. However, there are things you can do to speed up its healing and make the hickeys easier to hide.
The bad news is that hickeys can last anywhere between two days to two weeks, but it all depends on the person. The good news is that there are 4 steps you can follow to make them heal faster without having to rely on turtlenecks forever.
4 Steps to Getting Rid of Hickeys:
1. Use a Warm Compress:
One of the best things you can do to treat a hickey is to apply a warm compress. That’s why this is our first step. Hickeys are a result of broken blood vessels and warm compresses stimulate your blood vessels.
That means that they can reduce the bruise so it’s not as noticeable. To get started, heat up some water in the microwave until it’s hot enough to keep your finger dipped into it without major discomfort.
You don’t want it to be boiling, but it should be hot enough to do the job. Once the water is hot, take a clean washcloth, soak it and keep it against the area. Apply it on your hickey and let it sit until the washcloth goes back down to room temperature.
Repeat the process at least four times for up to 20 minutes, several times a day until your hickey is gone. You may need to reheat the water as you go along because it will cool down and cold compresses are not as effective.
2. Massage Your Hickey:
Massages are great for many reasons, one of them being that they stimulate blood flow. That can be very helpful when you’re dealing with a hickey because it will help stimulate your blood vessels.
So, the next step is to gently massage your hickey for a few minutes a day until it’s gone. This will help it fade faster. Keep in mind that this also works for scars and prevents them from forming keloid scar tissue. However, there is a specific way to massage a scar so you need to see a professional for that.
For your hickey now and the problem at hand, we recommend you keep the pressure light during the massage.
If you apply too much pressure, you can make the hickey bruise look worse. Be gentle and do this a few times a day. You can also apply a little cream or essential oil to make sure you don’t rub the skin with too much force.
Peppermint essential oil is the perfect option because it promotes blood flow, which can help your hickey fade even faster. Essential oils need to be diluted, so try using 12 drops of coconut or olive oil for every 1 or 2 drops of your essential oil.
3. Apply a Topical Treatment:
There are many topical products you can use to make your hickey go away a lot faster. For example, using topical vitamin K can help bruises heal more quickly. Vitamin K is essential to the blood-clotting process, so it can reduce the appearance of hickeys.
Additionally, you could add more vitamin K-rich foods to your diet for a few days or take supplements. Vitamin C is another option and there are many enriched creams you can use.
Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants, promotes collagen production, and helps strengthen the skin tissue around the blood vessels. Lastly, you can use Arnica, which is a herb that’s been used for healing bruises for thousands of years.
Arnica is rich in helenalin, which is an anti-inflammatory. Topical arnica cream is available over the counter at any pharmacy and you should apply it once a day to help your hickey disappear faster.
4. Moisturize:
Last but not least, keeping your skin moisturized is a must. When it comes to getting rid of hickeys, you should use aloe vera. Aloe vera is helpful for many different things.
That’s because it’s rich in antioxidants and it is anti-inflammatory. Applying some aloe vera gel or cream will help your hickey heal faster. You should do this twice a day.
Though it won’t make your hickey disappear from one day to the next, it can be of great help and prevent scarring. Especially if you follow the three previous steps, which are meant to speed up the healing process.
Conclusion:
Though we can’t say these 4 steps will get rid of a hickey overnight, they will make it heal faster. A lot faster!
Now the key thing and the magical secret solution you’ve all been waiting for is to just use makeup! Use a foundation that matches your skin and apply it on the hickey gently and topically. This will help you cover up and hide the hickey during the day, when you come home though you can use the steps listed above to speed up the healing.
Trust us it will work! There are people who use makeup to hide entire large face and neck tattoos or even arms ones, and they still do the job interview and get the job!
Keep in mind though that irritating a hickey will make the bruise a lot more noticeable. That way, you won’t have to wear turtlenecks, scarves, or any other clothing items you’d rather keep in the closet, especially when the weather is not cool or cold!