How to Remove a Hickey Fast: 15 Tips to Get Rid of Love Bites

Everyone has their own way of expressing affection. Some of us like to hug our partners, others like to tell our partners repeatedly and often how much we love time. You may be the type to grab your partner’s hand as you both cross the street, while others really like making out with their partner. To the point where you can accidentally leave a mark. These marks are commonly referred to as hickeys. While they aren’t painful or dangerous, they can be annoying and people always have difficulties getting rid of them. They’ll jump through hoops to try and get rid of the little love mark.

You see, though hickeys can be badges to show that you are loved and desired, people always get the wrong idea. They think you’re brash and promiscuous when you have the audacity to have a hickey, much more when you don’t successfully hide them. And then there’s the idea that passionate things like that should be kept within the four corners of the bedroom. You need to keep your relationship “private” and “lowkey.” So here are a few tips and tricks on how to remove a hickey fast.

What is a Hickey?

A hickey, also known as a love bite, bug bite, or a kiss mark, is actually a kind of bruise.  They’re created when you are bitten, sucked, or kissed too hard on the soft, thin skin around the neck or arm. This is because there are small blood vessels, known as capillaries, in those areas. As we’ve mentioned, hickeys are not really painful. They just initially turn red in color but turn dark purple or brown as they heal.

How Long do Hickeys Last?

A hickey is a bruise but it’s not a scar. It won’t cause a permanent mark. It fades with time. Once it heals, it leaves absolutely no trace so you don’t really have to worry about scarring in the area. If left on their own, hickeys typically last about 5 to 12 days. So they may really take some time. Some hickeys linger for more time because of two reasons:

• The extent of damage to the blood vessels – some hickeys are more severe than others depending on the harshness of the kiss or the extent of damage done to the blood vessels. Larger hickeys may take longer to heal just because of the size of the affected surface area.
• Your Personal Health – Healthy bodies have a better bodily response to any damage the body may take. This means the healthier you are, the faster the hickey will disappear.

How to Remove a Hickey Fast: Do’s

There are several ways of removing hickeys. It all depends on which type of treatment you like or will suit you. Keep in mind that some of the hacks below don’t necessarily remove the love bite, but simply make it less visible for other people, while other tips are more concerned with concealing the hickey. Let’s get started!

1Apply cold compress on the affected area.

The hickey is a bruise, so the oldest trick in the book is to treat it like any other bruised surface. Ice can help freeze the blood vessels to prevent the blood from expanding. This will reduce the swelling and make the mark smaller. Using a cold compress, such as an ice pack, is one of the fastest ways to get rid of a hickey.

If you already have a store-bought ice pack, then you’re good to go. But, if you do not have any available at your home, you can just create your own. Get some ice and wrap it in a clean towel. Press it lightly against your skin for about 10-15 minutes. Repeat this process several times for one or two days. 

This is one of the most common methods used that is proven effective in quickly removing hickeys. Just be careful not to “burn” yourself in the process. Take care not to put the ice pack too long. It might become painful if it sticks on your marked skin.

2Apply rubbing alcohol on the hickey.

Another great way to remove a hickey fast is by using rubbing alcohol. If it’s only been a few hours since the encounter, rubbing alcohol can just be the right treatment for you. It has soothing and cooling properties that can help you remove a hickey fast.

Simply soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and apply it to the hickey. Massage the area gently for several minutes to minimize any discomfort. Rubbing alcohol can dry out your skin, so don’t forget to put some moisturizer on the area after you’re done. Do this several times a day for one or two days.

3Massage your hickey with aloe vera.

Aloe vera is a well-known “cure-it-all” for different skin problems because of its anti-inflammatory and soothing qualities. It’s a natural moisturizer that will help reduce the sensitivity of the affected skin area and improve blood circulation. As such, it speeds up the healing of the broken capillaries and helps remove your hickey fast. 

If you have an aloe vera plant at home, just extract fresh aloe vera gel from the plant and massage the gel into the bruise. Do this two or three times a day. Aloe vera-based creams or lotions can work just as well. Just make sure the concentration of aloe vera is high enough so it can be as effective as the real plant. Apply the cream on the affected skin two or three times a day for two to three days.

4Place a banana peel on your hickey.

Don’t just throw those banana peels away! Banana peels have soothing and cooling properties that can help you remove a hickey fast.

Bananas are one of the most common fruits you can buy at grocery stores, so it’s easy to get one. Just choose the ripe ones (yellow ones) and cut the peel of the ripe banana to the size of your hickey. Place the inside of the peel (the white fleshy part) on the bruise for 10 to 30 minutes. Do this two or three times a day and observe as the hickey slowly shrinks in size.

5Get your daily dose of Vitamin C.

Oranges and lemons have a high amount of vitamin C. This vitamin is an essential nutrient that helps skin repair itself quickly. In fact, it’s such a well-known good ingredient for the skin, there are a ton of serums and face products that contain Vitamin C. It only follows that ingesting Vitamin C rich fruits like oranges and lemons can help hickeys heal faster.

After getting a hickey, drink extra orange or lemon juice as soon as possible. Instead of pre-packed ones, opt for freshly-squeezed juice to get the best results. If these fruits are not available for consumption, you can take 500 milligrams of vitamin C three times a day for a week to help rebuild your collagen and repair skin faster. You can also combine drinking orange or lemon juice with the other methods to remove hickeys faster.

6Apply warm compress on the hickey.

Ice freezes the affected area quickly, so while that’s best for fresh hickeys, heat is more beneficial for a hickey that is two or three days old.  If the hickey has settled in and has proven to be stubborn to other treatments, heat can cause a hickey to break apart quicker. It boosts blood flow, which will remove the hickey faster. It will help dilate the capillaries and make way for fresh new blood to circulate and clear up the bruising.

Just heat water and then soak a clean towel in it. Make sure that the water is hot but not boiling so as not to burn your skin. Wring out the excess water and press the warm towel on your skin for five minutes, three times a day. You can also use a hairdryer to apply heat to the affected area and then massage it gently to improve circulation. Just be careful and don’t put it too long, or it might hurt you more. Remember that this method should only be used if the hickey has already settled and has been present for at least two days. Use a cold compress for fresh hickeys and a hot compress for hickeys that have been persisting for days.

7Take certain ointments or medications, but consult your doctor first.

Using medicines can also help remove hickeys faster. You don’t even have to go to the doctor for a prescription. A hickey is a bruise, so creams and ointments may not be that useful in healing a hickey, but they can help lessen the pain (if there is) and improve the blood circulation to make it heal faster.

You can also buy over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin. Aspirin is a blood circulation booster. It will improve blood circulation and clear the hickey faster, similar to the effects of the heat compress. However, it’s important to remember that you need to take aspirin twelve hours after you get the love bite. If you take it earlier, it might worsen bleeding and make the hickey bigger.

But before you head over to the pharmacy and grab these ointments and oral medications, make sure to consult your healthcare provider. You may have medical conditions that may result in complications by taking these mentioned medications. Better be safe than sorry.

8Cover it with clothing.

Because of the style of the turtleneck, it helps completely conceal your neck and hide your hickey.  People might get suspicious if you keep wearing turtlenecks for a week, so you might as well use another method to hide the hickey. You may also use high-neck jackets that could help you conceal the love mark. If the hickey is low enough. collared shirts can also do a good enough job.

9Cover it up with accessories.

Spice it up and use different kinds of accessories to hide your hickey. You can use a scarf, a bandana, or even a choker to hide your hickey from plain view. This is a cute and stylish way of hiding a hickey while adding a little flair to your outfit.

10Go for a hairstyle that’ll cover your hickey.

If you have long hair,  this might work for you. Otherwise, you’re better off with another option. This might not be a good solution if you want to hide your hickey for an entire day.  But it’s the best trick when there are sudden and unexpected interactions with other people like when your parents suddenly visit you. You can just move your hair quickly over the hickey and pray to god that a strong wind doesn’t come and blow your hair away from the hickey spot in front of your parents.

11Cover the love bite with makeup.

You can use a concealer to cover the hickey if you use makeup. Just apply it to the area. Use a makeup sponge or your fingers to blend it gradually into your natural skin. Don’t be afraid to set your concealer with powder so that it doesn’t budge throughout the day. It’s also best to spray on some setting spray to lock it in even better. Make sure it’s not noticeable that you’re wearing concealer on your neck to avoid suspicion.

12Rub a metal whisk on your hickey for five minutes.

Want to remove a hickey fast? According to a viral TikTok video, you’ll just need a whisk and five minutes. To do this hack, you’ll need to grab your metal whisk, press the tip of the whisk on your hickey, and just make the whisking motion right on the affected area. After five minutes, you may see the spot lightening up or even removed!

Now, you’re probably thinking that this is just some #fakenews, but many TikTokers have tried it and got the same results. Medical professionals also backed up this hack. According to them, whisking the hickey breaks up the blood on the bruise and spreads it around. It wouldn’t fully remove the hickey, but it’ll make it less visible.

13Use a cold metal spoon and massage the hickey for five to ten minutes.

Another tip that involves a kitchen tool is this one. Consider doing this instead if you want to remove a hickey fast and don’t have a whisk. Just get your good ‘ol spoon, put it in the refrigerator or on cold water for about ten minutes, and massage the cold spoon in the hickey for five to ten minutes. It wouldn’t fully remove the hickey, but it’ll soothe the inflammation in the area, which will make it less pronounced.

14Cover it with a bandaid.

Do you really want to remove a hickey fast without pain, ointment, massage, makeup, and other sorts of shenanigans? Just cover it up with a bandaid. If someone asks you about it, just say that you got an insect bite or if you have a pet cat, say that your pet has scratched you. After that, just wait for it to naturally diminish.

15Apply eye drops on your hickey.

Did you know that eye drops can work for hickeys? According to healthcare professionals, applying a small amount of eye drops, such as Visine or Clear Eyes, can constrict your blood vessels and make your love bite less visible. So if you have some eye drops just stored in your closet, grab them and apply them on your hickey.

How to Remove a Hickey Fast: Don’t’s

Along with the tips on how to remove a hickey fast, we’re also going to share with you some of the hickey hacks shared on the internet that DON’T work and may worsen the state of your love bite. Read on!

1Don’t put peppermint oil on your hickey.

People on the internet have been advising people to use essential oils on their hickeys, particularly peppermint oil. According to the claims, it’s supposed to provide tingly sensations on the area and soothe the skin, removing the love bite in the process.

However, doctors say that this is nothing but a false claim. They said that peppermint oil, if not used correctly, can irritate the skin and possibly make the hickey more noticeable since there’ll be a red mark over the love bite.

2Don’t apply toothpaste on the hickey.

Another popular hickey cure on the internet is the toothpaste hack. According to some forums and articles, if you want to remove a hickey fast, you’ll need to apply cold and minty toothpaste to stimulate circulation and speed up the healing process. Same with the previous point, putting up toothpaste on your skin may just exacerbate the problem.

Remember that toothpaste is designed for your teeth, not for your skin. It has ingredients that may irritate the skin and even make your hickey more pronounced. If you really want to apply something on the area that’ll soothe your love bite, scroll up again and check our recommended creams and products to apply on.

3Don’t scrape your skin with a coin or pen cap.

The coin or pen cap hack is another popular hickey hack. According to them, this hack works by pulling the skin surrounding your love bite and scraping the hickey or pen cap to “break the blood up,” minimizing the redness of the spot. But according to healthcare professionals, this tip is a big nope! Scraping your skin may bring more harm than good as you’re subjecting your skin to a rough metal or plastic. Rubbing with a surface this hard can actually cause you to break capillaries causing even more redness and bruising in the area.

4Don’t “brush” your hickey with a toothbrush or hairbrush.

Another false hack is that you should use a toothbrush or hairbrush (the one with circular plastic tips on them) and brush it with pressure over your hickey. Same with the previous point, you’re not going to break up the blood by doing this tip; you’re only putting your skin in rough materials that may cut or irritate it in the process. Leave the toothbrush and toothpaste alone, pal.

5Don’t roughly massage or press it.

Some people suggest that pressing the hickey hard with your fingers or roughly massaging it may speed up the healing process of your love bite. The mechanics are similar to the toothbrush and coin hacks, and just like the other two tips, this tip is false. You’re just hurting yourself and putting your bruised skin into a difficult time.

Frequently Asked Questions

1Is there a way to get through an intense makeout session without a hickey?

Yes! No matter how intense your makeout session gets, making sure that you or your partner does not fixate on a specific spot prevents the bruising. Spread your kissing and sucking across the body instead of staying on a singular spot and both of you should come out of the makeout session unscathed.

2I love it when my partner marks me with a hickey, but I don’t like the judgment. Are there discreet areas they could leave a hickey that won’t be seen?

There are a number of spots. If we’re talking about a PG-13 makeout session, the back of the ear is an easy place to conceal no matter what your hair length. But if your makeout sessions get a bit raunchier, places like the nipples, the buttock, or the inner thigh are crowd favorites whether or not you’re purposefully trying to be discreet about the love marks.

3I’m afraid my partner will think hickeys are juvenile, but I really like them.

People have different likes and preferences. While hickeys can sometimes be connected with immaturity and raging hormones, it doesn’t mean mature people can’t enjoy them too! Hickeys can be a sign of possessiveness or uncontrollable attraction and passion. If your partner can’t appreciate that you like them enough to want some kind of sign that you belong to them, then just tell them that you enjoy it and maybe have them leave a mark in a more discreet area. They may just not like to be as showy with their affection in public.

4Why do hickeys make me feel good?

The pleasure you experience when getting a hickey is a purely emotional response to having your partner (or hopefully whoever you’re attracted to) doing something you enjoy and offering physical closeness and attention.

5Are there medical complications that come with hickeys?

Everything you do can be risky given specific circumstances. Hickeys, however, are relatively harmless. There has been a record of a hickey developing over a blood clot which was believed to be the cause of a stroke in a 44-year old woman that caused her to become paralyzed on one side of her body. This is an example of an extremely rare case and shouldn’t be something at the forefront of your mind when

Takeaway

Hickeys may be tricky, but they can be easy to get rid of with these various methods. From natural home remedies to applying makeup, you can be free to choose which technique will suit you best.  These methods are guaranteed to help hasten the process of healing the bruising and help you remove hickeys fast.