To get rid of a love bite (hickey) fast, use cold compresses immediately, then switch to warm compresses after a couple of days to increase blood flow, and gently massage the area outward; applying creams with Arnica, Vitamin K, or Vitamin C, or using natural soothers like aloe vera and cocoa butter can also help it fade quicker, but concealer is the fastest way to hide it.
Like other bruises, hickeys can take anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks to go away. Hickeys are superficial bruises, which means they are on the surface of your skin.
8 Simple Ways To Get Rid of a Hickey Fast
Beyond pulse dye laser, Zeichner says that topical creams like Arnica or Vitamin K are your best bet for a speedy recovery. Plus, Zeichner says if the skin barrier is disrupted and the hickey becomes dry or itchy, you can also apply Vaseline petroleum jelly to protect the skin from infection and keep the wound clean.
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Cold compress
Dr. Maria Robinson, a board-certified dermatologist and GoodRx contributor, recommends applying ice wrapped in a towel to a hickey for 15 minutes several times on the first day you notice it. “The best thing you can do is to apply something cold to the area as quickly as possible.
“Any abrasive treatment of the skin like scrubbing with toothpaste or trying to scratch off the discoloration would be too superficial to impact the hickey. And it could even make the problem more apparent with scratches, bleeding, additional discoloration and scar formation.”
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A hickey is sometimes used to mark someone as being the target of a partner's romantic affection or as belonging to them.
A fresh hickey has red or purple tones, which you can color correct with a green or yellow color correcting cream. Then, go in with a concealer that matches or is one shade lighter than your skin tone. Set the makeup with powder.
Hickeys start out red because of the intact red blood cells in the bruise loaded with hemoglobin underneath the skin. After a few days, the red blood cells begin to break down, and shades of blue and purple appear. You may even see some shades of brown as your body breaks down the red blood cells (Jeney, 2013).
For the first 48 hours after getting the hickies, avoid activities that may increase swelling, such as hot showers, hot tubs, hot packs, or alcoholic beverages. Protect the area from further “trauma.” Gently massage the hickey to increase blood flow and relieve pain. Be careful not to rub the area if it hurts too much.
Other Ways to Treat a Hickey
Cold brings down swelling, but heat helps the body break down the damaged cells in the bruise and remove them. Should you massage a hickey? Some people recommend massaging your hickey with a chapstick or lipstick cap, or even a toothbrush to stimulate blood flow.
Find any coin (it is advised that you disinfect this as it will be touching your skin) Using two fingers, pull the skin on either side of your hickey to stretch it out. Now, making use of the edge of the coin, you will need to scrape the surface of the hickey, moving from the centre of the hickey outwards.
What to Expect: Most scratches, scrapes and other minor bites heal up fine in 5 to 7 days. Bruises should fade away in 7-14 days.
If you have a hickey, do not scratch or pick at the skin, or irritate the bruised skin in other ways. It can make the bruise worse, and may even cause a scar. Try some of the simple remedies suggested above or just leave it alone. It will heal on its own, usually within two weeks.
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Some people call the act of giving a hickey as “marking” a partner.
Keep icing sessions to 20 minutes or less to reduce the risk of irritating the skin or causing tissue damage. Never apply ice directly to the skin — this can cause frostbite. In most cases, icing on and off for the first 48 hours after an injury is considered beneficial.