Have you got too close in the heat of the moment? Got a love bite or a hickey? Now you are looking of how to get rid of a hickey fast?
These days, it’s pretty normal for youngsters to hang out with their girlfriends or boyfriends and while having fun they can leave some marks on each other known as love bite or hickey.
It may have happened to you that you woke up in the morning and while getting ready for college or work, you look up in the mirror and scream ‘AHHH!’ after seeing it.
What on earth will you do? Here are few suggestions on How to get rid of a hickey overnight?
Before moving ahead, let’s check out what is a Hickey?
First, What Is a Hickey?
For those who don’t know, a hickey, which is also known as a love bite or a kiss mark is actually a bruise caused by sucking, biting, or aggressively kissing the soft skin typically around the neck.
When your love mate aggressively kisses your neck area, your capillaries around that area will break, letting the blood seep out into the surrounding tissue.
So, hickeys are actually broken blood vessels just under the surface of your skin that blood has come out of. Initially, it will be red, after some time it will become darker purple and when it starts healing, it will be brown in color.
Don’t be afraid, a hickey is not a permanent mark. It usually fades with time and doesn’t leave any scar behind. If you don’t treat hickeys, they’ll typically last nearly 5-12 days. But, if you want to treat them faster because of emergency situations, we have some time-tested remedies for you.
14 Tried & Tested Ways to Get Rid of a Hickey Fast
🧊1. Apply a Cold Compress (Best for Fresh Hickeys)
According to an article published on Healthline, the cold compress method is used to get rid of a hickey that is fresh. When you get a love bite, blood flowing through the affected area leaks out through ruptured blood vessels and clots under the skin.
Don’t worry, we can help you to reduce the size of the hickey by stopping the blood flow to the area. When we make any area colder, it reduces blood flow to that area.
— How to do it
- Wrap ice cubes in a cloth or use a cold spoon.
- Apply gently for 10–15 minutes, several times a day.
🔥2. Try a Warm Compress (For Older Hickeys)
How to get rid of hickeys that have been with your for a couple of days? If your hickeys are proving to be hard to deal with, it is recommended that you use the hot compress method because it is extremely effective for them.
The blood capillaries around your love bite will be dilated when you apply heat to them and will help the flow of fresh blood to clear the clot.
— How to do it
- Dip a towel in warm water, wring it out, and place it over the area for 5–10 minutes.
- You can also use a hairdryer (on low heat) combined with a gentle fingertip massage.
You can also gently use a hair drier around the affected area and massage it with fingertips. It will improve blood circulation and aid in fast hickey removal. (Don’t apply too much heat!)
3. Brush your Hickey with a Toothbrush/Toothpaste
This is one of the most amazing ways to remove a hickey in seconds with toothpaste as brushing on your love bite helps to break up and spread the blood around it and clears the signs of the hickey. You need to take a stiff-bristled or an electronic toothbrush to gently brush on the affected area.
Make sure you don’t apply too much pressure because you can end up scratching the area or cause swelling. After brushing your hickeys for 5-7 minutes, you need to apply a cold compress for 7-10 minutes. You’ll get the results really fast. Repeat the steps after 10-12 hours, if you think you require it.
🌿4. Use Peppermint (Toothpaste or Oil) – Get rid of your Love Bite
The blood circulation around your love bite can be improved by the stimulant effect of peppermint and it can also heal your capillary vessels.
You can apply peppermint toothpaste or oil gently on the affected skin area. There will be a tingling sensation after applying the peppermint oil, but it will quickly go away. This method works best if you recently had your hickey.
— How to do it
- Apply a thin layer of peppermint oil or toothpaste for 10 minutes.
- Wipe it off and apply a cold compress.
⚠️ Limit use to twice a day to avoid skin irritation.
💰5. The Coin Method (Use with Caution)
This is the most painful method among all the methods listed here, but it can give you real results. Are you sure you want to try out this method to get rid of a hickey fast with a coin?
Well, if you have made up your mind, firstly you need to stretch the skin around your love bite flat by pulling away from it on opposite sides. You must have a coin; use its edges to scrape the skin.
Use the coin like the love bite was butter on toast, and spread outward. You need to apply a moderate pressure so that you don’t hurt yourself!
It is believed that scraping the coin pushes the excess blood, which has escaped from the capillaries, out of the surface skin. There will be some redness from the scraping, but it’ll go away soon.
⚠️ Use light pressure. This can worsen the bruise if done too harshly.
🍃6. Aloe Vera (Natural Remedy & Soother)
According to a study in 2008 by National Center for Biotechnology Information, Aloe Vera is a well-known natural moisturizer and has soothing and anti-inflammatory qualities. It reduces skin sensitivity in the affected area and accelerates the healing of the broken capillaries.
— How to do it
- Apply fresh aloe gel directly to the hickey.
- Let it absorb. Repeat 2–3 times a day.
If you don’t have any Aloe Vera plant nearby your house or you don’t like the stickiness of the substance, you can apply the Aloe Vera based lotion or cream. It has a soothing effect and will also help you in getting rid of hickeys.
🥬7. Eat Vitamin K-Rich Foods
Vitamin K prevents blood clots and hence can be used to treat bruises. It’ll help your body to reabsorb pooled blood and accelerate the healing process. So, you need to eat more vitamin K-rich foods like broccoli, spinach, soybean oil, brown rice and fish oil for a couple of days.
Alternatively, you can apply a lotion or cream that is rich in vitamin K to the love bite 2-3 times a day. You can also opt for vitamin K supplements to aid the healing process.
🍌8. Banana Peels (Surprisingly Effective)
You must have bananas at home, if not, then just grab a few of them. Bananas are really good for your health, but you may not know that they can help you to get rid of a hickey in the comfort of your home. After eating a banana, don’t throw the peels.
We’ll be using banana peels to fade your hickeys fast because of its soothing and cooling properties. You just need to place the banana peel on your love bite and leave it undisturbed for about half an hour.
You can use a band-aid or tape to hold the peel on a particular position.
🍊9. Load Up on Vitamin C (Have Some Orange)
According to Medline Plus, Vitamin C which is an essential nutrient required by the body to repair your skin. Vitamin C is also known to have healing properties that can help you heal your hickey quickly.
— What to do:
- Eat oranges, strawberries, kiwi, or drink OJ.
- You can also apply vitamin C serums directly to the skin.
💊10. Take Aspirins (If You’re Not Sensitive)
According to a research by U.S. Food & Drug – Administration, Aspirin helps to prevent your blood from clotting, making it act more fluid. More the blood flows into the skin affected by hickey, the faster it’ll disappear.
— What to do
- Take a low dose as directed on the label.
- Don’t exceed 3 grams per day.
❗ Avoid if you have blood clotting disorders or are on medications.
🌼11. Arnica Salve (Maybe your last savior!)
If an important meeting or function is coming up, then Hickeys can be an embarrassment for you. At this point, if you are now wondering – How to get rid of hickeys, then Arnica salve can be your savior.
— How to do it
- Apply arnica gel or cream 2–3 times a day.
- Available in pharmacies and health stores.
According to Medical News Today, it’s medically proven healing ointment that reduces swelling and soreness when applied to a hickey.
💄12. Lipstick or Pen Caps to Make Your Love Marks Disappear
Just like the toothbrush and coin method, this method will also help in increasing blood circulation to the area. Using this method several times a day can fade away your hickey, if you start a day after you receive the hickey.
— How to do it
- Press a lipstick cap or pen cap firmly onto the hickey.
- Twist for 10–20 seconds and release.
- Repeat it several times for ten to fifteen minutes to see the results.
⚠️ Don’t do this on sensitive skin or if your hickey is already sore.
🧴13. Use Rubbing Alcohol (For Fresh Hickeys Only)
You definitely don’t want to waste your favorite beer or whiskey to get rid of a hickey. What you actually need is rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball. But this trick will only work if your hickey is a few hours old.
— How to do it:
- Dab a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol.
- Gently rub over the hickey for a few minutes.
- Moisturize after, as alcohol can dry out skin.
According to National Library of Medicine, alcohol has a cooling effect when applied on the bruised skin, which reduces inflammation.
🧣14. Conceal It: Makeup, Scarves, or Turtlenecks
Get rid of a hickey can be really frustrating and it may take some time to heal it. If all the above methods fail and you have to urgently attend a meeting or party, the only way to avoid your love bite is by concealing it.
— Tips to follow
- Use a green-tinted concealer (to neutralize purple/red tones).
- Blend with foundation or BB cream.
- Wear a scarf, turtleneck, or your hair down (if long).
💡 Prevention Tips
To prevent getting a hickey in the first place, consider the following tips:
- Communicate with your partner about preferences and boundaries.
- Be mindful of the intensity of suction or biting during intimate moments.
- Apply pressure or use a barrier (like a cloth or your hand) to reduce the likelihood of leaving a hickey.
Conclusion
While hickeys may be an unwelcome surprise, there are various methods to help fade and get rid of a hickey. From cold compresses and warm compresses to topical creams and makeup, these remedies can speed up the healing process and minimize the appearance of hickeys.
Remember, patience is key, and allowing time for the bruise to heal naturally is often the most effective approach.
