How to Get Rid of Hickeys Fast Using These Easy Home Remedies

Reviewed by: | Author: Manoja Kalakanti

Have you ever woken up one morning and noticed a red rash appearing not so prettily on your neck? It’s called a hickey, but what on earth is that and how to get rid of a hickey? It looks odd, all red and inflamed on your neck or any visible parts of your body and you can’t even hide it, except if you want to look like a fool wearing a scarf in the sweltering heat!

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So, have you ever had a hickey on your neck? You may have, but instead of cringing with embarrassment follow these tips and tricks to get rid of it fast.

What is a Hickey and What does it Look like?

A hickey is caused by suction; it is more like a bruise where the tiny blood vessels get burst just under your skin. Most of the time you never realize that you have ended up with a hickey till it spreads across your neck.

The change in color usually happens because the body breaks down the hemoglobin, which is what lends the red pigment to the red blood cells. This is the chief reason why the hickey covers the entire gamut of colors right from red to purple to brown then to that terrible green before it finally goes away.

How long do Hickeys Last and Its Remedies

To wait for a hickey to disappear can be very trying and particularly embarrassing especially when people make snide comments behind your back, or you are subjected to unnecessary conjectures at your workplace or among your friends. So, if you are looking for a solution and the quickest way to get rid of a hickey, you are at the right place!

1. Cold Compress

Let’s get this straight, you have this huge mark on your neck, one that you are not terribly proud of, and so what you should you be doing? Cover it with a scarf and be the butt of jokes of all and sundry or apply makeup to hide the hideous mark? Well, you shouldn’t be worrying so much because a cold compress can give you some relief from the swelling. Cold compress actually helps reduce bleeding and minimizes swelling.

cold-compress

Things you will need:

  • Some ice cubes
  • A paper towel

The method of treatment:

The trick is pretty simple; all you need to put some ice cubes in a paper towel and place it on your skin for a good 15 minutes, a few times a day. An ice pack can provide quick relief and minimize the pain in the area. Do not put the ice on the affected area for too long as it can lead to an ice burn.

The spoon trick is another way of providing relief to a hickey. This remedy is as simple as it gets. Keep a spoon wrapped in a cloth and keep it in the fridge. Place the cold spoon on the hickey and keep it there till the spoon returns to room temperature. Repeat the procedure a few times a day till your hickey is finally gone.

2. Aloe Vera

What is it with aloe vera that makes it an integral part of most natural solutions? Aloe vera is a kind of moisturizer that suits most skin types and is especially good to soothe skin affected by a hickey. The anti-inflammatory properties of aloe vera help soothe the burst capillaries. Aloe vera accelerates the process of healing a hickey quickly and effectively.

Aloe vera

Things you will need:

  • Fresh stem of aloe vera

Or

  • Aloe vera cream or lotion

The Method of Treatment:

If you have a plant in your home, just pluck a fleshy leaf and scrape out the fresh aloe vera gel. The gel feels cool to touch and when you massage it onto your bruise you will immediately feel the healing touch of the lily of the desert, more commonly known as aloe. Don’t just stop at once; try this treatment at least twice or even thrice a day and you will see your hickey disappearing much faster before your week runs out.

You may not have an aloe plant right at your home if that is the case you can get yourself an aloe vera based cream from your neighboring drug store or any Ayurveda shop. Read labels so that you know the chief ingredients of the cream. Make sure that the chief ingredient of the cream is aloe vera, and if it is paraben and other additive free, even better.

3. Oranges

Oranges are great for your skin. The high collagen content of oranges owing to a high amount of vitamin C helps repair your skin from within. The healing properties of oranges can easily heal a hickey very quickly.

oranges

The things you will need:

  • A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice

Or

  • Vitamin C supplement

The method of treatment:

If you want to get rid of a hickey really fast, drinking orange juice is all you have to do. Orange juice is one of the most potent hickey remedies. Make sure you down one or two glasses of orange juice as soon as you get a hickey. Remember, a freshly squeezed glass of orange juice has more nutrition value than a packaged drink, so steer clear of that.

Alternatively, you can also consider vitamin C supplementation as you may not be able to procure fresh oranges always. Well, in that case, 500 milligrams of vitamin C at least thrice a day can help rebuild the collagen of your skin and gradually minimize the marks left by a hickey.

4. Warm Compress

So, your hickey is more than a day old. If it is. then perhaps you should take help of a warm compress to eliminate it. Now how does a warm compress help? The warm compression helps dilate the capillaries and helps the circulation of fresh blood in the area.

warm-compress

The things you will need:

  • A washcloth
  • A bowl of hot water

Or

  • A hair dryer

Or

  • A heat patch

The method of treatment:

Dip a washcloth in hot water and squeeze out the excess water place the warm washcloth on the affected area for a good few minutes. Repeat this procedure at least three times a day.

Another novel way of applying heat to the area is by using a hair dryer. Switch on the hair dryer and apply heat to the affected skin area, and while you are at it, keep massaging the area with the gentle pressure of your fingertips.

Another way of applying heat to the area is by using a heat patch from the nearby drugstore till you get relief. Follow the instructions given at the back of the pack.

5. Toothpaste

Of all the unusual and different ways to get rid of hickeys, the use of toothpaste ranks pretty high. The reason for its popularity is because toothpaste is easily available. A lot of people swear by this remedy. But you need to be careful that you do not use this method for too long as there is a possibility that your skin may become irritated.

tooth-paste-get-rid-of-hickeys

The things you will need:

  • A mint based toothpaste and you will be good to go

The method of treatment:

All you need to do is apply mint-based toothpaste on the hickey. It does give a tingling sensation on the place you apply the toothpaste. You can keep on the toothpaste for half an hour or you can even keep it on till you notice the tingling sensation.

The results vary from person to person, it all depends on your skin tone. You can wash the area with warm water after half an hour or after you no longer experience the tingling feeling. Keep repeating the treatment till you get results.

6. Peppermint

One of the natural solutions which is very effective to treat hickeys is undoubtedly peppermint. The peppermint treatment works predominantly because of its stimulating properties. This improves the blood circulation in that area. The blood circulation helps in getting rid of the hickey, eventually. The pressure on the capillary vessels is gently eased off and the affected area normalizes after a few days.

peppermint-oil

The things you will need:

  • A small amount of peppermint oil

Or

  • A peppermint based toothpaste

The method of treatment:

A small amount of peppermint oil is all you need to clean up the affected area. You may feel a tingling feeling at first, but soon the feeling will go and you will quite normal. You may want to try this method more than once, given the efficacy of the treatment, but try and not repeat the treatment more than twice each day as the skin may feel burnt and irritated.

The other way you can use peppermint is to get hold of peppermint based toothpaste. Just like the toothpaste method of getting rid of hickeys, this also helps get rid of the hickeys in no time whatsoever. You may feel a tingling feeling, wait for it to subside before you use a warm cloth to wipe the area. Once a day is the most you can try this remedy, not more than that as you may end up irritating the skin.

7. Banana Peel

Banana peels are not the first things that come to your mind when you think of skin treatments, especially when it comes to hickeys. But the fact is that banana peels have soothing properties which can cool the area pretty effectively and heal a hickey really fast.

banana peel

The things you will need:

  • A peel of a banana

The method of treatment:

Think before you throw away a banana peel. That’s right, if you have got a hickey it is the banana peel that will help erase the embarrassing marks. Get a ripe banana cut it to the size of to the size of a hickey. Place the banana peel in such a way that the inside of the banana peel can be placed on the bruise. Keep the banana peel on the bruise for a little longer than 20 minutes. Repeat this procedure at least twice or thrice a day and it the appearance of the bruise will be considerably minimized.

8. Alcohol

Alcohol is another remedy which works well on hickeys. It gives quick relief and eases off the mark in no time. How does this work? Alcohol has soothing, disinfectant and cooling properties which works its magic on a hickey. It is, in fact, one of the quickest remedies to get rid of a hickey.

alcohol

The things you will need:

  • A small amount of alcohol

The method of treatment:

Apply a small bit of alcohol right on the area affected by a hickey. Continue to rub the area gently for a few minutes. This will help get rid of the feeling of soreness or tenderness in the area. Too much of alcohol can dry your skin, so as soon as you try this treatment, ensure that you slap on some moisturizer on the area.

Follow this remedy a few times a day, and with luck, your hickey will be gone for good.

9. Supplement with vitamin K

It is essential to prevent blood clots from forming a bruise under the skin to heal a hickey. You can apply vitamin K cream as soon as you notice a hickey. Many people use vitamin K cream to reduce bruising, heal a black eye, and relieve swelling because it helps to treat blood clotting issues and helps burst capillaries under the skin heal faster.

To aid healing, consume vitamin K-rich foods or take vitamin supplements. Vitamin K-rich foods include:

  • Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli.
  • Meat, dairy products, and eggs.
  • Vegetable oils, particularly soybean and canola oil.
  • Fruits, such as blueberries, grapes, and figs.

supplement-with-vitamin-K

10. Use a toothbrush

Use the soft bristles of a toothbrush to enable blood circulation in the area affected by a hickey. Try to get a toothbrush which has soft bristles to help with the stimulation of blood right around the hickey. Apply the brush over your hickey using a little pressure so that the clotted blood spreads in different directions. Do it for at least five minutes till you notice the lightening of the dark pigment in the area.

toothbrush

How to get rid of Hickie’s? The simple answer to the question is to follow the above-mentioned remedies. Go ahead, try them and next time you have one you will know exactly what to do. So, no more polo necks and scarves to hide your love bites or hickeys, the natural methods are the quickest way to get rid of a hickey.

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