Also known as a love bite, a hickey is a mysterious little creature that appears after you’ve been bitten by your lover. But what is a hickey exactly and how to get rid of a hickey quickly using natural methods?
For some people, having a hickey is fun. This is especially true for fans of Twilight and other vampire-themed movies. Others, on the other hand, find it annoying.
It’s not being mean if you give a hickey to someone as long as it’s a solicited one. Bear in mind that you’re leaving a red mark on someone in a public way.
How long do hickeys last?
This will depend on how big it is. Hickeys can last for a few days or weeks. If it’s too deep, it might take a couple of days before it’ll fade away.
Do hickeys hurt?
Hickeys are bruises. Hence, they hurt like a bruise. However, for some people, they are not as painful because they enjoy having them.
As previously mentioned, a hickey appears when a person sucks on your skin bringing blood to the surface. If it’s not done properly, it can sting a little.
Are hickeys dangerous? Thankfully, there’s nothing dangerous about having hickeys, as long as your partner doesn’t have oral herpes.
How to get rid of a hickey fast
1. Peppermint oil
This oil provides tingly sensation. It tastes good but it’s also one of the best natural ways to improve blood circulation to a certain part of your body allowing you to get rid of a hickey.
How to remove a hickey fast with peppermint oil?
- Apply it to the affected area
- Leave it there until the stingy sensation stops
- Wipe it away
Remember that applying peppermint oil for your hickeys shouldn’t be overdone. This is because it might burn your skin if you try to overuse it. You should only use peppermint oil once a day.
It doesn’t matter what brand of peppermint oil you’ll be using as long as it’s 100% natural peppermint oil. Or if you could find fresh leaves of this plant, then that’d be better. Peppermint can also alleviate redness of the hickeys and lessen their appearance.
It’s also important to clean the skin before applying the oil onto the area. Simple soap and water will do it.
2. Aloe vera
When it comes to skin conditions, aloe vera gel is a wonderful natural remedy. Since hickey is considered a skin condition, aloe vera can help alleviate the redness.
It doesn’t only moisturize the skin but it also hydrates and improves the blood circulation, thereby, alleviating the bruise as caused by the kiss mark.
How to use it as a remedy for hickeys?
- Obtain a fresh aloe extract
- Apply it directly on the affected area
- Leave the gel on that area for a few minutes
- Wash it away with lukewarm water
If you can’t find a fresh aloe extract, try to purchase an aloe vera gel from an online health shop. Follow the instructions as provided on the product’s label.
Applying aloe vera extract or gel to the affected area won’t only alleviate the redness of hickeys but it’ll also reduce the sensitivity or stingy sensation of the kiss mark.
Unfortunately, aloe vera gel may not be for everyone. This is especially true if you’re allergic to it. It may cause a further redness to your skin. To make sure that you’re not allergic to it, apply the gel on a small part of your skin. If you don’t develop redness, then this gel could be applied on hickeys.
3. Banana peel
The peel of a banana won’t only help you whiten your teeth but it can also assist in getting rid of your hickeys. It has vitamins and minerals that can aid in cell regeneration, thereby, treating skin condition, like hickeys and bruises.
Banana peel also comes with antioxidants that can soothe the skin and reduce a scar tissue buildup. With that being said, the peel can prevent scarring caused by a kiss mark.
What’s in the banana peel that makes it an effective remedy for a hickey?
Banana peels contain bromelain. It has blood thinning effects that can easily alleviate redness and reduce the mark.
How to treat a hickey with a banana peel?
- Wash the peel first
- Rub it against your skin
- Wash it after a few minutes
You may use this remedy a few times a day or until the stingy sensation subsides.
4. Orange peel
A great alternative to a banana peel is an orange peel. Oranges contain several nutrients and most of them are found in their skin.
It’s true that the peel of an orange is bitter. Thankfully, you don’t have to ingest it to get rid of the bite mark. The peel also contains essential oils with anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. With the peel’s calming effects, you can effectively use it in alleviating this type of bruise.
Furthermore, the orange peel has restorative properties which can heal the bruise faster without the use of synthetic ointment.
How to get rid of hickeys quickly with an orange peel?
- Rub the inside of an orange peel against the affected area
- Don’t wash the area for about an hour or so
You may also bandage the peel to the hickey overnight.
5. Cocoa butter
Its effects on the skin have been well-documented. In fact, it’s been used as one of the most popular ingredients of any type of skin care products.
Cocoa butter has great moisturizing properties which prevents skin bruises from appearing. You can also use cocoa butter if a hickey has already formed on your skin. It would still reduce the appearance of a hickey.
How to heal a hickey with cocoa butter?
- Look for a cocoa butter from a health food shop. It may also be available at the drugstore.
- Apply it onto the affected area twice a day. Make sure that the area is clean and dry before application.
Regular use of cocoa butter helps in fading away skin bruises allowing you to have even skin tone. To make it more effective, make sure that you’re using pure cocoa butter. Read the label to ensure that it contains high amount of pure cocoa butter. Bear in mind that some products contain very little of it.
6. Mint
Truly, the mint family is a beneficial herb in correcting any type of skin problems. You can find this herb in various skin care products, especially the ones that conceal skin flaws.
If you use dried herbs, take one tablespoon of dried mint leaves. On the other hand, if you use fresh herbs, then the quantity must be increased into three tablespoons.
How to get rid of hickeys fast using mint leaves?
- Gather mint leaves, extra virgin olive oil, cheesecloth and a glass bowl.
- Wash the leaves thoroughly
- Allow them to dry
- Crush the leaves
- Transfer them into a glass bowl
- Pour olive oil onto the bowl
- Leave the mixture in sunlight for a few days
- Pour the oil through the cheesecloth to remove the mint
- Apply the oil onto the affected area twice a day
You may also add an orange to facilitate exfoliation and healing of bruises. Just squeeze a little bit of orange juice into the mixture. The acidity of an orange will help in restoring the pH balance of your skin while the oil will give the skin a smooth feeling.
7. Witch hazel
It’s considered as a natural topical astringent. Witch hazel contains medicinal properties that can treat skin irritations, including hickeys. For this reason, it’s been recognized as a natural toner and a cleanser to clarify skin discoloration.
Witch hazel’s ability to tighten skin while reducing inflammation makes it an ideal natural remedy for a hickey. It’s also an ideal treatment to shrink swollen veins. Since a hickey appears because your veins are swollen, witch hazel can be effectively used as a remedy to reduce hickey’s appearance.
If the hickey is bleeding, you can apply it to promote faster healing while tightening your skin. You don’t have to worry about it as witch hazel contains alcohol that disinfects the wound.
How to use it to get rid of a hickey?
- Get a clean cotton ball
- Use it to apply witch hazel onto the affected area
You must apply it thrice a day for effective results. Make sure you’re using organic witch hazel. Otherwise, the benefits of it will be cancelled out because of the pesticide levels.
8. Arnica salve
A hickey can be painful because of the damaged blood vessel but the unattractive part of it is its undesirable discoloration. With the use of Arnica salve, the time it takes for the wound to heal will be shortened. The swelling will diminish.
This herb also promotes white blood cell movement to the injured area. It also enhances blood circulation.
A hickey involves fluid buildup. With the use of this herb, fluid buildup will be reduced as it increases movement of fluids, thereby, decreasing swelling in the affected area.
You may obtain Arnica salve from a health store.
How to use Arnica salve as a hickey remedy?
- Wash the area with lukewarm water
- Pat it dry
- Apply the salve onto the affected area
Another way to apply it is to pour it into a bath water or soak a compress and apply it onto the bruised area.
Before applying it onto the hickey, test it out first. Dab a small amount of this salve on the skin to make sure that you’re not allergic to it. You must avoid taking it internally as it may cause dizziness or vomiting.
9. Olive oil
It’s been used for many years in various cultures. Olive oil is not only good for cooking, it has many medicinal benefits. Olive oil has been used for beauty tips, skin problems, lowering harmful cholesterol, getting rid of lice etc.
Its main competitor is aloe vera. However, olive oil is a great alternative to aloe vera. Thanks to its ability to soothe skin bruises.
In order to maximize its benefits, you must apply olive oil immediately. Leave it there for 24 hours for effective results. It’s like arnica; olive oil can help the wound heal faster. This is one of the reasons it’s advisable for patients undergoing surgery as it promotes healing.
How to use it?
- Massage the oil onto the inflamed skin
- Use it three times a day
You can substitute olive oil to castor oil or coconut oil.
When applying it onto your hickey, don’t rub it with an increased pressure as it would only intensify the pain. Olive oil will help the body in alleviating lymphatic drainage, thereby, speeding up the healing process.
10. Vinegar
Specifically, the apple cider vinegar. It’s not only effective for your beauty routine but it’s also great at speeding up the healing time of your hickeys. It tones and tightens your skin which reduces the appearance of the kiss mark.
There are many ways to use apple cider vinegar. One way is to add it to your warm bath water. This method restores the pH balance of your skin allowing it to speed up the healing process.
Another way to use this vinegar is to mix it with two cups of water. Soak a cotton ball into it and dab it on your dry face. Don’t rinse it immediately. Allow the mixture to stay on your face for a few hours. This will help to enhance blood circulation within the affected areas.
No matter how you use this vinegar, it needs to be diluted with water. Even though an apple cider vinegar is beneficial for hickeys, it’s acidic and it may react negatively with your skin.
11. Pineapple
Yes, this fruit isn’t only delicious but it’s also useful in treating hickeys and other skin bruises.
What is the component in pineapple that makes it an effective treatment for hickeys?
This fruit contains specific enzymes that help in body reactions. These enzymes can assist in dissolving blood clots while fading the skin bruise caused by the love mark.
There are catalyst compounds in the pineapple that speed up normal reactions in the body. Those compounds are found in the stem of a pineapple. It is also found in the fruit’s juice.
How to get rid of a hickey quickly with pineapple?
- Apply its juice topically over the hickeys
- Make sure that it’s pure pineapple juice
Apply it several times a day to speed up the healing process of the hickeys. It also reduces the inflammation in the skin. The bromelain in pineapple will help the bruise fade away quickly, thereby, preventing blood clot formation.
12. Parsley
It’s not a fruit but it’s an herb that you usually add to your vegetable salad. Even though it’s not as delicious as pineapple, it’s still a useful herb in treating skin bruising. Regardless of the severity of your hickeys, this herb can fasten the healing time or reduce their appearance.
Parsley is a popular home treatment for skin inflammation. Since hickey is an inflammation caused by the damaged blood vessels, you can use this herb in encouraging re-absorption of blood into the wound to facilitate healing time.
Before applying parsley on the hickey, put ice on the affected area. Then, chop a cup of parsley leaves and blend them with a cup of olive oil. The amount of olive oil added must be just enough to make a thick paste.
Apply the paste on the bruise with a cotton swab. After application, cover the area with a gauze or a bandage for one hour before rinsing it off.
Continue these steps for a few days or until the hickey fades. It’s also an option to conceal the bruise by applying cosmetics onto the bruise.
13. Cabbage
Believe it or not, cabbage may help in reducing the appearance of a hickey. It may also assist in speeding up the healing process of the bruise. Apart from promoting the healing of tissues affected, cabbage contains vitamins and minerals that can reduce swelling and promote a growth of tissue.
For better results, consider applying it topically, rather than cooking it. The anti-inflammatory properties of the cabbage may evaporate otherwise.
How to get rid of a hickey fast with cabbage?
- Obtain organic cabbage leaves
- Macerate them
- Apply them to the affected area
If possible, leave the macerated leaves overnight to further encourage the healing time.
You may also make a paste out of cabbage’s juice and water. Just make sure that there’s enough juice in the mixture. Allow the juice to dry on the affected area before rinsing.
14. Vitamin C
This isn’t a treatment, rather a prevention. If you’re prone to hickeys, it’d be best to take daily vitamin C. It’s advisable to have at least 200 mg of vitamin C. You may take it from foods or supplements. But the best choice will be from fresh fruits and vegetables.
One of the best sources of vitamin C is the bark of a pine tree. It contains pycnogenol, which is a powerful antioxidant. It also improves skin’s elasticity as it bonds best with collagen fibers.
You can also take blueberries and grapes, as they, too, are rich in vitamin C that can strengthen capillaries, veins and arteries.
On the other hand, you may apply the juice of a fruit that’s rich in vitamin C on the affected area to facilitate healing time. Make sure that you wash it off after allowing it to stay on your skin for a few minutes.
Since it’s acidic, it may sting when applied onto your skin. Before application, wash the area first with soap and water.
15. Ice pack
Among the many home remedies for hickeys, applying an ice pack is the most popular. It’s the most convenient method. Apply it directly to the area as soon as you see redness on your neck or other parts of your body.
The sooner you begin the ice treatment, the better. You don’t have to buy any special cold compresses from a pharmacy. You just need to use ice cubes or a bag of frozen peas and wrap them in a towel. The sooner it’s applied, the faster the swelling and the pain will be gone.
This natural method is usually the first option for many patients who develop hickeys. You can always pair it with other natural methods we discussed above to facilitate healing time of the bruise.
Conclusion
Most hickeys heal or disappear without a treatment. Although, it might be quite embarrassing to have one when going to school, work or hanging out with friends. If you need a quick recovery, try out some of the natural treatments presented above. They can reduce not just the appearance but also the pain associated with hickeys.
These natural methods are also cheaper and more effective than the over-the-counter medicines found at a pharmacy.
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