How to get rid of a hickey? Do's & Don'ts

Hickeys are made fun of as a teen fad, but any adult with a fulfilling sexual life understands all too well how embarrassing it can be to find out you have a bruise on your neck. And as adults, we ought to be able to distinguish between fact and fiction when it comes to hiding those hickeys. Here are some actual things you should do to deal with a hiccup, as well as things you should absolutely avoid doing.

How you can remove hickey?

Warm compresses are your best option. A quick recap of the situation is in order first: Hickeys are typically caused by suction, which breaks blood vessels and causes a bruise. Hickeys are superficial bruises that should go away in a few days, whereas many bruises can last up to two weeks. The tried-and-true method for treating a hickey is a warm compress. Insider claims that heat encourages blood flow to the area, enabling your body to release and then reabsorb the trapped blood that causes the visible hickey. The Cleveland Clinic suggests the following technique for applying a warm compress:

1. Heat the water in a bowl that can be heated in the microwave until it is warm. Even though it's a little hotter than bathwater, a good temperature is not quite boiling.
2. Add some clean water to a washcloth. Apply it to your hickey after wringing it out after soaking it for a few minutes. The washcloth should be left to rest until it reaches room temperature.
3. Continue as described above until you have applied a warm compress to the affected area for 15 to 20 minutes in total.

What you should not do?

While it won't hurt, a cold spoon won't do much good either.

On the other hand, a spoon that is extremely cold is one of the most common "hacks" for getting rid of a hickey. Unfortunately, the cold won't have much of an effect on such a minor bruise. There is no proof that it will make the bruising go away, but the cold can reduce any nearby inflammation. The conclusion is that while a cold spoon won't make your hickey go away, it also probably won't make it any worse. This usefulness also applies to a cool glob of aloe vera. Also Read: US cities that curse the most; It ain’t New York

These hacks cause more harm than good.

Avoid supposedly DIY remedies because they may irritate your bruise and make your hickey even more obvious. You may have heard that the hickey can be "broken up" using a toothbrush, a coin, or your thumb. The theory is that by massaging the scrape or hickey specifically, you'll increase blood flow and hasten the healing process. Never attempt this. In actuality, you might further traumatize the area, making your current discoloration worse. Avoid using toothpaste or peppermint oil as another "hack." According to the urban legend, the tingly sensation these minty substances produce hastens the healing process. Instead, you run the risk of causing irritation to the skin over the hickey while doing nothing to treat the bruise beneath it. Also Read: Missy Robinson- An Onlyfans model charge $2000 for hug.

Unfortunately, your hickey needs time.

Ultimately, there is sadly no at-home trick to make a hickey vanish over night. Hickeys simply need time to heal, just like other types of bruising, though a warm compress can help. You can always apply color-correcting makeup to the area if you really need to cover up your hickey. Or, hey, at least winter is quickly approaching, so nobody will be too surprised by your sudden affinity for turtlenecks.