A hickey, also known as a kiss mark or love bite, is actually a kind of bruise. Hickies result from kissing or sucking the skin too hard, causing broken capillaries and pooling blood that turns the skin red or purple.
A hickey can last more than a week but will heal with time. Once healed, there is rarely any kind of scar or mark left behind.
However, having a hickey where other people can see it is quite embarrassing. You can hide hickies with clothing or makeup. You also may want to try the help of a number of easy-to-follow home remedies.
Here are the top 10 ways to remove hickies fast.
1. Cold Compress
To heal a hickey, the blood clots need to be broken apart so the blood spreads out. This can be aided by applying a cold compress on the affected skin. Any kind of cold compress will constrict ruptured capillaries and reduce bleeding.
- Put some ice cubes in a paper towel and lightly press it against your skin for about 15 minutes, several times a day. An ice pack will help prevent swelling around the hickey and reduce pain. Do not apply ice directly on the skin because it can cause an ice burn.
- Put a spoon in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Then, wrap the spoon in a cloth and lightly rub it over the affected skin area until the spoon is no longer cold. Do this several times a day until the hickey is gone.
2. Peppermint
The stimulant effect of peppermint can help improve blood circulation, and hence it is very useful in treating hickies. It can also heal the capillary vessels.
- Apply peppermint oil gently on the affected skin area. Initially, there will be a tingling sensation, but it will quickly go away. Do not use this remedy more than twice a day as it can irritate the skin.
- Apply some peppermint-based toothpaste on the affected area for a few minutes. Once the tingling has stopped, wipe it off with a warm washcloth. Do not use this remedy more than once a day. It works best when done as soon as possible after getting a hickey.
3. Rubbing Alcohol
If only a few hours have passed since you got the hickey, rubbing alcohol is just the right ingredient for you. Rubbing alcohol has disinfectant, soothing and cooling properties that can help get rid of a hickey fast.
- Apply some rubbing alcohol to the affected area using a cotton ball.
- Rub the area gently for several minutes. This will help minimize any discomfort.
- Rubbing alcohol can dry your skin, so apply some moisturizing lotion on the area after you are done.
- Do this several times a day for one or two days.
4. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is a natural moisturizer that will help reduce the sensitivity of the affected skin area. Also, its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties will help the burst capillaries under your skin heal faster.
- Extract fresh aloe vera gel and massage the gel into the bruise. Do this two or three times a day.
- If you do not have an aloe vera plant at home, you can use an aloe vera-based cream or lotion and apply it on the affected skin two or three times a day for two to three days.
5. Banana Peel
Banana peels have soothing as well as cooling properties that can help minimize your hickey fast.
- Cut the peel of a ripe banana to the size of your hickey.
- Place the inside of the peel on the bruise for 10 to 30 minutes.
- Do this two or three times a day to reduce the appearance of the bruise.
6. Vitamin K
Vitamin K prevents coagulation (blood clots) and hence can be used to treat bruises. This vitamin helps your body reabsorb pooled blood and speed up the healing process.
- Apply a lotion or cream rich in vitamin K to the hickey two or three times a day until the bruise has vanished.
- Eat more vitamin K-rich foods like brown rice, spinach, broccoli, soybean oil, and fish oil for a couple of days.
- You can also take vitamin K supplements to facilitate the healing process.
7. Oranges
Oranges have a high amount of vitamin C, an essential nutrient required by the body to repair your skin. Also, vitamin C has healing properties that will help heal a hickey quickly.
- Just after getting a hickey, drink extra orange juice. Instead of packaged orange juice, drink fresh juice for best results.
- If oranges are not available, you can take 500 milligrams of vitamin C three times a day for a week to help rebuild your collagen.
8. Warm Compress
Heat is highly beneficial for a hickey that is two or three days old. It will help dilate the capillaries and make way for fresh new blood to circulate and help clean up the mess.
- Saturate a washcloth in hot water, wring out the excess water and hold it on your skin for five minutes, three times a day.
- You can also use a hair dryer to apply heat to the affected skin area and then gently massage with your fingers to improve circulation.
- A reusable heat patch from the pharmacy will also work. Use it as directed.
9. Finger Massage
As the hickey gets older, gently massage the affected area with your fingers, from the center of the bruise to the outer edges.
Do this at least twice a day for a few minutes, preferably apply a warm compress. This will help increase circulation and aid in healing the hickey.
10. Cocoa Butter
Cocoa butter works as an effective healing agent for bruises like hickies. It is an excellent moisturizer and promotes the growth of new skin tissues.
- Apply a warm compress on the hickey. Once the area is warm, apply some cocoa butter.
- Massage the area gently for a few minutes. This will break up the blood clot and stimulate circulation.
- Do this several times throughout the day.
Note: If cocoa butter is not available, you can use olive oil or almond oil.
A hickey is a wound that needs to heal. If your hickey is severe or you have many of them, these remedies may take some time to achieve results.
If you are aware of a method that works for you that isn’t listed in this article, let us know about it in the comment section.
How do i get rid of brown spot in my face, amd leg, ear and my ass please tell me, i have tried lemon severaly i did get any pue result please tel me what to do.
How do i get rid of brow spot on my face bot leg and hand,
JUNE 2017 UPDATE
this is a long post & i know 100% works. I got a hicky on Thursday night. Called in Friday. It is Saturday night & still got it BUT its quickly fading, should be super light for church tmrw. Just started treatment on Saturday, so there is hope.
I keep muscle relaxer cream on it every time i turn around then massage with frozen cold spoon. I am extremely pale & get “bruises” easily.
Didnt try battery, but ate a few bananas bc i like them, bonus!
nyc… ice qubee is best
Yeah i use toothpaste jt has a stronger peppermint quality that acts as a cooling solvent.
Hey I hot a hickey today and im. Only 12 and im hidding it from my parents and I dont know what to do and if I use toothpaste would it come off like today or it depends
Rubbing cat food on it
You are the BOMB! totally worked in 20 minutes with dry cat food!
Listerine works better lol
to get rid of a brow spot take a lemon squeeze it into a cotton ball or a paper towel and apply to the skin for 10-20 minutes if still deosnt work apply longer and put more lemon juice on it it should be cleared in two days cause mine did and do it 5 times a day and each time make sure you have a clear skin brow spot.
Lemon juice
Wish I would have known these when I was younger. I got a hickey on a place that nobody should see, and I had to go to my doctor to get an exam with the hickey still on me. It was pretty embarrassing at the time.
Outline with a sharpie, spray perfume on it, cover with Icy Hot
Thanks a lot I’m definitely gonna try these things cause I need it gone asap,lol…..!!!
Like tomorrow….!!!
I found the best method ever!!! It’s s life saver. Sounds weird but I swear it works. Get a sa battery or c and use the negative flat side. Hold your skin firmly and rub In a circular it will hurt because your rubbing but no pain no gain. It works so good my bruise completely disappeared it only left a red mark. It was amazing. Trust me .. try it!
Thanks so much it really work!…
Omfg you are my hero 😉
This works so wonderful ! ?
This is crazy and it works!
Omg! Just now im doing it, i can’t believe it, so amazing thank u so much!!!! Battery
I think it actually works lol
This method is the bomb!! Just got ma hickie couple minutes go now its gone!!
honestly, thought this was a joke..but I just tried it and it actually worked. no more bruise. just a red mark. and the redness will go down with some ice
It works perfect
Omggg this really work (what a life saver ❕??
Alicia,
I thought maybe this was a joke..all i could find was AA battery. Im very fair and my hickie wasnt large or bad, but i hated that it could be seen. I applied about 20 min after getting the hickie and rubbed for about 10 min. Its over 95% gone and even though its a little red, it doesnt look like a hickie! I’m amazed.
Def works !!!! Bruise faded almost completely !!! Left a minor red spot but could hardly see !!! Great advice thanks!!!
WTF!!!!!! I just got a hickey few minutes. Then I came across this thread! Its the real shit!! This should be the top answer of all time! Thanks Alicia!!! I can now sleep…whew!
Thanks so much for the clever idea. I NVR thot it would be gone in one Day in fact in few hours. Amazing, i used triple A nd i had quite a few big ones 🙂
U just saved my life;)
Does this work with AA an AAA batteries too? Need it gone by Monday ?
you. saved. my. life.
OMG… This sounds crazy but it actually actually works… ! If it’s a very light hickey, it just disappears as if removing a pencil mark with an eraser. If it’s a tough one, then u need to give it a good massage for atleast 5 minutes. What is left behind is just a red smudge, which looks more like a mild heat rash. Apply a moisturizer on it after the massage.
It works
Peppermint and cold compress is the best method to one-time relief. what next if want to get rid completely on hickey.
hey thanks, it worked!!!
The peppermint essential oil worked great in about 10 minutes I noticed it had taken away a lot of the bruise. Tonight it is still there but definitely not even close to the color it was this morning! (I got it last night and woke up with it). I use peppermint everyday for migraines and muscle tightness.
Peppermint oil is the best
Hi! Ok so if any of you guys know how to get rid of hickeys fast or make them completly unnoticible in the span of a day without causing any skin damage that would be great! My boyfriend gave me two little hickys on the neck and I’ve tried using rubbing alcohol but it still looks redish purple…and it shows. I need like instant hickey removal!! Thanks so much 🙂
The cold compress worked really well for me all I did was get a few ice cubes and wrapped it in a paper towel /kitChen roll and then applied it to my neck for 20 minutes
C size battery, rub negative side in circular motion till hickey disappears.n tada
Thank for these tips guys.
My boyfriend put a lot of hickies on my neck and god it is so embarassing.
Lemme try all these remedies, In your advice what’s the most effective among all? Thanks Lovelots.
I’m an 18 year old girl and personally the cold compress works for me my kicked was a very dark reddy purple and after 2 sessions of the ice pack on my neck it went down significantly I would definitely recommend
Okay there is one that is so easy it’s an over night thing so at night put mint tooth paste on it and in the morning wipe the tooth paste off then applie and I ce cube for 2-5 min this also helps with acne
You can also take a cold spoon and scrape the affected area. It works in minutes to remove the hick it quicker!
Hickie*
My little brother did the Kylie Jenner lip challenge and now has a huge hickie all around his mouth so we’re trying the cold compress
Omg that’a why I’m here, it looks so bad
Cat food really worked!!! The wet kind in a can, not the dry stuff
what I used, or well actually use if you know what I mean(;, you use a big long smooth BANANA PEEL. canned cat food works very well too. also putting sharpie on it is good. you’re welcome((:
Who was the genius that came up with the catfood idea? —
— “Dang, I have way too much cat food. Also I have a random hickey. Why not put some cat food on it? ”
—- who in the world thinks to grab some catfood and just slather it on your damn hickey?
—- this world is on drugs
I put toothpaste on it for 5 mins, applied the cold spoon for 5, then heat pack for 10 mins and finished with the cold spoon again. Worked really well and the appearance significantly reduced ‘
I had a hickey I had to get rid of within 5 days (my girlfriend was gone for the week, and I had an escort…) anyways, this is the EXACT process I used to get rid of it and it was almost completely gone within 4 days:
Day 1:
As soon as possible after getting the hickey, rub it with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol. Do this over and over again for about 10 minutes. Then, apply ice to the area for 10 minutes, put rubbing alcohol again, and ice for 10 minutes as often as you can. Before bed, apply aloe 3 times.
Day 2:
Ice in the morning and massage the hickey. I used a coin for this, but you can do it with your fingers as well. Use a cap from nail polish or chapstick and twist it on your skin where the hickey is to start getting more circulation. Massage throughout the day and apply aloe as often as possible. Before bed, ice again for 10 minutes.
Day 3: The dark red and purple spots should be gone, now it should look like a faint bruise. Take a hot shower (and I mean HOT) and let the water run against the hickey for 5-10 minutes while lightly massaging it. After the shower, apply aloe. Before bed, soak a cloth in hot water and press it firmly against the hickey for 5 minutes. Apply aloe before bed.
Day 4: By now it should almost be gone. Use the hot cloth again once or twice and continue to put aloe. At this point, just a tad bit of concealer a shade lighter than your skin tone should be enough to cover it.
Day 5: Hickey is only a very faint, yellowish color. Again, use concealer if you wish, or continue to use hot cloth to get the blood running smoothly.
I hope this works for you!
Woah!! So much remedies..
Rub an ice cube in a circle for about 10 minutes or over night ice pack it
I hope this works!! My mom would kill me if she sees these hickies
Me too!
Rub a penny on the skin in circular motions. Hickey slowly starts to fade away. PROMISE IT WORKS.
The best way I’ve seen is to rub spaghetti sauce or McDonald’s ketchup. I’ve tried other ketchup but McDonald’s is by far the best. It’s very convenient because they come in “to go” packets. I don’t know the science behind it, but it seriously works. If it doesn’t remove the hickey completely, it kind of stains your neck so it blends in easier. Best of luck, tomatoes!
Cat food ewwwwe…. trying the penny trick but with a quarter hope it really works t ill reply if it does or na
Icey hot works pretty well
Partly cut garlic n rub it on hickie until it disappear …it work
So my ex gave me a huge hickey and I had a thing with a guy, so I was dying my hair and I happened to just try to put the hair dye on it (I know it’s bad for your skin) but kept it on for about 20 mins and the hickey was completely gone!
Desperately need to try some of these…
Using a tooth brush on your neck gently can separate the dead red blood cells pretty well
Best remedy is to not get a hickey at all ! Prevention is better than cure . #BeSmart
Place sweaty dirty balls on hicky for 25 minutes
well first of all thx for the tips guys, im only 9 year old and my dad gave me one on my big toe, I tried the cat food and it worked however my foot smells on beef and tuna whiskers, atleast its gone.
Lewis,
I would say something that is just wrong for ur dad to do that. I am a mother of 3 and I be damned if their father did something like that, little alone someone else.
Instead of massaging with coin or battery, use your mouth (or hers) to bring the blood flow back into the bruised area. Gently suckle. First soft, then hard if it doesn’t work. This seems backwards, but it works!
I’m amazed how the AA battery trick worked. Literally about 80% of the bruising disappeared!
It so .. worked! Thanks to the batteries!
I was really thought that AA Battery is a joke. One day I had a business presentation in the afternoon and I took morning halfday to prepare for that. End up my home internet went down so had to go to my girlfriend’s house to finish it. My executive suite & tie turned her on and we had a wonderful time together and ended up with 2 large hickies on each side of my neck. Bump to this thread and tried the AA Battery thing as there is no harm trying. I couldn’t believe with the rubbing of about 10 mins on one of them, the hickie went away! Just left with the slight skin swelling which was being take cared by the ice cube afterward. So within 30 mins, both of my hickies were gone and nobody noticed anything during the presentation.
I take a chapstick lid and after putting a warm compress on it, I “massage” the hickey I guess you could say. i press down and move it around and it spreads everything out and helps it heal faster.