As someone who has had their fair share of hickeys, I am always curious as to how long they last. How long do hickeys usually take to go away? How much time does it actually take for a hickey to disappear? What is the average duration of a hickey? These are all questions that most people have when they receive one at some point in life. You might be surprised by what you learn about them!
In this blog post, we will answer these questions and more! We will also discuss why getting rid of a hickey quickly is important so that no one knows you got it from kissing your partner on the neck.
Hickey or a love bite can happen to anyone or any couple lost in the passion of the moment. Hickeys are typically a bruise on your skin ranging from purple to red in color. Hickeys are caused from the suction of your partner’s mouth onto your skin that causes damage to your skin’s capillaries. Hence, they leak blood which has no way to come out. The blood gets trapped under the skin and shows up as purple or red marks, called hickeys.
Similar to a bruise, hickeys take anytime from one to two weeks to recover. They slowly change color as the blood is absorbed back into the body. There are some body parts that are sensitive and bruise faster and darker than others. Similarly, some skin types also bruise faster and hickeys tend to show up more easily and a lot darker on them.
This natural healing process lets you know how long do hickeys last for
As mentioned above the answer to how long do hickeys last, a hickeys usually fades away within a week to two depending on the severity of the damage done below the surface of the skin. The healing process is evident through the array of colors your hickey will change as it heals.
- The start of a hickey will usually be a reddish mark that is due to the blood leaking from the damaged blood vessels.
- In a day or more, the hickey will start to change color and appear darker than before. This is due to hemoglobin changing color.
- The appearance of the hickey will start to fade or appear blotchy in some parts by approximately the 5th
- By the 2nd week depending on the strength and duration of the suction applied, your hickey will appear yellowish or fade completely.
You cannot do much about a hickey if it there. Usually it is not physically painful but can be socially embarrassing. A hickey is a very minor injury that heals naturally on its own.
However, to make the healing process faster you can do some quick home treatments to get rid of hickies:
How to Make Hickies Go Away Fast
Do not touch it
Do not touch, scratch, poke or rub the skin on or around the hickey. This will cause further inflammation and redness.
Cold ice pack
Ice pack helps in healing broken skin. Applying an ice pack straight away will reduce the flow of blood coming from the broken vessel and also reduce swelling. Try to hold the ice pack onto the affected skin area for 5-10 minutes. This can be repeated as many times as you want in the first few days at a gap of around 2 hours. Don’t forget to wrap the ice pack in a cloth to avoid frost bite.
A quick trick is to use a bag of frozen veggies onto the hickey if an ice pack is not available.
Turn up the heat
Applying a heating pad or a cloth dampened in hot water can also help heal the hickey faster. The heat will act the opposite of an ice pack, i.e. it will open up the blood vessels and increase blood flow in that area. The hickey may appear very dark for a short period of time, but will start to heal faster also. Before every warm compress, give your skin the time to come to its normal temperature to avoid burning your already sensitive skin.
Aloe vera
Aloe vera is a popular calming agent used whenever the skin flairs up. It is also a natural moisturizer. Aloe vera can certainly help in the healing of your hickey. Simply apply a layer of aloe vera gel and keep on for 10 minutes. Wipe off the gel and repeat twice or thrice a day.
Sometimes, caught in the moment, your hickey can be easily visible to others. In that case, you cannot wait for it to go away on its own. We know your feeling behind asking how long do hickeys last?, In such a case a little bit of cosmetic intervention is integral. Some ways to work around the hickey are:
High collared shirts
Wear a turtleneck or a high collared shirt that can effectively conceal the hickey. A turtleneck no doubt will do a better job at hiding the hickey, but you need to acknowledge the weather also. A turtleneck in the scorching will make you look like an alien. Moreover, it will make you look suspicious also.
Accessories
Some accessories can play the perfect role in concealing an embarrassing hickey. Moreover, it is a cute way to spice up your outfit. A broad necklace or a colorful scarf can play perfect partners in crime in this case. You can find tons of tutorials online to style a scarf differently. Opt for different styles and accessories to keep the suspicious people at bay.
Hair
Your hair can also be used pretty effectively to conceal your hickey. If you have medium to long length of hair, now is the time to use them! Tying a side braid or simply letting your hair loose can hide your hickey for small periods of time. You cannot do the hair trick at work as your hair will not remain in the same place all day. However, at home if your parents suddenly pop into your room, you can use your long hair to cover the hickey.
Green concealer
Green concealer can be used to counterbalance red color. Apply a generous quantity of green concealer to your hickey. Now use your regular concealer and gently blend it over the green concealer. If you blend properly, there will be no sight of the hickey left!
Pink concealer
When the hickey starts to heal, it will become yellow or green. At this point, the green concealer is not recommended. Use a concealer with a pink undertone to better hide the hickey. Apply the pink concealer as you would apply the green one.
Many people you know, would have been embarrassed by hickeys. The only thing one can do is ask your partner to give it in a less visible area to save you from anymore embarrassment. Other than the societal aspect, a hickey is more to be enjoyed than worried about.