Did you know that a hickey is actually just a bruise caused by suction on your skin? (Yeah I know right, eww thanks Bae). The reason that they show up so badly on your neck is because the skin there is so delicate and thin, although your inner arms and armpits can be just as sensitive so hickies would be bad there too (hey, who are we to judge what you guys get up to?). Like any bruise, hickies can flare up to become an angry red or purple-ish color and if left untreated, they can linger for as long as ten days. The sooner that you try the below techniques, the more likely they are to work so get experimenting with them as soon as you realise you’ve been hit with the hickey stick.
Here we’ve compiled a list of twelve proven and effective ways to help you get rid of that hickey fast…

A cold compress is essentially just holding something nice and cool against your skin to calm down that angry hickey. You can simply wrap some ice in a paper towel and hold it against your skin for 10-15 minutes. This will help to reduce the swelling and pain around the hickey. Alternately, you can wrap a bag of frozen products (peas, etc) in paper towels and apply those to the area. Note that you should never apply ice directly to your skin as it can cause ice burn.
You can do this once or twice a day and it should speed up the recovery process.

If you act fast, you can use rubbing alcohol to get rid of that pesky hickey. This method only really works if you do it a couple of hours after the hickey appears so if you don’t notice it until the next day, you’re better off trying a different method.
Apply some rubbing alcohol to a ball of cotton and gently dab it onto the area for a few minutes. You can do this 2-3 times a day for several days until you start to notice an improvement. Because rubbing alcohol dehydrates your skin, always apply a moisturizing lotion afterwards so they you don’t wind up with not just a hickey, but a dry, flaky hickey (agh!)

Peppermint can help in improving blood circulation and healing broken capillary vessels so it is very effective in treating hickies… Not to mention it will make you smell like an absolute minty delight.
For the benefits of peppermint on hickies you can either:

1. Use pure peppermint oil. Apply a dab of oil to the area and leave it there to do its magic.

2. Apply peppermint-based toothpaste (may be the easier choice since pretty much everyone has this in their bathroom cupboard!). Simply apply the toothpaste to the affected area for s few minutes and then wipe off with a warm washcloth.

Since a hickey is essentially a bruise with clotted blood, massaging the affected area scatters the blood and reduces its color. Besides, who doesn’t appreciate a good massage? You can do this yourself or ask Bae to help you out to make up for disfiguring you. Use a little essential oil and apply firm pressure when rubbing the area.

Ok, we get that this sounds a little weird but it really works! The banana peel actually has soothing properties that calms down your hickey and can help reduce it in size. Just remove the peel from a ripe banana and leave it on your hickey for between 10-30 minutes. You can repeat this 2 or 3 times a day depending on how many bananas you want to be eating!

This isn’t the most pleasant method but it works well. Use the bristles of a toothbrush and brush over your hickey. Move the brush around in circles and apply a little pressure for between 5 and 10 minutes. The brushing motions will help to get your blood flow going and improves the appearance of the hickey.

Aloe Vera is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties and is a common ingredient in skincare products. Chances are, if you’ve ever had a bad sunburn then you have likely used a product with aloe vera inside to soothe it. Another magic power of aloe’s is to aid in healing hickies. Aloe increases blood circulation and speeds up the healing process in the problem area. If you have aloe leaves available, you can rub a leaf on the hickey. Alternatively, you can use a moisturizing or skin care product which contains aloe vera.

The flip side to the ice pack method is applying heat. Many people have reported success with both methods so it is up to your personal preference. Apply a hot towel to your hickey, or a hot water bottle that is safely wrapped in a cover.
Remember to consider your safety when using this method and don’t put something that is too hot against your skin. Don’t be that girl that had an embarrassing hickey and turned it into an embarrassing burnt hickey.

This healthy method will help you rid of your hickey faster and make your overall body feel like a temple! Foods that are rich in vitamin K are healthy green vegetables like spinach, broccoli and kale. These foods help the body to absorb clots of blood (I.e clots of blood just like your hickey!). Prepare yourself a salad each day that is filled with foods rich in vitamin K and wash it all down with plenty of water.

Be careful with this method because we don’t want you overdosing or taking a heap of unnecessary meds just to cure your hickey! Aspirin and Excedrin contain ingredients that have anti-inflammatory properties and thin the blood therefore helping to reduce the appearance of hickeys. Do not mix medications without consulting with your doctor first, and ensure that you consult the instructions for the particular medication before you take anything.

If you’ve tried everything, and you desperately want to be rid of your hickey and fast, you can use a coin to scrape away the hickey. With two fingers, stretch out your hickey and then with your other hand, use a coin to scrape your skin. Place the the coin in the center of your hickey and move it outwards to the edges of the hickey. Since a hickey causes a lot of blood to become clotted (which is what causes the nasty color), this method intends to spread the blood into the nearby area and therefore reduce the appearance.
Be careful when doing this because you don’t want to hurt yourself or tear your skin. The area will be a little red afterwards but will calm down after a few minutes.

Similar to the coin scraping method, you can try this to spread the blood that is clotted into the surrounding areas of your skin. Find an item with a cylindrical shape (for example, a lipstick cap or a circular pen lid) and press it hard on the hickey. Once you’ve put the pen on the hickey, twist it back and forth as quickly as possible for around five minutes.

Makeup will do the trick to help you hide that hickey. Either get some high coverage camouflage makeup, apply it to the affected area and then blend it in and top with powder, or just apply foundation to your face, and extend it down your neck. It’s not ideal, but you can always wear high collared shirts to hide your hickey. If it’s the middle of summer and a scarf isn’t practical, wear your hair down to detract attention away from the hickey, or consider wearing a lightweight, fashionable necktie. Makeup and clothing can actually be pretty effective in hiding your hickie, and next time just tell Bae to be more gentle..