Raise your hand if you’ve been caught in a situation where things got too hot and heavy and ended up with a red/purple blotch on your neck and chest. Yup, we’re talking about the infamous hickeys. And now, you’re in an uncomfortable position where you try to hide it from others.
On this Reddit thread, people reveal some tips on how to get rid of those nasty hickeys.
1. “I found a trick that works really well. Take ice cubes and put them on the spot of the hickey for a few minutes. Then grab a hairbrush (one with the plastic ball ends that most people have) and massage for a few minutes. Repeat as necessary. All the bruising went away and all I was left with was a red neck (from the brush), and when that cleared up the hickeys were gone.”
– daffydubs
2. “Take a chapstick tube and place it on the offending area. Push down and twist the tube so the skin turns around it and, release. Do that a few times and the blood from the bruised area will dissipate. Voila!”
– findjinn212
3. “Depending on what colour your hickey is (as these things change over time) there are different concealers that help.
Mostly red = green concealer. Purple/blue = yellow (undereye). Blue/green (final stage, usually)= pink (salmon or fair).”
– TheFoolishWit
4. “It’s a bit painful but it’s worth it. Just grab a pencil with an eraser and rub the hell out of the hickey with an eraser and that spreads it around.”
– JunoWananadis
5. “Heat a tea bag, press on hickey until cold, rub with a hair brush. Repeat if necessary. Don’t burn yourself.”
– m0dizzle
6. “Witch hazel (flowering shrub/ natural astringent) does a decent job at healing bruises/hickies more quickly. It eases inflammation, constricts the blood vessels, and may help the pooled blood dissipate. It’s also great for varicose veins for the same reasons.”
– xtwistedxlovex
7. “Another good way to get rid of hickeys is to rub toothpaste on the area. It has worked several times for me.”
– Anonymous
8. “Rub a good moisturizer and rub a foundation on it. Viola.”
– I_Think_Alot
9. “One actual thing that somewhat works is haemorrhoids cream. Just apply over the hickey and it speeds up the healing process by quite a bit.”
– vendock
10. “I’ve had the most success with using a dime or a penny to basically push the blood into another area (almost a scraping action). Note to do this before a hot shower. It worked perfectly for me and dispersed the blood in 10 or so minutes.”
– l-jack
11. “Warm water and a paper towel for 5 minutes.”
– SaltyTomatoes
12. “You’re wasting your time doing anything but covering it. Turtle-necks, scarves, or make-up are the only real options.”
– garrisonc
13. “Peeled potato skins do wonders for bruises.”
– GracefulAsADuck
14. “The best way to remove a hickey is to press the negative end of a AA battery to the skin and twist it! It really works.”
– LadyReign
I hope these tips work next time you end up with a love bite.