When you’re in the moment, you do crazy stuff and often forget that after your rendezvous, you might have to face your parents or friends who will make fun and pull your leg till the end of time. And as much as a person loves to be stamped by their lover’s indelible kiss, the moment you’re in your senses you desperately want a dozen ways to hide it. Well, we’re going to make things easier for you. 

A hickey is the result of kissing or sucking the skin too hard, causing broken capillaries and pooling blood that turns the skin red or purple. 

So here are 10 easy ways in which you can get rid of hickeys. Hick!

1. Cold Compress

The blood clot needs to be broken apart so that the blood can flow smoothly to the injured region. Therefore, applying a cold compress can get the blood flowing in the area again. Get some ice, put it in a towel or a neat cloth and see how your hickey fades away. Till you get it back at least. 

2. Peppermint

Peppermint is one of the best herbs that can be used for tons of problems. And yes, it can be used to get rid of your love bite as well. When applied on the surface of the skin, peppermint induces a warm effect that can heal capillary vessels and increase blood circulation. So next time, keep peppermint handy. 

3. Rubbing alcohol

Now you will never waste a drop of alcohol. If just few hours have passed since the crazy session, your best bet is good ol’ alcohol. Alcohol works well as a disinfectant, it soothes the wound, and cools down the tinging sensation. But make sure that you use a moisturiser after rubbing alcohol, as it tends to make the skin dry.

4. Rub your hickey with a toothbrush

Preferably, a clean one. Rubbing the love bite with a toothbrush will increase blood flow on and around it. This way the discolouration that the blood clot produced will slowly lighten and the blood shall start flowing again. See, a toothbrush can save you from major embarrassment as well as cavities!

5. Aloe Vera 

Aloe vera is a wonder herb with soothing and anti-inflammatory properties, which when applied will work its magic and get cracking on that nasty wound. All you have to do is extract some fresh aloe vera from the plant and just apply it on the wound. This is a long term healing process so you’ll need to apply the extract at least 2-3 times a day. 

6.  Banana Peel

Oh yes, it’s true. A banana peel has cooling and soothing properties that can help in getting rid of your hickey. All you have to do is eat a banana, or not. Take the peel, cut it in the size of your hickey and place the inside of the peel on it. You’ll have to do this at least 2-3 times a day to get the best results.

7. Cocoa Butter

Now be sure that you don’t put a copious amount as it melts easily and can attract insects, such as bees. Ouch! Cocoa butter helps in the regeneration of damaged tissue, so when you apply it on the hickey, it breaks the blood clot and promotes the renewal of the affected tissue. You can also use olive oil or almond oil if cocoa butter isn’t readily available.

8. Warm Compress

This is contradictory to the cold compress, but the difference is in the timing. A cold compress helps right after the hickey has been planted. Whereas, the warm compress is usually applied after 48 hours when the broken capillaries have healed enough. Applying warm compress helps increase the blood flow in the area thus quickening the process of re-absorption of the blood clot. 

9. Oranges

Who would have thought, right? Apparently drinking loads of orange juice can help heal the hickey. Orange juice has Vitamin C, which aids the skin in repairing itself. But stay away from the packaged ones, you’ll have to squeeze some fresh juice to get best results. Now that isn’t too much effort, right? 

10. Massage 

Just massage the area from the centre to outwards as this will help in increasing blood flow. Preferably, apply a warm compress before you massage the hickey as this will help break down the blood clot quicker. 

11. Arnica Salve

The flower of the Arnica Montana plant is used to make an ointment that has many a healing properties, and is also easily available. Active chemicals in the salve helps reduce swelling, pain and aids in repairing of the clotted blood tissues. 

12. Toothpaste

Look for a mint-based toothpaste. The cooling property of the paste and the mint will combine to help the re-absorption of the clot faster. Apply the toothpaste on the affected area, and once the tingling sensation has died down, wash it away with some warm water. 

The healing might take some time so in the mean time you can use a concealer to hide whatever’s left of the hickey. If you have long hair, just position your hair to hide the love bite. 

If you’re somebody like me who has short hair and loves wearing scarfs, you’re covered. Especially in winters. There are about a dozen ways to wear a scarf and look stylish, and hide the evidence from the last session.

If you have some wisdom on this, help out your fellow companions, yeah?