6 effective ways to get rid of a hickey the safe way

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How long do hickeys last for? Photography: Corrie Bond for Body+Soul

It’s all well and good when you’re caught up in the act and logic goes out the window in a moment of heated passion, but what happens when you wake up the next morning with a giant welt on your neck for all the world to see?

Personally, and maybe a little controversially, I love a little love bite. Call me old school, or even a horny teenager, but as a make-out aficionado, the idea of being so into it that you leave a mark is H-O-T! 

From it being erotic to energising an erogenous zone, and even giving the thrill of earmarking your lover, there are so many reasons why people love to leave their partner with a blemish. 

But it doesn’t mean that I want to rock up to the office with the telltale sign around my neck.

“A hickey is basically a bruise,” Dr Isabella Bottura, a gynaecologist turned integrative sex coach, tells Body+Soul. “It’s caused by the damage to the blood vessels under your skin and leak of blood from them, and in this case that damage is caused by the pressure of someone’s lips.

“A lot of people find them hot and don’t care, or even like to proudly show off their love marks. But others don’t like them or they maybe have jobs where showing up with a hickey wouldn’t be considered professional.” 

Now here’s the news you don’t want to hear. “Unfortunately, there’s no magical solution to getting rid of a hickey,” the pleasure expert says. “It’s impossible to magically make a hickey disappear overnight and it can take a little while for our skin to heal.” 

But if you’re freaking out and need to hide a hickey in a hurry, are there any effective ways to get rid of a love bite faster and speed up the healing process?

Ideally, the hickey won't be in the middle of your forehead. Image: iStock

Cold compress

It might not be the most romantic of gestures, but flee those lips and get yourself to your nearest freezer for an ice pack.

“One way to avoid a hickey getting too big or obvious is by applying a cold compress as soon as you can,” Dr Bottura explains. “That can help to contract the blood vessels and not let the blood ‘escape’ from them so the hickey doesn’t get too bad.” 

Warm compress

“The next day, once the blood has come out of the vessels and the bruise is formed, cold compresses will no longer be much help,” says the sex coach. “So warm compresses would be my recommendation now to help with blood circulation and help the hickey heal faster.”

Just be careful that the warm compress is not too hot. “Using a facecloth that’s been warmed up in warm water for about three to five minutes a few times a day can be supportive,” she adds. 

Arnica cream is made from the flower, arnica montana, and known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Image: Pexels.

Arnica cream 

Maybe this is more of an old wives tale but apparently there is some proof in using arnica cream, which is made from the flower, arnica montana, and known for its anti-inflammatory properties. 

“Another tip that I love is using arnica cream,” Dr Bottura says. “I actually first heard of it from my mother when I was a child, but then I saw surgeons prescribing it to help patients recover from swelling and bruising in post op when I was in medical school. 

“It’s a medicinal herb that helps with bruises and reducing inflammation, so it can be supportive to heal hickeys faster.”

Banana peels

Ok this is definitely more of a myth but maybe there’s some truth in it. 

“From some quick research I’ve done, there’s no scientific evidence to support using them for it,” the sex educator says. “But there are some studies showing antioxidant effects of banana peels, in particular unripe banana peels.”

So while there isn’t any evidence supporting the use of the fruit in healing a hickey, don’t give up hope because “you never know”, says the doctor. “We don’t have scientific studies on everything.” 

Could a banana peel really be the solution to a love bite? Image: iStock

Vitamin K 

This one might be a bit more realistic than rubbing a banana on your neck. 

“There are some studies showing that vitamin K could be supportive to help heal bruises,” Dr Bottura explains. “But others haven’t shown such great results.”  

Aloe vera

Maybe another one worth giving a shot if you’re desperate. “I couldn’t find anything with aloe vera and bruising specifically, but it does have anti-inflammatory properties so it could potentially be helpful,” the pleasure expert says. 

How long do hickeys last for? Image: iStock

How long do hickeys last for? 

If you’ve gotten this far, you’re clearly desperate, and I hate to break it to you but the length of a bruise is different for everyone. 

“It depends on each person,” Dr Bottura explains. “And it depends on the size and the intensity of the hickey. But it could be anything from a few days to a couple of weeks. Potentially up to two weeks!” 

Until then, it might be time to invest in a good foundation.  

“If someone does want to try to “hide” it while their skin is still healing, I’d recommend using make-up like those colour-corrective concealers,” the gynaecologist encourages. “Or maybe getting creative with fashion items like scarfs.”

Or own it like a badge of honour. 

Originally published as 6 effective ways to get rid of a hickey the safe way