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Hickeys are bruises. Someone sucked on your skin hard enough to rupture the tiny capillaries underneath, blood pooled below the surface, and now you’ve got a reddish-purple mark that’s not going anywhere for 3 to 14 days. No method will make it vanish overnight. But you can speed up fading and avoid doing anything that makes it worse (toothpaste, coin scraping, and other folk remedies can cause scratches, bleeding, and scarring – skip them).
1. Apply Heat
This is the real workhorse. A warm compress opens up your blood vessels and helps break down the pooled blood causing the discoloration.
Soak a washcloth in water that’s warmer than bathwater but not scalding. Hold it against the hickey for 15 to 20 minutes. Rotate to a fresh warm cloth when it cools. Do this 4 times a day. You should see meaningful fading within a couple of days.
2. Apply a Cold Compress (But Only Immediately)
Cold constricts blood vessels and limits how much blood pools under your skin. But here’s the catch: it only works in the first few minutes after the hickey forms. If you’re reading this article, you’ve probably already missed that window.
If you do catch it in time, hold an ice pack or cold spoon against the spot for 10 minutes. After that initial period, switch to heat.
3. Massage the Area to Boost Blood Flow
Gentle massage boosts circulation to the bruised area. Rub the hickey for 3 to 5 minutes, three times a day, until the bruise starts fading. Be gentle. Too much pressure can re-rupture healing blood vessels and set you back.
Tapping with your index and middle fingers works just as well if rubbing feels awkward.
4. Add Some Peppermint Oil to Your Massage
Peppermint essential oil stimulates blood flow, which fades the hickey faster in the first few days. Use essential oil (not cooking extract). Never apply it undiluted.
Mix two drops of peppermint oil in 10 to 12 drops of carrier oil (olive or coconut). Patch test first on the inside of your forearm for 24 hours. If no irritation, apply it to the hickey twice a day. If your skin reacts, add two more drops of carrier oil and test again.
5. Apply Vitamin K Cream
Topical vitamin K speeds up your skin’s healing process by supporting blood clotting at the bruise site. Grab it at most drug stores. Stick to topical – oral vitamin K has more potential risks.
Apply 2 to 3 times a day. You can boost results by eating vitamin K-rich foods (pork, poultry, soybeans, green leafy vegetables) to accelerate healing from the inside out.
6. Apply Vitamin C Cream
While you’re at the drug store, pick up topical vitamin C. It helps blood clot, which reduces the amount of bruising, and strengthens tissue around ruptured blood vessels. Apply 2 to 3 times daily.
You can also try arnica gel (same drug store aisle). It may accelerate healing, but avoid it if you take blood thinners.
7. Apply Banana Peels
Banana peels are rich in antioxidants and nutrients with soothing properties for bruised skin.
Place the inside of the peel on the hickey for at least 30 minutes. For best results, leave it on until the peel turns brown. Do this three times a day until the hickey fades.
8. Cover the Hickey With Makeup
None of the methods above will fade your hickey in hours. They speed up healing, but you’re looking at days before it’s gone.
Need a temporary fix? Concealer and foundation. Blend it properly or you’ll draw more attention than the hickey itself.
9. Throw On a Scarf or Turtleneck
Showing up to your parents’ house for Sunday dinner with a visible hickey is awkward for everyone involved. Wear a turtleneck until it fades. If the weather’s warm, use a scarf. Switch up your style every couple days so it’s less obvious.
10. Get Laser Treatment
For roughly $350 or more, a dermatologist can laser your hickey. The laser targets pooled blood cells underneath your skin and breaks them up. Book within 24 to 48 hours for best results. The hickey won’t disappear immediately, but you’ll see major improvement within 3 to 4 days (including a day or two of post-treatment healing).
Drastic? Yes. But if you have a wedding on Saturday and a hickey on Tuesday, it’s an option.
