A kiss mark or a love bite is called a hickey, which is a type of bruise. When the skin is sucked or kissed too hard, it results in a hickey. This breaks capillaries and pools blood in them, leading to red or purple skin.
A hickey can last more than seven days and generally heals with time, but it can look embarrassing. You can hide a hickey with makeup or clothing. Many home remedies can help treat hickeys fast. Once a hickey heals, it rarely leaves a scar.
Natural Remedies for Hickeys
Some of the following home remedies for hickeys are tried and tested and can give you relief from their appearance:
Cool compress
Like you get relief from other bruises with ice packs, a hickey is no exception. You can get quick relief from a hickey by applying ice. Wrap ice cubes in a paper towel and place them on the hickey. Slowly move the pack around the hickey, leave it on for twenty minutes, then remove it. Repeat this many times on the first day. Do not place ice directly on the skin.
Toothbrush application
This is a surprising home remedy for hickey treatment. Get a new toothbrush and lightly brush over the hickey and the surrounding area. This helps stimulate blood circulation, but avoid pressing hard, as it can worsen a hickey. After gently rubbing the area with a toothbrush for 15 minutes, the redness and swelling may spread, but should reduce after 15 minutes. Then apply a cold compress to relieve the hickey. You can repeat this if required.
Peppermint
Applying peppermint to the skin helps improve blood circulation, so it is effective against hickeys. It also helps in healing blood vessels. Apply peppermint oil on the affected skin. It may cause slight tingling, but it should fade after a few minutes. Do not repeat this remedy more than twice a day. You can also apply peppermint-based toothpaste to a hickey. The toothpaste remedy works better if applied just after a hickey.
Alcohol application
Alcohol works better when a few hours have passed after you received a hickey. Alcohol acts as a disinfectant and cools and soothes irritated skin. These properties help relieve a hickey quickly. Take some alcohol on a cotton ball and rub it on a hickey for a few minutes. This will relieve the pain, but it can also dry out the skin, so apply moisturizer to the affected area. You can repeat this several times in the first two days.
Banana peel
You may be wondering, but this can also provide quick relief from a hickey. Take a banana peel, cut it to fit your hickey, and place it on the e hickey for half an hour. If you repeat this three times a day, you will notice reduced redness and swelling.
Here are some remedies for hickeys. In addition, massage the affected area and apply cool tea bags for quick relief.
Cold Compress vs Warm Compress: What to Use and When
Timing makes a big difference with a hickey. The rule is simple. Use cold first, then switch to warmth after a couple of days. (Healthline, GoodRx)
| Stage | Timing | What to Use | Why It Helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh hickey | First 24 to 48 hours | Cold compress | Slows blood flow and limits swelling |
| Older hickey | Day three onward | Warm compress | Opens nearby vessels and clears trapped blood |
Always wrap the compress in a cloth. Keep it warm, to avoid burning the skin. (GoodRx)
How Long Does a Hickey Take to Heal?
A hickey is just a bruise. Most fade on their own in about 5 to 14 days. (Healthline)
The color changes as it heals. It often starts red or purple, then turns green or yellow before it clears. Home remedies may speed this up by a day or two, but nothing removes a hickey in minutes. A normal hickey heals without a scar.
Other Things That May Help
A few gentle steps can support healing.
- Warm compress after the first two days
- Light massage around the area, with a soft touch only
- Aloe vera gel to calm the skin
- Arnica gel for bruises
- A cream with vitamin K or vitamin C
- A warm shower
- In case the skin feels dry use a gentle moisturizer
Pressing or rubbing hard can make the mark worse, so keep every step gentle. (Cleveland Clinic)
What to Avoid
Some tricks do more harm than good.
- Do not scrub the skin hard or scrape it with a coin or spoon edge
- Do not press or squeeze the bruise
- Do not break the skin
- Avoid tight collars or scarves that keep rubbing the spot
How to Hide a Hickey
If you need to cover it while it heals, makeup works well.
- Use a color corrector first. Green cancels a red hickey. Peach or yellow suits a purple one.
- Add concealer that matches your skin tone on top.
- A scarf, collar, or high neckline can also cover it.
When to See a Doctor
A hickey is almost always harmless. In rare cases, strong suction on the neck needs a check. Get medical help if you notice:
- Severe neck pain
- Trouble swallowing or breathing
- Fainting or feeling very weak
- Swelling that grows fast
- Numbness, a bad headache, or vision changes
- A bruise that appears without a clear cause or does not fade
These signs are uncommon, but do not ignore them. (Acibadem Health Library)
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a hickey last?
Most hickeys fade in about 5 to 14 days, like any minor bruise. The time depends on how strong the mark is and how fast your skin heals.
Can you get rid of a hickey overnight?
No method removes a hickey in a few minutes. Home remedies may speed up fading by a day or two at best.
Should I use ice or heat on a hickey?
Use a cold compress in the first day or two. Switch to a warm compress after 48 hours to help clear the trapped blood.
Do hickeys leave a scar?
Usually not. A normal hickey heals like a bruise and clears without a mark.
Does toothpaste really remove a hickey?
Some people try it, but there is little proof. Rubbing hard can irritate the skin, so keep the touch light if you do.
Are hickeys dangerous?
They are almost always harmless. Seek care only if you notice warning signs like severe neck pain, trouble breathing, or numbness.
