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Below, youll find all the information you gotta come to terms with your little love mark.
Danil Nevsky/Adobe Stock
Is there any way to make a hickey smaller, lighter, or, you know, gone?
First things first: What the hell is a hickey anyway?
The capillaries break and releaseblood, which pools under your skin to create a bruise.
Okay, but how do hickeys happen?
Well, lets spend a little time with the wordtrauma, shall we?
Your hickey is evidence that the pressure from biting, sucking, etc., broke a few capillaries.
(Have you ever scraped your arm and applied pressure to stop the bleeding?
Yeah, same idea.)
But these methods arent foolproof.
Instead you might just have to live with your hickey for a few weeks.
Which brings us to…
Most hickeys will change color and fade within a few weeks, Dr. Brodell says.
So your strongest option is just to let your body heal at its own pace.
A 2017 literature review, publishedin theJournal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, examined bruises after cosmetic surgery.
Okay, slathering on makeup doesntreallydo away with your hickey, but it does get rid of it temporarily.
In need of a few good recommendations?
Check out our favoriteconcealers and foundations.
Will this get rid of your hickey?
You might also opt for fun bravery badges from Welly Bandages ($7,Amazon).
But it definitely is a way to look chic as hell while you camouflage your hickey instead.
And dont think you have to limit yourself to following this tip only in certain seasons.
Voilanow youre hiding your hickey and feeling cute while doing it.
The laser works to break up these blood cells, which catalyzes the healing process for the bruise.
The lasers arent going to make the bruises heal immediatelyDr.
Shah says most people report seeing improvements within a couple of days.
Even then, the bruises aren’t totally gone.
Thats…so much…to spend on a hickey.
But none of these things will help your hickey pull a Houdini.
