I’ll never forget the first time I got a hickey. I woke up the morning after a high school party to find a big red mark on the side of my neck. I wouldn’t have freaked out if it were any average day, except it wasn’t: I had senior dance pictures later that afternoon, and my hair needed to be in a high ponytail. Essentially, my hickey was about to be on full display. I layered on every complexion product in my makeup bag, but could still see a slight shadow—cue the internal crash out. Thankfully, no one ever said anything, but I was completely mortified.
I wish I’d known how to get rid of a hickey back then—but now I do, 12 years later. Better late than never, right? After speaking with a board-certified dermatologist and a professional makeup artist, I put together this guide to masking and minimizing hickeys. There’s no need to spiral if and when passion gets the best of you—it happens. Follow these expert-approved tips, and your hickey can heal as quickly and discreetly as possible, so no one but your partner has to know it was ever there.
Why do hickeys happen?
So your intense makeout sesh resulted in a hickey, but why? Board-certified dermatologist Kristina Collins, MD, explains that hickeys appear when tiny blood vessels called capillaries break due to extra suction or pressure. “The leaked blood becomes trapped beneath the surface, creating a bruise-like mark that can appear red, purple, or dark brown depending on skin tone,” she says.
Hickeys can appear anywhere on the body—really, anywhere you can kiss—but professional makeup artist Brittany Whitfield says they most commonly manifest on the neck because it’s more vascular and the skin is thinner than other areas.
How do you get rid of a hickey fast?
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you can’t completely erase a hickey overnight. That said, there are ways to reduce its appearance and speed up the healing process. Both Dr. Collins and Whitfield recommend icing the area as soon as you see a hickey forming.
“Applying a cold compress during the first 24 hours can help minimize swelling and limit further blood leakage under the skin,” says Dr. Collins. “After the first day, warm compresses may help increase circulation and encourage the body to reabsorb the trapped blood more quickly,” she adds.
Dr. Collins also suggests gently massaging the area and applying topicals “containing arnica, vitamin K, or aloe vera,” which may help to minimize bruising as you heal.
How long does a hickey take to heal?
There’s no definitive hickey-healing timeline—Dr. Collins says it depends on how intense the suction was, as well as your circulation, skin tone, and how prone you are to bruising. “A mild hickey may start fading within three days, but most take about one to two weeks to fully heal.”
A hickey also won’t just vanish before your eyes. Like other bruises, it will most likely change color as it heals, shifting from red to purple to green or yellow before fully fading.
Are some people more prone to hickeys than others?
Yes (and as a pale redhead, I’m one of them). “People with fair or sensitive skin, fragile capillaries, or conditions that make them bruise more easily may be more prone to developing noticeable hickeys,” says Dr. Collins. Certain medications, such as blood thinners and corticosteroids, can make blood vessels more fragile and increase bruising.
If this sounds like you—or if you take any of these medications—it might be a good idea to tell your partner to go easy around your neck to avoid accidentally getting a hickey.
Can ice lighten a hickey?
Technically, yes, but it’s all about timing. “Ice can help reduce the severity of a hickey if used early,” says Dr. Collins. You’ll want to apply a cold compress within the first 24 hours to constrict the blood vessels and decrease swelling and discoloration. Reminder, though: Ice won’t get rid of a hickey. “It can just make it appear less intense,” adds Dr. Collins.
What makeup cancels out hickeys?
While you might not be able to wish your hickey away (if only), you can 100 percent conceal it with the right makeup. For a quick fix, Whitfield recommends using a tattoo cover-up, like Dermablend Leg and Body Makeup Foundation. “With this, you can skip color correcting and adding a ton of layers,” she says.
If you don’t want to go out and buy a new product, Whitfield suggests color correcting before applying your concealer and foundation over the hickey. “Use peach and warm correctors for blue-ish or purple hickeys,” she says. “If it’s red, use a green color corrector.”
Before going in with makeup, you’ll want to adequately prep the area with a facial serum and moisturizer. “By starting with skincare, your neck will be properly hydrated. That way, once you start adding makeup, the result won’t appear cakey or obvious,” says Whitfield.
The bottom line:
Hickeys take time to heal, but you can ~slightly~ speed up the process if you act quickly. When you notice a mark forming, grab a cold compress STAT and keep some color correctors in your makeup bag. Besides that, time will heal the rest. If you don’t want a hickey, be sure to talk to your partner about boundaries. But if you get lost in the heat of the moment (who doesn’t every once in a while), you’ll know how to handle it next time.
Meet the experts:
- Kristina Collins, MD, FAAD, is a Harvard-trained, board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon based in Austin, Texas.
- Brittany Whitfield is a professional makeup artist and licensed aesthetician based in New York City.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Mary Honkus is a contributor for Cosmopolitan with over eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing beauty stories, including definitively ranking CeraVe vs. Cetaphil products and rounding up the best smudge-proof tubing mascaras available. She’s an authority in all beauty categories and consulted with experts to learn about hickeys and how to properly treat them so they can heal quickly to write this story.
