Duration

While the time it takes for a hickey to develop can sometimes be very short, ranging from a few seconds, the time it takes for a hickey to disappear completely can be very long, up to two weeks. Several factors have a decisive influence on the duration of the development of a hickey. These include the thickness of the skin, the absorbency or experience.

In general, however, no more than ten seconds are needed. However, the time during which a hickey persists is relatively long and comparable to the duration of a normal bruise. The body has to use various enzymes to break down and absorb the coagulated blood or blood cells and the blood pigment, hemoglobin.

The different stages of degradation can be observed by the discoloration of the hickey. In general, one to two weeks pass until the hickey has completely disappeared. With a few tips the time can be reduced by a few days.

How can you get rid of a hickey?

As soon as a hickey exists, there is no effective method to get rid of it in a short period of time.The only option is to wait until the body has completely broken down the blood and hemoglobin by itself. The time until the hickey disappears varies, sometimes up to a week. Until this time is reached, however, you can follow a few tips.

Depending on the location of the hickey, it can simply be covered by clothing. On the neck, for example, a scarf can be used. On the upper body, long-sleeved clothing can be useful.

In addition, by applying make-up, the hickey can be made invisible, at least for some time. Within one or two days after the development of the hickey, cooling with the help of ice cubes or similar can reduce the time until the hickey disappears by a few days. At the latest after the second day, moderate heat in the form of a heat pad can also be helpful. Sometimes moisturizing lotion is also said to have a positive effect on the disappearance of a hickey.