Secret of love bite revealed; And how you can get rid of it.
Hickeys or commonly known as love bites have become a common thing specially for couples. It is a way of kissing someone so hard leaving a mark behind. A hickey, love bite or let's just say a kiss mark is basically, a bruise, as explained by Sejal Shah, M.D., a New York City-based dermatologist.
It occurs when someone bites you. The capillaries also know as blood vessels releases blood when it breaks pools under your skin to create a bruise. Now, how the big your bruise is depends on how much pressure your capillaries went through and how many were they affected, and how long the blood pooled before clotting.
A kind of bruise which is caused while you kiss with so much pressure that you actually bite, or by sucking on the soft skin usually around the neck or on the arm.
Hickeys are initially red in color however, they turn dark purple or brown when they start to heal.
It is a kind of fun for some people, a sign of affection when thing go wild, while for others, they are just a stain, which they have no desire to keep it for a long time. So they try to get that hidden or removed. They have a special place in the Kamasutra, where they're called 'the coral and the jewel', where the lip is the coral and the teeth the jewels.
This article is designed to improve your knowledge about hickeys or love bites such as how to deal with them, how to give them to your partner, how to remove them or hide them and most of all how dangerous they can get.
How long will it be on your skin?
Like we said earlier, it completely depends on the time and pressure. The amount of pressure and damage were done to the blood vessels will act accordingly and affect the time it takes for it to fade away.
It is not a permanent mark. It fades as the time passes and does not leave any scar behind. If you do something with for no reason, then it may last about 5 to 12 days.
Also, your health matters a lot here. How long you will have to live with a hickey, that completely depends on how healthier you are.
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How to Get Rid of it?
Most people consider hickeys an embarrassment and inappropriate, especially in professional, social or family environments. If you are such a person, here are methods on how to get rid of hickeys fast.
Ice
Use ice which constricts the broken blood capillaries and reduces bleeding. Try holding an ice cube in the affected area for 10 minutes. It gives relief from the pain if there is any, and prevents swelling of the skin.
Toothbrush:
Use a brand new toothbrush for this case. Brush the hickey and around it as gently as you can using a stiff-bristled toothbrush. A comb may also do. Brushing the affected area helps to stimulate blood circulation. Don't give too much pressure, while brushing because it might make the hickey much worse. Use cold compression method after this.
Alcohol
Use alcohol using a cotton ball and gently massage the area for several minutes. It has cooling, soothing and disinfectant properties that help to get rid of a hickey quickly. It is seen as the fastest way to get rid of a hickey.
Peppermint
Apply a little peppermint oil gently on the affected area. You may feel a tingling sensation, however, it will fade away after some time. It has a stimulant effect that helps to improve blood circulation. You can use peppermint-based toothpaste as an alternative to peppermint oil
Aloe Vera
It is a natural moisturiser well known for its anti-inflammatory and soothing qualities for the skin. It lessens skin sensitivity in the affected area and speeds up the healing of the broken capillaries. Rub aloe extract on the affected area and massage it two to three times a day.
Orange
It is a good source of Vitamin C for healing bruises. The vitamin also has bleaching properties that can help clear hickeys as soon as possible. Drink fresh orange juice and also apply an orange pack directly onto the affected area.
Banana Peelings
Want to know how to remove a hickey in the comfort of your home? Banana peels are the answer for you. Banana peels have soothing and cooling properties that will help minimize your hickey fast.
Apply a fresh piece of banana peel and place the inside of the banana peel on the hickey and leave it there for 10 to 30 minutes.
Hickeys can be dangerous
It is better and safe to give a soft pressure while giving a love bite. Harsh or too much pressure can reverse the situation.
It was reported that in 2011, a woman from New Zealand suffered a stroke from one. As per doctors, the hickey created a blood clot in her neck, which led to a stroke and paralysis of one arm.
In 2016, a Mexican teenager died from a stroke. Apparently, a love bite caused a blood clot that moved to his brain, which resulted in the stroke.
Oral herpes may transmit
If you are carrying any oral herpes virus or have an active cold sore, you might pass the STD on to him/her while giving one. Make sure you're aware of your partner’s and your own sexual health during any sexual activity.
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First published: 23 April 2018, 16:00 IST