A noticeable bruise caused by suction to the skin, commonly known as a hickey, prompts a search for a quick remedy. No method offers instant removal, but the goal of any treatment is to reduce the mark’s visibility by dispersing the pooled blood beneath the skin. The popular home remedy involving a chilled spoon attempts to accelerate the natural healing process. This article details the physiological cause of the mark, the spoon technique, and other effective reduction and concealment strategies.
The Biology of a Hickey
A hickey is a form of contusion, which is the medical term for a bruise. This visible mark occurs when strong suction or pressure is applied to a localized area of the skin. The force causes tiny, fragile blood vessels, known as capillaries, that lie just beneath the skin’s surface to rupture. Once the capillaries break, blood leaks out of the vessels and pools in the surrounding tissue, a process called extravasation. This trapped blood causes the characteristic discoloration, which can range from red and purple in the early stages to green and yellow as the body begins to break down the blood cells. The body reabsorbs the pooled blood, a process that typically takes between one and two weeks to complete without intervention.
Applying the Spoon Technique
The spoon technique combines physical pressure with cold therapy to address the fresh bruise. A metal spoon should be chilled in a freezer for 10 to 20 minutes. The metal acts as a localized cold compress, intended to constrict the capillaries in the area.
Once chilled, the back of the spoon is pressed firmly against the skin and gently dragged or massaged across the hickey. This pressure encourages the trapped blood to disperse back into the surrounding tissue. The motion should be applied from the center outward and repeated for about 10 minutes, replacing the spoon when it warms up. Applying too much force can cause further damage to the capillaries, potentially worsening the bruise.
Alternative Immediate Reduction Methods
In the immediate aftermath of the injury, cold therapy is the recommended approach to minimize the mark’s size. Applying a cold compress, like an ice pack wrapped in a cloth, constricts the broken blood vessels, slowing the flow of blood leaking into the tissue. This cold application should be limited to 10 to 15 minutes at a time and is most effective within the first 48 hours.
After the initial 48-hour period, the treatment strategy shifts to promoting blood flow to break down the trapped blood. Gentle massage and the application of warmth become beneficial. A warm compress or heating pad encourages vasodilation, expanding the blood vessels to allow fresh, oxygenated blood to reach the site and speed up the reabsorption of the pooled blood.
Topical treatments are also suggested to aid in bruise reduction. Creams containing Vitamin K are used because the vitamin plays a role in blood clotting and assists in repairing damaged vessel walls. Additionally, topical arnica, an herbal extract, is applied to help reduce inflammation and discoloration associated with bruises.
Covering and Concealing
When physical reduction methods are too slow, strategic concealment offers a temporary solution for the visible mark. The most effective approach involves using color-correcting makeup to neutralize the bruise’s discoloration before applying a skin-toned concealer.
A hickey often presents with red or purplish tones, so a green-tinted color corrector should be lightly dabbed onto the area to counteract the redness. If the mark has progressed to a more blue or purple hue, a yellow or peach color corrector is used to balance the tone. After the corrector is blended, a full-coverage concealer matching the surrounding skin tone should be tapped over the area. Setting the makeup with a translucent powder prevents smudging and increases the longevity of the coverage.
For non-makeup solutions, clothing and accessories are a reliable option. Scarves, turtlenecks, collared shirts, and high necklines provide complete coverage until the mark fades naturally. Positioning the hickey in an area easily hidden by a shirt strap or a long hairstyle is also a practical method of camouflage.