How To Get Rid of Hickeys

Dear Advice Girl,

What are some tricks to getting rid of hickeys?

Signed,
   Darla

Dear Darla,

I've said it before and I'll say it again. No matter what you've read on the Internet, there's no quick fix that'll get rid of your hickey overnight.

You can speed up the process a little, but your hickey will still be around for a couple of days to a week, depending on how big and dark it is. Try these, but don't expect a miracle:

• Put an ice pack on it right away. It'll help reduce the swelling, but it won't do much for the color. Make sure you take breaks (10 minutes with ice, then 20 minutes without it) or you'll damage your skin even more.
  
  
• After a day or two, lay a warm washcloth on it for about 15 minutes, three times a day. It'll increase blood flow and get it healing faster.
  
  
• Be healthy. A hickey is really just a bruise, and bruises heal faster on healthy people. Eat lots of fruits and veggies and your body will spend less time freaking out over digestion and more time healing your hickey.
  
  
• Some people say that vinegar mixed with warm water will help the color fade. Try it out, but be warned: it's kind of stinky.

There's a rumor out there that toothpaste works, but it's not true. Save your Colgate for actually cleaning your teeth, thank you.

Of course, the fastest path towards hickey removal is not to get one in the first place. So when you feel that icky sucking sensation, tell your sweetie to knock it off.

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