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How to Help a Hickey

TMZ  recently reported that Kim Kardashian was spotted sporting that telltale mark of love: a hickey. It makes sense considering it was spotted the day after her movie date with Kanye West. We’re calling PUBLICITY STUNT here at our office. What can Kim do to improve the appearance of her love bite? Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do about this affliction. A hickey is nothing more than a bruise, and like all bruises it just needs some time to heal. You can, however, try a few tricks to make it fade faster.

  1. A cold compress such as an icepack or a bag of frozen peas should be applied to the affected area for 20-30 minutes in order to speed healing and reduce swelling by constricting the underlying blood vessels in response to the cold. Do not apply ice directly to the skin. Wrap the icepack in a towel.
  2. Avoid aspirin because aspirin slows the blood from clotting and may, in fact, prolong the bleeding.
  3. After about 48 hours, heat in the form of a warm washcloth applied to the bruise for 10 minutes or so two or three times a day may increase blood flow to the bruised area, allowing the skin to reabsorb the blood more quickly. Ultimately, the bruise will fade in color.
  4. Rub a little tincture of arnica or arnica gel onto the bruise. Arnica (Arnica montana) comes from a plant in the daisy family that grows in the Rocky Mountains, and may be helpful for bruises and sore muscles.
  5. Apply concealer in a shade that’s lighter than your natural skin color and discreet enough to fend off unwanted attention.
  6. The best treatment for a hickey: wear scarf and wait it out.

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