The desire to get rid of hickey with coin is a common one, fueled by countless online anecdotes and viral videos. A hickey, medically known as a suction ecchymosis, is essentially a bruise caused by broken capillaries just beneath the skin’s surface, resulting from suction or vigorous kissing. While its appearance can be an immediate concern for many, the effectiveness of using a coin to accelerate its disappearance remains a topic of considerable debate and skepticism within medical communities. This article examines the popular coin method, its theoretical basis, potential risks, and scientifically supported alternatives for managing hickeys.
The Theory Behind the Coin Method
The core idea behind attempting to get rid of hickey with coin centers on the belief that physical manipulation can disperse the pooled blood and stimulate healing. Proponents of this method suggest that by scraping the hickey with the edge of a coin, one can achieve several outcomes:
- Breaking Up Clotted Blood: The primary theory posits that the scraping action mechanically “breaks up” the collection of clotted blood (hemoglobin) that forms the bruise. By disrupting these clots, the body might be able to reabsorb them more quickly.
- Stimulating Blood Flow: Scraping is also believed to increase localized blood circulation to the affected area. Enhanced blood flow can bring more oxygen and nutrients to the site, which are vital for the body’s natural healing processes. This increased circulation might also help in carrying away the broken-down blood cells.
- Lymphatic Drainage: Some speculate that the pressure from scraping could assist in lymphatic drainage, which helps remove waste products and excess fluid from tissues, potentially aiding in the reduction of swelling and discoloration.
Despite these theoretical explanations, it is crucial to understand that these are largely unproven hypotheses when applied to the specific mechanism of bruise resolution. Medical science has not validated these proposed effects as beneficial or superior to the body’s natural healing capabilities for hickeys.
How to Perform the Coin Method (with extreme caution)
If one chooses to attempt to get rid of hickey with coin, it is imperative to proceed with extreme caution due to the delicate nature of the skin and the potential for adverse effects. The steps typically suggested for this method are:
1. Disinfect the Coin: Before any contact with the skin, thoroughly clean and disinfect the coin using rubbing alcohol or an antiseptic wipe. This step is critical to minimize the risk of introducing bacteria into the skin, which could lead to infection, especially if the skin is inadvertently broken.
- Stretch the Skin: Use two fingers to gently stretch the skin around the hickey. This action is thought to make the skin taut, providing a firmer surface for scraping and potentially making the underlying capillaries more accessible to the coin’s edge.
- Gentle Scraping: Position the edge of the disinfected coin against the hickey. Apply very light pressure and gently scrape from the center of the hickey outwards. The movement should be slow and controlled, ensuring that discomfort is minimal. The goal is to apply just enough pressure to create a slight indentation without causing pain, tearing the skin, or causing further bruising.
- Observe for Redness: It is common for the scraped area to appear red immediately after the procedure. This redness is typically a result of increased blood flow to the surface of the skin and should subside relatively quickly. If the redness persists or intensifies, or if pain increases, discontinue the method immediately.
Important Note: The emphasis here is on gentle scraping. Aggressive or forceful scraping can easily worsen the hickey or cause skin damage.
Potential Risks and Why Experts Don’t Recommend It
Medical professionals, particularly dermatologists and general practitioners, consistently advise against using a coin to get rid of hickey with coin. Their caution stems from a lack of scientific evidence supporting its efficacy and the presence of several significant risks:
- Worsening the Hickey/Bruise: Scraping, even gently, can cause further trauma to the already fragile capillaries and surrounding tissues. This additional damage can lead to a larger, darker, and more persistent bruise, effectively extending the healing time rather than shortening it. It can also cause more inflammation.
- No Scientific Backing: The most significant concern is the complete absence of scientific research or medical studies that validate the coin method as an effective treatment for hickeys. Medical understanding of bruise resolution does not support the idea that scraping accelerates the process. Bruises heal as the body naturally breaks down and reabsorbs the extravasated blood.
- Skin Irritation and Injury: The skin on the neck, where hickeys commonly appear, is relatively thin and delicate. Scraping it with a hard object like a coin can easily cause:
- Abrasions: Superficial scratches or scrapes that break the skin’s barrier.
- Skin Tears: Deeper injuries that can be painful and prone to infection.
- Increased Inflammation: The mechanical irritation can trigger an inflammatory response, making the area redder, more swollen, and tender.
- Hyperpigmentation: Repeated trauma to the skin, especially in individuals with darker skin tones, can sometimes lead to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, leaving a dark mark that lasts much longer than the hickey itself.
- Infection Risk: If the coin is not properly disinfected, or if the skin is broken during the scraping process, bacteria can enter the wound, leading to a localized skin infection (e.g., cellulitis, folliculitis) that would require medical treatment.
- Pain and Discomfort: While the method suggests applying minimal pressure, some individuals may experience significant pain or discomfort during the scraping, indicating that further damage is occurring.
Consider the analogy: one would not typically scrape a bruise on their arm or leg with a coin to make it disappear faster. The principle for a hickey, which is fundamentally a bruise, should be no different. The potential for harm outweighs any unproven benefit.
More Effective and Safer Options for Hickey Removal
Given the risks and lack of evidence for the coin method, focusing on scientifically supported and safer approaches to manage hickeys is advisable. These methods aim to either reduce the appearance, aid the natural healing process, or temporarily conceal the hickey.
Immediate and Short-Term Interventions (First 24-48 hours)
- Cold Compress: Applying a cold compress immediately after a hickey appears is highly effective. The cold constricts blood vessels, which can help to reduce swelling, minimize further bleeding under the skin, and soothe the area.
- Application: Wrap an ice pack, a bag of frozen vegetables, or a cold spoon in a thin cloth to prevent direct skin contact. Apply to the hickey for 10-20 minutes at a time, several times a day.
- Gentle Massage (Early Stage): A very gentle massage can sometimes help to disperse the blood and stimulate circulation.
- Application: Using your fingertips, apply light pressure and gently massage the hickey in small, circular motions for a few minutes, several times a day. Avoid aggressive rubbing, which can worsen the bruise.
Later Stage Interventions (After 48 hours)
- Warm Compress: After the initial 24-48 hours, when the bleeding has stopped, switching to a warm compress can be beneficial. Heat increases blood flow and promotes circulation, which can help the body reabsorb the pooled blood more efficiently.
- Application: Soak a clean cloth in warm (not hot) water, wring out excess water, and apply to the hickey for 10-20 minutes, several times a day.
- Continued Gentle Massage: As the hickey begins to fade, continued gentle massage can help encourage blood flow and breakdown of the remaining blood cells.
Topical Applications and Natural Remedies
Several topical treatments and natural remedies are often suggested for bruise healing due to their purported properties:
- Aloe Vera: Known for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties, aloe vera may help reduce redness and discomfort.
- Application: Apply pure aloe vera gel directly to the hickey a few times a day.
- Arnica Cream/Gel: Arnica montana is a homeopathic herb widely used for bruises, swelling, and muscle pain. It is believed to have anti-inflammatory effects that can accelerate bruise healing.
- Application: Apply a thin layer of arnica cream or gel to the hickey according to product instructions, typically 2-3 times daily.
- Vitamin K Cream: Vitamin K plays a crucial role in blood clotting and is sometimes used topically to help reduce the appearance of bruises by assisting in the breakdown of blood under the skin.
- Application: Look for creams containing Vitamin K and apply as directed.
- Vitamin C: While primarily taken orally for overall skin health and capillary strength, some topical Vitamin C serums may offer antioxidant benefits that support skin healing.
Temporary Concealment
- Concealer and Makeup: This is the quickest and safest way to temporarily hide a hickey.
- Application: Choose a color-correcting concealer (often green-tinted to neutralize redness) followed by a flesh-toned concealer that matches your skin tone. Blend well. Setting powder can help it last longer.
- Clothing/Accessories: High-collared shirts, scarves, turtlenecks, or even strategically placed jewelry can effectively cover a hickey until it fades naturally.
The Healing Process and Patience
It is fundamental to remember that a hickey is a bruise, and like any bruise, it requires time to heal. The body’s natural healing process involves the breakdown and reabsorption of extravasated blood cells. This process typically takes anywhere from 5 to 14 days, depending on the size, severity, and individual healing capabilities.
While the methods described above can potentially aid the natural healing process or provide relief, none will make a hickey disappear instantly. Patience is a key component of managing a hickey. Avoid anything that causes pain, further skin damage, or irritation. If a hickey appears unusually painful, swollen, or does not fade within two weeks, or if there are signs of infection (pus, increasing redness, fever), consulting a medical professional, such as a dermatologist or a general practitioner, is recommended. They can rule out other conditions and provide appropriate guidance.
What cancels out hickeys?
I’m going to blend out the edges. Set that once again with loose powder. And you’re good to go.
How to remove hickey in 5 minutes with toothpaste?
Two apply a small amount of toothpaste on the hickey. And leave it on for a few minutes to reduce the visibility of the hickey. Three place a spoon in the freezer for a few minutes.
How to break a hickey clot?
Apply warm compresses
Your best bet is to treat your hickey with good old-fashioned warm compresses. “Warm compresses can help open up your body’s blood vessels and break down the stain, taking away the red blood cells that have spilled out from the blood vessels and into your skin,” he explains.