What Is A Hickey And Why Do People Give A Hickey

What Is The Meaning Or Definition Of What Is A Hickey And Why Do People Give A Hickey:

A "hickey" is a "love bite" or “kiss mark” or a bruise that is formed by the suction of a lover’s mouth causing damage to the capillaries, which are small blood vessels under the skin. Such damage causes the ruptured blood vessels or capillaries under the skin’s surface to leak blood; however, the blood does not have anywhere else to go, and hence, it gets trapped under the skin, where it appears dark purple.

How Are Hickeys Formed:

Hickeys tend to happen when two passionate lovers are making out without paying much attention, leaving love bites all over the skin. Just a small sensual make-out session can result in a few hickeys around the neck or any other part of the body.

How Long Can Hickeys Last:

A hickey takes only a few seconds of passion for forming, but it may require several days or more for it to heal. Similar to a bruise, a hickey can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, typically one to two weeks. How long hickeys last depends on how many vessels were damaged, but in general, the dark purple color of the hickey slowly become lighter as the body absorbs the blood. Like any other bruise, it is going to take time for hickeys to heal, and they always heal, sooner or later, as they rarely leave a lifelong scar on the skin.

How Hickeys Change In Color:

Hickeys change colors as they heal. Hickeys start off as reddish or purplish mark under the skin, which is caused by the blood that leaks from the damaged blood vessels. With the first one or two days, hickeys appear the darkest as the hemoglobin in the blood changes color, and hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein that carries oxygen and is responsible for giving the blood its red color. Then by the third and fourth day, hickeys begin to fade in some spots, appearing a bit blotchy as they heal. Then, within a week, depending on the amount damaged caused by the suction, hickeys will fade to a light shade of yellow or orange. And then finally, within two weeks, they should completely disappear. Please note that hickeys will gradually fade in color throughout the healing process, going from darker shades of red to lighter shades of yellow, to completely disappearing.

How To Hide Or Cover Hickeys To Save Yourself From Embarrassment:

Although there is no way to get rid of hickeys overnight, there are ways to hide them until they heal by themselves to save yourself a few raised eyebrows. So, if one needs an immediate cover, all that one can do is hide the hickey with a scarf, muffler, or turtleneck. Sometimes, a concealer or makeup foundation would do the trick as well.

Hickeys Are Love Bites Or Kiss Marks That Are Formed By Sensuous And Passionate Kissing On The Neck Or Other Parts Of The Body In The Heat Of The Moment