Love bites, also known as hickeys, are marks on the skin that are often seen as symbols of passion. These visible bruises are the result of intense kissing or sucking, typically on the neck. While generally harmless and a common occurrence in intimate relationships, questions sometimes arise about potential health risks associated with them. One such concern is whether love bites can cause blood clots.
To understand this, let’s first define what a hickey actually is and then explore the rare but possible connection to blood clots.
What Exactly is a Hickey?
A hickey is essentially a bruise caused by suction. When someone kisses or sucks on the skin intensely, particularly in areas like the neck where the skin is thinner and more delicate, it creates pressure that ruptures small blood vessels beneath the surface. These tiny broken blood vessels leak blood into the surrounding tissue.
What you see as a hickey is the visual manifestation of this internal bleeding. Initially, a hickey appears as a red mark, which then darkens to purple or blue, similar to a typical bruise. Over time, as the body heals and reabsorbs the blood, the hickey will change color, eventually fading to yellow or greenish before disappearing completely. This color change is a natural part of the bruising process.
Love Bites and Blood Clots: Is There a Real Risk?
The primary concern when discussing love bites and blood clots centers around a very rare condition known as vertebral artery dissection. This is a tear in the inner lining of a vertebral artery, which is a major artery in the neck that supplies blood to the brain. In extremely rare cases, vigorous neck manipulation, including intense suction like that from a love bite, has been suggested as a potential trigger for this type of arterial damage.
When a vertebral artery dissection occurs, it can lead to the formation of blood clots at the site of the tear. These clots can then potentially travel to the brain and cause a stroke. It’s important to emphasize that this is an exceptionally rare occurrence, with very few documented cases linking love bites directly to vertebral artery dissection and subsequent stroke.
While the theoretical link exists, and isolated case reports have raised awareness, the overall risk of developing a blood clot or stroke from a hickey is incredibly low. The vast majority of hickeys are harmless cosmetic marks that resolve on their own without any medical intervention.
Treating and Hiding a Hickey
For most people, a hickey is a temporary skin discoloration that doesn’t require medical treatment. However, if there is any discomfort or swelling, you can take steps to ease these symptoms and speed up the healing process.
In the initial 24 to 48 hours after getting a hickey, applying a cold compress can help reduce swelling and inflammation. Wrap an ice pack in a cloth and apply it to the hickey for 15-20 minutes several times a day. After the first two days, switching to a warm compress can promote blood flow to the area and help the body reabsorb the bruise more quickly.
Over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen can be used if the hickey is painful. Laser treatments are also sometimes mentioned as a way to reduce the appearance of bruises quickly, but this is generally not necessary for a hickey and is rarely recommended.
If you wish to conceal a hickey for cosmetic reasons, several methods can be effective:
- Makeup: Color-correcting concealers can neutralize the discoloration. Green concealer helps with redness, while yellow concealer is effective for purple or blue tones. Match your foundation to your skin tone to blend it seamlessly.
- Clothing and Accessories: Turtlenecks, scarves, and collared shirts are classic and practical ways to cover a hickey on the neck. Bandages can also be used, although they may draw more attention than simply covering the mark with clothing or makeup.
Ultimately, while the question “Can Love Bites Cause Blood Clots?” is valid due to rare case reports, the realistic answer is that the risk is extremely minimal. Hickeys are overwhelmingly benign and a common skin marking. If you have concerns about your vascular health or experience any unusual symptoms after getting a hickey, it is always best to consult with a healthcare professional.
