Hickeys

Factual Questions
1

Dear Wise and All-Knowledgeable Cecil (or anyone else at the holy Straight Dope who would listen, and that includes message board frequenters),
I am turning to you for advice in this important issue. My boyfriend has an unaccountable liking for giving me hickeys. Now I need to know, are they just unsightly or can they be a bigger danger? I know it’s blood vessels popping, but he claims he can draw blood THROUGH the skin (I have not let him do so). And what about hickeying the same place repeatedly? Do I run out of blood vessels? Am I worrying needlessly?
Marked up in Montreal

2

unsoliceted advise: I’d worry more about the fact he seems to ignore your request to stop doing it. that is NOT a good sign.

3

Sorry, you got it wrong. I never told him not to. I told him explicitly not to DRAW BLOOD, which he hasn’t done. The only reason I’m even worried or asking is cause ahem there is one spot which has remained hickeyed for well over a week.

And since I am a modest, shy girl I will take this opportunity to blush.

         Lauren   =>
4

Hickeys are bruises. Bruises heal.

5
      • Uh, , , well , , , , ,
  • I recall someone saying that it was possible to get herpes through a hickey. Presumably, the giver is the one at risk, if the receiver is infected, but I don’t know. Hopefully that (or any other possible infection transmissions) isn’t a problem either way here. I can only say it’d be pretty damn disappointing to get the H-bug that way, especially if you weren’t doing anything else more serious.
  • And !!!alert!!!, cornflakes! Bruises can permanently scar, leaving a blue/violet area! Plastic surgery is required to remove them. I know a gal whose husband beat her up; his particular favorite move was uppercuts to the jaw. She has bruise-colored areas on both sides of her lower jawbone, and the last time he touched her was more than ten years ago. So, LaurAnge, you’d best stop your BF from doing it in the same place over and over. And quite frankly, if the only place he can think of to do it is your neck, he’s a boring clod and you’re missing on a lot if interesting sensations, and that’s not even including the hills and valleys. - MC
6

Hehehe… I never said neck… hehehe…

But thanks for the advice. My major worry is that all the blood vessels will pop and the circulation to that spot will stop or something. But I’m just paranoid =>

      Lauren   =>
7

you will develop an aversion to sunlight and garlic…

8

eyes widen

I guess that explains the pointy teeth…

9

Try a search for hickies here & through the web I know we talked about it before.

10

Hickeys are tacky, no matter where they are. Stop it. You might as well just wear a sign: Property of _____________. Fill in the blanks.