Lately many Leesville students have arrived at school with a variety of strange markings on their neck. Were they strangled? Doubtful. Punched in the neck? I think not. There can only be one explanation for the reddish brown markings tarnishing the necks of Leesville students– hickeys.
Hickeys arise like any other bruise. They are merely hemorrhages just below the skin caused by broken capillaries. The only difference between hickeys and regular bruises is the method in which they are given– passionate slurping.
“I don’t really know why I like getting hickeys,” said an anonymous hickey clad senior. “It’s sorta fun to think of hickeys as art by trying to make interesting shapes and sizes.”
While some may think of hickeys as artwork, I tend to believe that the Twilight phenomenon
is partly to blame for hickeys sudden rise in popularity. Since hickeys are given in a fashion similar to Edward Cullen’s feeding habits, many girls find the process all the more appealing.
Since hickeys can only be received in such a erotic fashion, they are not necessarily glamorous marks to display. While some students choose to wear their hickeys as some sort of “badge of honor,” most students strive to find ways to diminish these embarrassing blemishes.
During the winter months, females can successfully cover their blemishes with scarves and turtlenecks, but during the summer months, there is no such comfort. There are some options to lessen the marks that have proved to be somewhat effective.
Applying ice to the affected area is one method that tends to lessen the red. The cold of the ice helps to calm the swelling around the hickey and lesson the red of the constricted capillaries, therefore making the mark partially less embarrassing.
Rubbing the affected area with a toothbrush is another popular method to rid tedious bruises. The motion of the brush on the skin helps to break apart blood clots and redistribute the blood to the surrounding tissue, therefore making the hickey appear less violent.
While hickeys may be fun to receive, they are definitely not fun to display. My advice: think twice the next time you’re “in the moment.” Is a few moments of pleasure worth the embarrassment? I think not.
Katy has been on staff since her sophomore year, starting as a staff writer. With hard work and diligence, she earned a junior editor position and ultimately became Editor-in-Chief her senior year. She will pursue a degree in journalism in college.