A hickey, also known as a
"love bite" or "kiss mark" is essentially a bruise caused by sucking or
aggressively kissing another person's flesh. It is initially red in
color, due to broken blood vessels beneath the skin. It will later turn
purple or dark brown as it heals. Hickeys are a mark of passion. They are often done in the heat of the
moment, out of desire for the other person. Giving someone a hickey is
kind of like marking your territory, showing the world that this person
belongs to you.
A hickey can be given and received by both guys and girls -- it's not gender exclusive. A hickey is a sexual mark, which makes it inappropriate for school,
work, or visiting grandparents. Some people may wish to avoid the
embarrassment of being caught with a hickey, or the hassle of trying to
cover one up, receiving a hickey can be somewhat painful, which is a mood killer for some people. You have been warned! Source