No, hickeys are not simply kissing. While kissing is often involved in the process of creating a hickey, a hickey itself is a specific type of mark resulting from forceful suction or sucking on the skin.
Understanding Hickeys
A hickey, also known as a love bite or kiss mark, is essentially a bruise caused by sucking or aggressively kissing someone's skin. This action breaks small blood vessels under the skin's surface, leading to discoloration. While gentle kissing might result in redness, the intensity of suction required to create a hickey is significantly greater.
The Mechanics of a Hickey
- Suction: The primary cause of a hickey is the suction applied during kissing. This suction bursts tiny capillaries (small blood vessels) beneath the skin.
- Biting (Optional): Some people incorporate biting into creating a hickey, but suction alone is sufficient. The bite adds to the pressure and can increase the intensity of the resulting bruise.
- Location: Hickeys typically appear on the neck, arms, or earlobes, areas easily accessible during kissing.
- Appearance: A hickey manifests as a dark red or purple bruise-like mark. The size and darkness vary depending on the intensity and duration of the suction.
Hickeys vs. Normal Kissing
The key difference lies in the intensity of the action. Normal kissing involves gentle contact and pressure, whereas creating a hickey requires forceful suction, potentially involving biting. It's an intentional act to leave a mark, unlike the passive redness that might result from passionate kissing.
Different Perspectives
The references highlight varying viewpoints on hickeys:
- Some consider hickeys a consensual expression of affection, similar to French kissing.
- Others view them as undesirable, potentially representing a lack of consideration for the receiver's appearance and comfort.
Examples:
- A couple may enjoy exchanging hickeys as a sign of intimacy.
- Someone might dislike receiving hickeys due to the mark's visibility and potential embarrassment.
