Dear hay149,

No, hickeys do not cause cancer, and they are not dangerous. A hickey is a bruise that forms when a person sucks and lightly bites an area on another person's body causing the blood vessels under the skin to break.

While some people enjoy giving or getting hickeys, other people may find them painful. And others don't want to be marked by their partners. There is nothing wrong with giving a hickey unless it hurts the person getting one.

Hickeys vary in size and color depending on the length of time and how strongly the skin is sucked. They can happen anywhere on the body, but the skin on the neck is often where they show up.

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.