Bruise Cure = Egg?

“Put an egg on your bruise. You know an egg can suck out the bruise.”

I eyed him skeptically and then cracked up. (How fitting is that idiom right now?) Do eggs cure bruises? I had never heard of this bruise remedy before and didn’t know if it was a my husband thing, a Korean thing, a his mother thing, or just a thing I’d never heard before.

He wondered why I was laughing so much and I said I’d only ever heard of putting raw meat on bruises to cure them… though I’ve also never tried that “cure”. I’ve learned a lot about holistic medicine while living in Korea, so I was game.

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Apparently the heat from a warm egg opens up the pores in your skin and allows vitamins and protein from the egg to get in to help move the blood around in the skin. I’m still not sure where it came from, or if it works, but when I search for information on the internet directions pop up.

This cure is an old idea but there is no scientific evidence behind it. To be honest, one thing I’ve learned while living in Korea is that some of those old folk and herbal remedies just work. It’s one reason I love visiting Yangnyeongsi Herbal Market and the Seoul K-Medi Center in Seoul because there are so many opportunities to learn about what what roots, herbs, and other dried plants can do for the body.

If you want some other ideas on holistic medicines from Korea specifically, check out this article on how to use roots, herbs, bark, and more as holistic remedies.

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A Lot Of Directions Online Say:

1. Boil water on the stove and when it begins to boil, put the egg in. Boil the egg for 4-6 minutes until it’s hard, the yolk shouldn’t be runny.

2. Remove the egg from the water carefully  and then crack the egg open. You don’t want to let the egg cool but it will be hot so protect yourself with a mitt.

3. Wrap the egg along with a silver ring in a light handkerchief or napkin. Do this quickly so the egg is still hot, a cold egg will not help.

4. Apply the cloth covered egg to the bruise and rub until the egg has cooled. Do this a few times a day until the bruise is gone.

Notes: Some directions include the silver ring, some don’t. I’d imagine if you’re rubbing the bruise for a few days, the egg may not matter because a few days later the bruise would be gone anyway.

There’s a problem with this though because rubbing anything hot on a bruise could cause even more internal bleeding which would have the opposite effect and grow a bigger bruise. What would work better? And, what did my husband mean when he talked about putting an egg on my bruise? Putting one of the cold hard-boiled eggs from the fridge on my bruise and that wouldn’t be UNLIKE putting a cold steak on it really so I guess we were really thinking of the same remedy.

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Other Bruise Remedies & Treatments

Ice Ice Ice: As soon as you get injured, the best action would be to reduce the flow of blood to the area and that can be done by applying ice which reduces swelling. Place the ice on the bruise for 10 minutes and then repeat 20 minutes later.

Aloe Vera: If you’ve got some aloe gel around from that last sunburn, apply it to the bruise to accelerate the healing process. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and reduces blood clotting.

Lavender Oil: Add 2 to 3 drops of lavender oil in cold water and then soak a cloth in the water and apply it on the bruise. Lavender is beneficial in healing and is safe even undiluted.

Pineapple: Did you know that pineapple has anti-inflammatory properties? It contains bromelain and enzymes than can cure bruises and swelling when applied to the skin. Eating pineapples can also help. All of this assumes you’re not allergic to pineapple though.

Apple Cider Vinegar: If you mix apple cider vinegar with water in a 2:1 ratio, then you can soak a cloth in it and apply it to the bruise for 10-15 minutes. Apple cider vinegar also has anti-inflammatory properties and helps treat swelling.

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