# Can rubbing a penny on a hickey make it heal faster?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rubbing-a-penny-on-a-hickey-make-it-heal-faster/425825>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 9, 2007, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rubbing-a-penny-on-a-hickey-make-it-heal-faster/425825 "2007-11-09T19:38:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rubbing-a-penny-on-a-hickey-make-it-heal-faster/425825/21 "2007-11-12T22:59:36Z")

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Dunno. I’ll have to ask Earl and Randy.

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**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rubbing-a-penny-on-a-hickey-make-it-heal-faster/425825/22 "2007-11-14T13:28:42Z")

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[QUOTE=Cyn]  
The chilled metal inhibits circulation. Heat would promote circulation.  
Cyn, RN. Still no hickeys.  
[/QUOTE]

Really? If that’s true, why are athletes told to treat muscle aches with ice rather than heat? I was taught that although heat will make the ache feel better, ice is the way to go because it promotes blood circulation and that in turn helps rebuild the muscle tears. Long distance runners are taught that the best thing for them is to sit in a tub of ice water after a long race to quickly dissipate the muscle aches that come after a marathon.

Just curious, not challenging.

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