We’ve all seen it happen in the movies or on television.
Someone gets popped in the eye, and to help with the pain and swelling, requests a raw steak.
In real life, though, there are a few reasons that isn’t a great idea.
There are few theories out there as to how this became such a thing onscreen.
One is that it’s something most people would have in the fridge or freezer, and that is flexible enough to make a decent compress.
Applying a cold compress to a bruise or potential swelling is actually a tried and true practice, and one that can help in the early stages of healing.
It’s possible this method of treating a burgeoning bruise existed before television, when chipping a piece of ice off a block would have been much more time consuming than grabbing a slab of meat.
There’s evidence from ancient Egyptian medical texts that some physicians could have used raw meat to help stop bleeding.
There’s a reason many old-fashioned medical practices have fallen out of fashion, though, and it mostly has to do with cleanliness.
Even a fresh, good-looking steak can harbor bacteria like E. coli.
Bacteria can cause an infection if it gets into your eyes, and can wreak havoc if you accidentally got some contaminated juices into your mouth.
Opthamologist Adrian Elfersy confirms.
“Steak is best on the grill, not on your face. Instead, try applying clean cold compresses for 10 minutes at a time every hour or so for the first day. Then, you can switch to warm compresses until the swelling has gone down.”
So, there are better ways to treat your black eyes.
Promise.
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