A hickey is simply a bruise caused by suction that breaks tiny blood vessels under the skin. In extremely rare situations, a forceful injury to the neck may damage a blood vessel or contribute to a blood clot that can travel to the brain and trigger a stroke. The widely reported case of a 17 year old boy in Mexico is believed to be one of these rare events. For the vast majority of people, hickeys are harmless and do not pose a meaningful risk of stroke. Source (MLA): De Giorgio, Federico, et al. "Fatal Stroke Following Cervical Trauma." Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology, vol. 11, no. 4, 2015, pp. 564 to 568. American Stroke Association. Stroke Risk Factors and Prevention. stroke.org Want more interesting content like this ? Follow gravitonomy :) #lovebite #science #biology #love #stroke