Honey: Can it heal wounds?

Is it true that applying honey to a wound may speed healing?

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Answer

Yes. Some evidence suggests that applying honey to minor cuts and scrapes may hasten healing.

When applied to a wound, honey provides a thick, protective barrier, which shields the wound from outside contaminants. Honey may also help disinfect the wound due to a chemical interaction between a specific enzyme in honey and damaged skin tissue that produces a form of hydrogen peroxide. In addition, honey has been shown to reduce inflammation and swelling. In March 2007, the Food and Drug Administration approved a honey-impregnated wound-dressing product for wound and burn care.

However, it's important to note that the specialized honey used in wound products and in research studies is different from honey available to consumers. Also, the honey used in research studies has been treated to remove contaminants. It's not clear at this time whether ordinary supermarket honey has the same wound-healing effect.

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