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Many people think of bees only as a springtime nuisance. But these small, hard-working insects are responsible for the production of one of nature’s sweetest treats and a powerful remedy for patients with hard-to-heal wounds: honey.
The healing ability of honey has been known for thousands of years. But the introduction of antibiotics in 1940 temporarily halted its use. Now concerns about antibiotic resistance and a renewed interest in natural remedies have prompted the resurgence in honey’s use for healing certain types of infected or slow-healing wounds, particularly those not responding to conventional remedies.
Honey has a number of properties, including its high sugar, low moisture content, gluconic acid (which creates an acidic environment) and hydrogen peroxide, that work in many ways to heal wounds by reducing inflammation, swelling and bacterial growth.
Honey’s thick consistency, for example, forms a barrier protecting the wound from outside infections and encouraging the regrowth and healing of tissue and skin. The sugars extract dirt and moisture from the wound, while the acidity of honey slows or prevents the growth of many bacteria. An enzyme that bees add to honey reacts with the wound’s fluids and breaks down into hydrogen peroxide, which acts as a disinfectant.
It’s important to note, however, that honey used in medicine is different from honey purchased at a supermarket. For example, the heat used to pasteurize store-bought honey destroys its ability to make hydrogen peroxide. Additionally, particles and spores that could actually cause an infection may not be filtered out during the processing of store brands.
Plus, since bees make honey from varying plant sources, different kinds of honey can have different levels of healing effects. Medical-grade honey, such as Manuka honey from New Zealand, Tualang honey from Malaysia and RS honey (Revamil) from The Netherlands, are currently the most researched and have been found to be very effective in healing a wide range of wound types, including burns, leg, foot and pressure ulcers, graft donor sites, abscesses, boils and infected surgical incisions.
The amount of honey applied and the frequency of reapplication will depend on the size and depth of the wound. Typically, most wounds receive a new dressing every day, using one ounce of honey to cover a four-inch area.
Dr. Rebecca Witham, MD, is the medical director at the Wound Health Center at Paoli Hospital.