Does Honey Help Heal Burns and Scalds?Complementary and Alternative Therapies Evidence-based Summary
Date of review: April 2006
View the plain language summary of this evidence review below.
View the full evidence review (along with the plain language summary) in PDF format - Honey and Burns and Scalds 2006 (PDF, 81 KB)
Treatment in brief
Honey as a dressing for burns and scalds.
Honey for healing
Honey is a traditional treatment for wounds. The high concentration of sugar in honey enables it to absorb fluid that weeps from the wound. Honey may also help to prevent infection, partly because it is acid and partly because it contains natural plant chemicals that are anti-bacterial.
The evidence
There is level 2 evidence that honey is effective for healing superficial burns and scalds.
It is unclear what type of honey product (eg, natural honey, medicated dressings) is best for burns.
Honey is not safe or effective as a dressing for more serious burns (level 2 evidence).
None of the honey-based or other dressings tested were reported to cause adverse effects.
Important other issues
Burns and scalds are common, especially among young children and especially in the home, where the main hazard is scalding from hot liquids.
FIRST AID: The best form of first aid is to hold the burn or scald under running cold tap water for at least 20 minutes. Do not use ice. For more serious burns do not apply a dressing, just cover the wound (eg, with a clean cloth) until it has been checked medically or at an Emergency Department.
Key messages
| Evidence | Level of evidence |
There is evidence that honey is effective for healing superficial burns and
scalds | 2 |
| Honey is not effective for more serious burns | 2 |
Key: Levels of evidence
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Evidence with a high degree of reliability | Evidence with reliability, but open to debate | Some evidence without a high degree of reliability | Some evidence, but based on studies without comparable groups. |
Further resources
DISCLAIMER: This summary does not provide specific medical advice and the information provided should not be used as a substitute for seeking medical advice from a registered health practitioner.
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