Honey’s role in wound management dates back to ancient times, but modern research has suggested that it may accelerate wound healing. A Cochrane review published in 2015 looked at 26 trials that had been conducted to assess the effects of honey compared with alternative wound dressings and topical treatments on the of healing of acute wounds such as burns or lacerations, as well as chronic wounds such as venous ulcers.¹⁵

Among its findings were that:

• Honey dressings heal partial thickness (second-degree) burns more quickly than conventional dressings (but it is unclear whether there is a difference in adverse events or infection)
• The effects of honey relative to comparators are unclear for minor acute wounds, or other wounds such as venous leg ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers or mixed chronic wounds
• There appears to be little evidence of any difference in the speed at which honey and silver sulfadiazine (SSD) can help wounds heal, but honey was associated with a lower risk of adverse events compared to SSD
• Evidence suggesting honey heals acute or chronic wounds more quickly than SSD or sugar dressings was considered of low quality.

The BNF notes that honey has osmotic properties which promote autolytic debridement, and help with wound odour. While allergy to honey is rare, “honey dressings should not be used on patients with extreme sensitivity to honey, bee stings or bee products. Patients with diabetes should be monitored for changes in blood-glucose concentrations during treatment with topical honey or honey-impregnated dressings.”

Applying a honey dressing to a wound can cause some discomfort. Products, such as Melladerm, have been developed to address this problem.