Does Honey Help Burns?

A straightforward answer to the question ‘does honey help burns’ is – “Yes, honey helps burns”.

However, there is a “BUT”

Honey is only good for minor burns(first-degree burns) when you need no medical attention.

Honey has a long history of being used as a wound treatment. Ancient civilizations (including Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans) had a decent understanding of its medical benefits and used it to treat wounds and burns.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the potential benefits of honey for modern burn treatment. Research has shown that honey can speed up the healing process in burn wounds. It can promote tissue regeneration, and help to reduce inflammation.

In this article, the healing properties of honey will be revealed.

Understanding Burns

What Happens When Our Skin Burns?

Our skin has 3 layers- Epidermis, Dermis, and Hypodermis

The epidermis is the outer layer of our skin. Under the Epidermis, we have our second layer which is called the Dermis and finally, we have the Hypodermis(Also known as subcutaneous tissue).

So basically, when our skin burns, different layers of skin get damaged. Depending on how deeply the burn penetrates our skin, there are 4 degrees of burn:

• First-Degree Burns

In this case, only the epidermis is affected. It does not have any long-term impact. The skin turns red but you won’t have blisters. Mild sunburn is an example of a first-degree burn

• Second-degree burns

This kind of burn affects the epidermis and dermis. The burnt area looks red and blistered. Furthermore, you might also experience pain and swelling.

• Third-degree burns

Third-degree burns damage the first 2 layers severely. They may affect the subcutaneous tissue. The burnt area will look blackened and charred.

• Fourth-degree Burns

In this case,  both layers of the skin, underlying tissue, and even mussels or bones will be severed damaged.

Why Honey Helps Burns

There are a couple of reasons why honey is useful when it comes to treating burns. Its low pH, anti-bacterial action, various beneficial enzymes, high viscosity, and its hydrogen peroxide content will play a vital role when it comes to healing burns. 

Because of these properties, honey has 2 benefits as a whole-

• Antimicrobial effects

Honey has components that are relevant to wound healing. For example, it has antioxidants, amino acids, minerals, glucose oxidase, and gluconic acid.  Gluconic acid gives honey an acidic pH. Glucose oxidase produces hydrogen peroxide. In order to produce Hydrogen peroxide is produced if honey is diluted. This provides most of the antibacterial or antimicrobial activity of diluted honey.

• Anti-inflammatory effects

Honey’s anti-inflammatory effects have proven to be useful in burn treatment.

Its anti-inflammatory activities include downregulating or reducing the inflammatory transcription factors. Plus it also suppresses the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Various researches have been done on the matter.

Using Honey for Burns

Using honey for burns is very simple. You need to know a couple of things. For example, you need to know how long you can leave honey on burns; you need to know the application method and you need to have a solid understanding of honey’s impact on burn blisters.

So let’s talk about them in detail-

How Long to Leave Honey on a Burn?

Well, it depends on you. We recommend that you keep it for a couple of hours. At best, you can keep it for 6 hours. However, there are multiple factors that must be considered-

• Severity of the burn

The more severe the burn is, the more time it will take for honey to do its magic. 

• Burn Area

If the burn occurs on a large area, then you may have to keep the honey longer

•  Discomfort

As long as that burning sensation bothers you, you can keep the honey on the burn.  When your skin heals, just wash it off. Use it again if you have to. You can also consult a doctor if you want.

Honey on Burn Blister

Let’s talk about burn blister first. When your skin burns, a bubble of clear fluid forms under the skin. Basically, it is a healing process. The fluid is also known as serum and it is similar to plasma.  The fluid contains components that are effective when it comes to wound healing. So the job of the burn blister is to heal the body.

Applying honey on blisters won’t necessarily be an issue. Its anti-inflammatory and Antimicrobial effects will help the cause. 

However, in some cases, applying honey directly on blisters may cause irritation. Furthermore, it’s not a good idea to touch blisters too often. You should let it do its work. Touching it too much with your hand may cause it to pop and the fluid that was produced to heal the wound will spread out and it won’t be able to heal the wound. Hence, your body will have to start the healing process all over again and produce more fluid(serum). So it is a good idea to apply honey around the blister

How to Apply Honey to a Burn

Truth be told, it’s very easy. There are different methods you can implement. Just follow a simple method.

• Step-1: At first, you will need to wash the burnt area with cold water. Wash it properly and make sure that the water temperature is below 20-degree Celsius.

• Step 2: Apply honey depending on the size of the burnt area. 3–6 teaspoons (15–30 mL) of honey should be enough. Again, it depends on the area that suffered the burn. Bandage the area gently.

• Step 3: Change your dressing every 12 hours and keep it clean

You can use honey multiple times if you want. If it brings you relief, using it multiple times won’t cause any harm.

What Kind of Honey Should You Use for Burns?

Truth be told, you can use almost any kind of honey. You can use Manuka honey, Sundarban honey, Mustard honey, Blackseed honey, or Gelam honey.

There are other types of honey that you can apply. However, no matter what type of honey you choose, it should meet certain criteria. For-example,

• Anti-bacterial properties

The honey that you are about to apply on your skin should have anti-bacterial properties so that it can hinder bacterial growth.

• Anti-inflammatory effects

The honey that you will use for treating burns should also have anti-inflammatory properties

• Medical Grade

It is better to apply Medical-grade honey (MGH). Medical-grade honey, as its name suggests, is designed for medical applications. It has specific physicochemical characteristics and it is clean of pollutants. It is also gamma-sterilized which means it is safe to use

Get the Best Honey Price in Bangladesh from Shorobor.

However, there is one type of honey that we don’t recommend you use and that is- “mad honey”. This honey is not the same as natural honey. It contains grayanotoxins, which may lead to intoxication after consumption. Even though its external application should not cause any harm, we recommend avoiding it. Furthermore, it is always better to have a connection with an apiculturist who knows about honey and who can help you buy pure, authentic honey.

Limitations and Cautions

If you are not allergic to honey, then you won’t have any issues. There is no proof that applying honey on human skin causes any kind of nuisances. However, keep in mind that you should never give a baby(under one year of age) honey. Don’t even apply it to the skin. If they somehow consume it, it may cause infant botulism. So be very careful about honey when it comes to babies.

But overall, it is important to reiterate that honey should only be used for minor burns. If the burn is severe, then proper medical consultation is a must.

Conclusion

Filled with minerals and organic acids, honey is an amazing product that is produced by nature’s most amazing creatures- bees. A healthy natural sweetener, a burn ointment, and an amazing skin product- honey is a rare combination of all these things. By promoting wound healing and hindering bacterial growth, honey is a natural medicine that can be used in burn treatment.

Having said that, further research should be done by medical professionals to understand more about honey’s healing properties and its healing process.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Question: Does honey fade burn scars?

Answer: Well, it depends on the scar. If it is mild, then there is a possibility that applying honey will be beneficial. However, if the scar is deep, then honey won’t have much effect.

Question: Does honey heal burns faster?

Answer: Yes it does. Most studies do show that honey can heal burns faster. You can do your own study if you want. You’ll definitely find similar results.

Question: Is honey a natural medicine?

Answer: Yes, it is. In Ayurveda, honey is regarded as a very effective medicine. It has all the necessary ingredients.

Question: Does honey expire?

Answer: Honey does not spoil. So when it comes to the shelf life of honey, you have nothing to worry about. However, to maintain optimum quality, keep it in a contained jar.

Question: Can you use honey in various recipe?

Answer: Yes.

Question: What happens when you heat up honey?

Answer: Heating does alter the chemical composition of honey. However, it does not become toxic. What happens is that honey darkens because of a process called the Maillard Reaction. As honey is slightly acidic, browning may occur over time as amino acids in honey begin to react with the sugars.

Question: What is the best temperature to store honey?

Answer: 64–75 °F (18–24 °C). However, honey can also be stored in high temperatures.

Question: Does raw honey crystallize?

Answer: Yes, honey crystallization is normal, and raw honey tends to turn into crystals faster because of glucose. 

Question: Are phenolic compounds in honey responsible for its antioxidant activity?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Should I microwave honey?

Answer: No. Honey is a thick liquid, and does not heat evenly in a microwave. 

Question: What happens if I boil honey?

Answer: Boiling honey may cause a chemical change in honey and the change is not a positive one. Boiling it may make it taste bitter.

Question: Is there hydroxymethylfurfural in honey?

Answer: Hydroxymethylfurfural is usually absent in raw honey. But it can be formed during heating, conditioning, and storage. 

Question: Does honey have water content?

Answer: Yes, but not too much.