Benefits of honey to heal wounds, myth or fact?

It may come as no surprise that honey is called one of the most magical food ingredients. The reason is, the benefits of honey are not only for digestive health and skin beauty, but also are predicted to accelerate wound healing.

This ingredient, which is often used as a natural sweetener, has long been used to treat cuts and burns. So, is this claim scientifically proven?

Why is honey believed to heal wounds?

The function of honey is not limited to being a natural sweetener for food or as a mask material to smooth facial skin. Citing scientific reviews in journals Wounds, honey has a series of components that have benefits for wound healing.

Here are the components and their uses:

1. Antibacterial compound

Honey contains many antibacterial compounds, including nitrogen monoxide and hydrogen peroxide. Nitrogen monoxide works by triggering an immune response, reducing inflammation, and inhibiting the movement of bacteria.

Meanwhile, hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria around the wound area, stimulates new cell division, and provokes macrophages. Macrophages are white blood cells that "eat" bacteria or other foreign substances that are thought to threaten the body.

2. Low pH

The pH value describes the level of acidity of a solution. The lower the pH value, the more acidic the solution will be. The benefits of honey for wounds come from its low pH value, which is between 3.2 and 4.5.

When applied to wounds, the low pH of honey prevents the protease enzyme from working. This is very important for wound healing, because if there is a protease, this enzyme will break down proteins so that the wound becomes difficult to heal.

3. Natural sugar content

The natural sugars in honey can draw water from tissue damaged by wounds. This effect can relieve swelling and stimulate lymph flow to the area. Lymph fluid will carry white blood cells to prevent infection.

Not only that, the sugar in honey also pulls water out of the bacterial cells. Bacteria cannot function or reproduce. Gradually, the bacteria around the wound area will die so that the wound is protected from infection.

4. Antioxidants

Another little-known benefit of honey is that it prevents the appearance of scars. Inflammation in the wound can trigger the formation of free radicals. Over time, free radicals will stimulate the production of excess collagen, causing raised scars or keloids to form.

The antioxidant content in honey can ward off free radicals in wound tissue and prevent keloid formation. When applied to wounds, this content will stimulate cell division to form a smoother skin tissue.

Types of wounds that can be treated with honey

The following types of wounds can be treated with honey, namely:

• Traumatic wounds or injuries such as abrasions or cuts.
• Burns.
• Injuries from lying on the bed for too long, usually in the elderly who are being treated.
• Injuries due to poor blood flow, especially in the legs and the elderly.
• Foot wounds in people with diabetes.

How to use honey to heal wounds

Before using honey, make sure the wound on your skin is not too deep, does not include a serious burn, and does not drain any pus.

Apart from pure honey, you can also choose Manuka honey to help heal wounds. Manuka honey contains a methylgloxal compound. These compounds are cytotoxic (kill bacteria).

In addition, Manuka honey also has small molecules so that it can more easily enter the skin to kill bacteria.

Here are the steps for using honey to heal wounds:

• Wash your hands with running water and soap. Make sure the wound covers, such as gauze and cotton, are clean.
• Apply pure honey or Manuka honey on a cotton ball, then apply it to the injured skin.
• Cover the cotton with a clean bandage, then glue the ends with a plaster so that the honey doesn't spill.
• Change the bandage regularly, can be done once a day.
• Wash your hands again until they are clean.

Honey has great benefits in dealing with minor wounds. Its antibacterial, antioxidant, and pH value are effective at inhibiting bacterial growth so that wounds heal quickly without risk of infection.

However, you still need to monitor the progress of the wound after using honey on the skin. Stop using it if you have an allergic reaction to the honey or if the wound doesn't heal after a few days.