Honey on Eczema: Benefits, Research, and How to Use – Healthline

While eczema is often treated with moisturizing and topical anti-inflammatory medications, alternative treatments are also being investigated. One of these is honey.
Read on as we discuss honey, its potential benefits for eczema, and more.
Honey is a natural product produced by honeybees using nectar from flowers. It’s estimated that there are about 300 different types of honey. This is due to the variety of different flowers from which honeybees can obtain nectar.
Honey can contain up to 200 different substances, the most prominent of which are sugars. It also contains vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
Throughout history, honey has been used in foods, cosmetics, and medicines. Some examples of the conditions that honey has been used to treat include:
So, can honey help the inflammation, redness, or itchiness of eczema?
It might. Researchers have observed a variety of characteristics of honey that could make it effective for treating skin conditions like eczema. These include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties.
So far, only a small amount of scientific research has been performed on honey for eczema. Let’s take a look at what some of it has to say.
In 2014, a small pilot study examined 15 participants with eczema lesions on both sides of their body. They applied kanuka honey to one side and a control cream to the other every night for 2 weeks. No difference in eczema severity was found between the two.
Another small study in 2017 looked at 14 participants with eczema lesions on both sides of their body. They applied manuka honey to one side every evening for 1 week. The other side was left untreated.
Researchers observed that eczema lesions improved following treatment with manuka honey. They also observed less inflammation.
A small 2017 study in 15 participants assessed the efficacy of honey eardrops on eczema lesions on the ear. The eardrops were used three times per day for 2 weeks.
Researchers observed that honey eardrops led to decreased eczema symptoms. However, no control group was used in this study.
A limited amount of studies have been performed on the efficacy of honey for eczema. While some indicate a potential benefit, they’re limited by small sample sizes and, in some cases, a lack of controls. Overall, more research is needed.
If you do choose to use honey for eczema lesions, be sure to use a medical-grade honey, such as manuka honey. Medical-grade honey has been treated and filtered to ensure that it’s free of potential contaminants.
Follow the steps below:
An allergic reaction to honey may occur in some people. This may be more common in people who are allergic to pollen or bee stings. If you experience discomfort or an increase in redness, swelling, or itching after topical application, stop using it.
A severe type of allergic reaction called anaphylaxis has also been recorded in response to honey. If you or someone else shows the following symptoms, seek emergency medical care:
In addition, honey should not be given orally to children under 1 year old. This is due to the risk of infant botulism.
If you’ve tried using home remedies like honey to manage your eczema without success, see your doctor. They can work with you to recommend other treatment options.
Other situations that warrant a visit to the doctor include eczema lesions that:
There are several different types of eczema that share common symptoms, such as itching, redness, and scaling. The types of eczema include:
Knowing what type of eczema you have can help you care for your skin and symptoms. It can also help you communicate more effectively with your healthcare providers.
Honey is being investigated as a potential treatment for eczema. So far, research indicates that there may be some benefit in applying honey to eczema lesions. However, more rigorous research is needed to determine honey’s overall effectiveness.
If you plan to use honey to treat your eczema, be sure to purchase medical-grade honey. Applying honey to the skin may cause an allergic reaction in some people. If you experience a reaction after using honey, stop using it.
If you find that your symptoms don’t improve after using honey, see your doctor. They can recommend other treatments that may help with your symptoms.
Last medically reviewed on March 31, 2020
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