To use Manuka honey for skin infections, clean the area, apply a thick layer of medicinal-grade honey directly, cover with a sterile dressing, and change it daily, ensuring it's a high UMF/MGO rated honey for best antibacterial results, but always see a doctor for serious infections.
Manuka honey, for example, has been scientifically recognised for its anti-microbial and wound healing properties and is now used clinically as a topical treatment for wound infections.
Here's a brief summary of how long you should leave manuka honey on different types of wounds:
While Manuka honey is safe for children and adults of most ages, it's generally recommended that: Infants aged 12 months or younger should not consume it. Raw honey, including Manuka honey, can contain botulism spores, which can increase the risk of infant botulism.
Apply medicinal-grade manuka honey topically to minor skin ailments like scrapes, sunburn, eczema, and fungal infections. For a less sticky, natural DIY home skincare remedy, try: Blend 2-3 drops of honey with 1 teaspoon of essential oil to make Manuka oil.
Applying Manuka Honey as a Face Mask
If you're using raw honey, leave it on for 15-30 minutes before rinsing off with lukewarm water and a gentle cleanser to remove any residue. For a Manuka Honey-infused face mask, leave it on for as long as its specific usage instructions recommend.
It is best to spread the honey on a dressing and apply this to the wound, rather than applying the honey directly onto the wound. Dressing pads pre-impregnated with honey are commercially available and provide an effective and less messy option.
Manuka honey is generally safe but can cause issues for infants (botulism risk), diabetics (high sugar), and those with bee/pollen allergies (allergic reactions like swelling, rash). Side effects include potential blood sugar spikes, mild digestive upset, or rare allergic symptoms, with caution needed for medicinal use and by people with specific health conditions.
You should never use pure, raw Manuka honey for newborns or infants. The main risk associated with this is infant botulism¹. The condition is rare, but serious. It is caused by Clostridium botulinum spores when they grow into active bacteria.
In general, using Manuka honey for kids as part of a balanced diet, perhaps a teaspoon in their morning oatmeal or smoothie, can provide a natural boost. It's an easy way to replace refined sugar with a more nutritious sweetener. (It's still sugar, but at least it comes with some beneficial compounds and great taste!)
Honey has anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It can be used as a wound dressing to promote rapid and improved healing. These effects are due to honey's anti-bacterial action, secondary to its high acidity, osmotic effect, anti-oxidant content and hydrogen peroxide content.
Manuka honey should start working straight away. For wound and burn care the area should be soothed and show noticeable changes overnight. For skin conditions it should soothes the skin quickly and then might take a few applications to get a good result.
You can eat Manuka honey every day in small amounts. It's safe for most healthy adults, and it may give you benefits such as soothing a sore throat or supporting digestion. But it's still sugar, so too much can raise your blood sugar or add extra calories.
How to treat wounds with Manuka honey
Coagulase-negative staphylococci are considered one of the most prevalent microorganisms that are involved in hospital-acquired infections (Tunney et al., 1996). Honey has been used to inhibit these bacteria as well as to prevent and treat skin and other infections (French et al., 2005).
Foods that kill infections are considered natural antibiotics. Some foods which help fight bacterial infections include garlic, onion, ginger, echinacea, cabbage, and honey. These foods have properties that harm or kill certain bacterial, viral, or fungal infections.
The "3-minute rule" for eczema is a key skincare guideline: apply moisturizer to damp skin within three minutes of getting out of a bath or shower to lock in moisture, strengthen the skin barrier, and prevent dryness and itching. This practice, recommended by dermatologists, involves gently patting the skin dry, leaving it slightly damp, and immediately applying a thick cream or ointment to seal in hydration, reducing eczema flare-ups and soothing the skin.
Due to its antimicrobial and antiseptic properties, Manuka honey can work to sanitise and draw moisture from wounds, prevent bacteria growth and encourage wound healing. Its ability to maintain a moist wound environment and act as a barrier to further infection or bacteria also makes it an effective wound dressing.
Honey is a natural ingredient that is suitable for all skin types. It is nourishing and soothing to the skin. While you can apply it directly on your skin, mix it with some kitchen ingredients and make a perfect face mask for face packs.
Does manuka honey need to be refrigerated? No, you should avoid refrigerating your manuka honey. It is best stored in a cool, dark place like a cupboard or pantry. Refrigeration of any honey — not just the special manuka variety — can cause crystallisation.
You can apply Mānuka honey directly on your skin and it works wonders on all types of skin, including acne-prone skin. New Zealand Mānuka Honey heals and nurtures skin, and can be applied as a mask, a cleanser, or moisturiser.
A honey well known for its antibacterial properties is manuka honey, which is obtained from manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium) and contains substantial amounts of methylglyoxal (MGO). Methylglyoxal harbors selective toxicity to bacterial cells, causing bacterial cell death and inhibition of bacterial replication.
As yet there are no reported cases of honey-resistant strains of bacteria. The recommended time for honey application is two weeks. A nursing assessment following this period will aim to determine an agreed ongoing management plan. Honey is a safe method to reduce high level bacteria levels in wound beds.
Honey is a natural sweetener known for its health benefits but should not be mixed with certain foods as per Ayurveda. Avoid combining honey with hot water, garlic, cucumber, ghee, meat, fish, and hot milk to prevent digestive issues and the loss of its beneficial properties.