EDUCATION
5 minutes,
30 seconds
Essential Takeaways
Manuka honey is an effective natural treatment for healing wounds. It provides a clean environment and speeds up the recovery process. Make sure to use a UMF™ graded jar of honey to ensure that you’re getting a genuine product.
Depending on the type and severity of your injury, it is recommended that you use manuka honey for 1-14 days, changing the dressing daily. After applying the honey, continue to monitor the wound and look out for signs of redness, swelling and pus accumulation which may indicate that further medical care is needed.
Let's face it - wounds happen. Whether you've had a mishap in the kitchen or you're recovering from surgery, proper wound care is crucial.
And if you're reading this, you're probably wondering about the sweet healing power of manuka honey. Specifically, how long should you leave it on a wound?
Buckle up, honey lovers, because we're about to dive into the sticky details!
In this guide to how long you should leave manuka honey on wounds, we cover:
Why You Need UMF™ Manuka Honey for Wound Healing
UMF™ (Unique Manuka Factor) grading is a certification that ensures the purity and potency of genuine manuka honey.
Due to the massive demand for manuka honey worldwide (with a very limited supply), lots of honey is sold as manuka that isn’t genuine or may have been diluted or tampered with.
If you’re buying manuka honey to heal a wound, you’ll want to ensure that it is legitimate and actually contains the beneficial compounds your body needs. That’s where UMF™ comes in.
Every batch of UMF™ certified manuka honey is independently tested and verified, and offers:
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Antibacterial properties: Manuka honey contains methylglyoxal (MGO), a compound that provides powerful antibacterial effects to help prevent infection.
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Anti-inflammatory effects: It reduces swelling and pain, promoting a faster healing process.
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Antioxidant benefits: The honey's natural antioxidants aid in tissue regeneration and support the minimisation of scarring.
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Moist wound environment: Manuka honey's hygroscopic nature helps keep wounds moist, which is conducive to healing.
Read more: Manuka honey benefits [guide]
How to Apply Manuka Honey to a Wound
Applying manuka honey to a wound is simple. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
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Clean the wound: Gently clean the wound with water or a saline solution to remove any debris.
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Apply the honey: Spread a thin layer of UMF™-graded manuka honey directly onto the wound or onto a sterile dressing. Make sure that you use enough honey to fully cover the wound but not so much that it oozes out the bandage.
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Cover with a sterile bandage: Use a sterile bandage or dressing to cover the honey-coated wound, ensuring it stays in place.
Application Tips for Maximum Effectiveness
Here are some tips and insights to help ensure that your manuka honey bandage is effective:
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Remove debris: Make sure that the wound is clean and free of debris before applying the honey.
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Use sterile tools: If you're not applying the honey directly from the jar, use a sterile spatula or gauze to transfer the honey to the wound or dressing.
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Reapply as needed: Change the dressing and reapply honey at least once daily, or more frequently if the dressing becomes saturated or dirty.
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Don't dilute the honey: Avoid mixing the honey with water or other substances, as this can reduce its effectiveness.
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Warm the honey slightly: If the honey is too thick to spread easily, you can warm it slightly by placing the container in warm water. Don't overheat, as this can damage the honey's beneficial properties.
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Use occlusive dressings: These air and watertight dressings help keep the honey in place and prevent stickiness.
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Ensure even coverage: Think of it like frosting a cake, but way less delicious.
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Secure the dressing well: To keep the honey where it needs to be.
How Long to Leave Manuka Honey on Different Wounds
Here’s a brief summary of how long you should leave manuka honey on different types of wounds:
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Minor cuts and scrapes: 1-2 days, changing the dressing daily.
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Burns: 3-7 days, changing the dressing every 24-48 hours.
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Surgical wounds: 7-14 days, following your healthcare provider's instructions.
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Chronic wounds: May require ongoing treatment, with regular monitoring.
Remember, every wound and every person is unique. These are general guidelines, not hard and fast rules. Listen to your body (and your healthcare provider), and adapt as necessary.
Factors Affecting the Duration of Manuka Honey Treatment
Here are some factors that can influence how long you may need to leave manuka honey on a wound:
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Wound severity and depth: Deeper wounds need more time to heal compared to shallow wounds.
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Infection presence: If there's an infection, you might need to leave the honey on for longer to fight the infection before the wound can heal fully.
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Individual healing rate: Some people heal faster than others - it's just how we're built!
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UMF™ rating of the honey: Higher UMF™ ratings contain more MGO and, therefore, pack a more powerful healing punch.
The Importance of Monitoring Your Wound
Keep an eye on your wound and monitor it regularly for signs of infection or slow healing. If the wound appears red, or swollen, or produces an unusual discharge, talk to your doctor or healthcare professional.
If the wound is healing well, you can reduce the frequency of dressing changes (or if it’s healing too slowly, you can increase the frequency of dressing changes).
Make sure to keep an eye out for these signs, which indicate that your wound is healing properly:
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Decreasing redness and swelling
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Reduced pain over time
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Gradual closure of wound edges
Signs It's Time to Change the Manuka Honey Dressing
Your wound dressing isn't meant to be a 'set it and forget it' situation. Keep an eye out for these signs that indicate it's time for a fresh coating of honey:
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Excessive moisture: This results in the honey getting diluted with wound fluid
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Any signs of infection: Such as redness, swelling, or increased pain
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Dressing saturation: If the bandage is leaking, it's time for a change!
Commonly asked questions
Can I leave manuka honey on a wound overnight?
Absolutely! In fact, letting honey soak in overnight is a great way to let the healing properties get to work without interruption.
How often should I reapply manuka honey to a wound?
Generally, once a day is sufficient. For very wet wounds, you might need to change it more often.
Can manuka honey be used on all types of wounds?
While manuka honey is versatile, it's not suitable for everyone. Avoid using it if you have an allergy to bee products or if the wound is on a baby under one year of age.
Get Your UMF™ Manuka Honey from New Zealand Honey Co.
Manuka honey is a powerful natural remedy for wound healing. But like all good things, you get out what you put in.
That starts with buying a quality jar of authentic, bioactive manuka honey.
Unsure which grade is right for you?
DISCLAIMER: Sale Excludes MGO 50+, UMF 10+, UMF 28+, and Manuka Honey Spoon. Offer valid until 7th July. Valid while stocks last. The discount code can only be used once per customer and is non-transferable. Cannot be combined with other offers. Items purchased with this discount are subject to our standard return policy.
Your wellness journey starts with a spoonful a day.
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