Is Manuka Honey Good For Eczema?

Do the words “just don’t scratch it” make you want to pull your hair out?

We understand. What you want instead is something cool and calming that you can keep on hand.

We’re here to soothe you with our sticky, natural remedy to eczema.

You can stop rubbing, pinching, sitting on your hands, and squeezing your stress ball, because our manuka honey might well bring you the sweet relief you’re after.

Since our manuka honey has been fundamental in clearing up eczema very close to home, we’re eager to share it with you as a very real remedy!

Here’s our head beekeeper speaking about his niece’s experience using our honey on her eczema.

“She swears by it.”

In this blog on manuka honey for eczema:

• What is eczema?
• Is it safe to put honey on eczema?
• How manuka honey can help your eczema
• What is the best manuka honey for eczema?
• How to apply manuka honey to eczema
• Make your own manuka honey eczema cream: recipe
• When to see a doctor about your eczema
• Manuka honey eczema reviews
• Buy your UMF™ grade manuka honey for your eczema right here

Let’s get into it.

What Is Eczema?

Eczema is actually quite common.

From newborn babies to school age children and fully grown adults, everybody can be affected by this skin disease.

“Eczema (eg-zuh-MUH) is an inflammatory skin condition that causes dry skin, itchy skin, rashes, scaly patches, blisters and skin infections. Itchy skin is the most common symptom of eczema.”

• National Eczema

You can’t ‘catch’ eczema from someone. It’s thought to be triggered by genes interacting with their environment, which causes surface-level inflammation.

“Flare-ups will occur due to an overactive immune system that attempts to fight off perceived threats. While flare-ups cannot be prevented, they can be minimized and controlled.”

• Derm Collective

Honey is one such substance that can minimize the effects of eczema.

There have been studies into both the topical application of honey on eczema as well as the use of honey on skin disorders.

Let’s explore the findings.

Is It Safe To Put Honey On Eczema?

Yes, it is safe to topically apply manuka honey to your skin, and on your eczema.

It will sit on top of your skin and soak in a little, and it should not cause irritation.

Of course, if you have sensitive skin or any allergies then it’s best to test a small amount first, and monitor your reaction before proceeding.

When it comes to using honey for medical purposes, which honey comes out on top?

You guessed it, manuka honey.

How Manuka Honey Can Help Your Eczema

Manuka honey is widely known for its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.

Whether applied topically or consumed orally, these properties can do great things for your immunity.

It is fantastic in skincare, because of its humectant and emollient properties. These hydrate the skin and keep it elastic.

Just like manuka honey typically calms down acne, redness, and inflammation on the face, it can have the same effect on skin irritated by eczema.

It will form an airtight seal over the eczema to prevent foreign germs coming into contact with the area. After a while, the skin will be well hydrated and soft and supple where all the goodness of the honey has been absorbed.

What’s more, the antibacterial properties are known to be helpful against a particular bacteria commonly linked to eczema.

“Manuka honey has been demonstrated to significantly decrease the growth and reduce the spread of Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that is associated with eczema. This is particularly important in light of antibiotic-resistant infections.”

• Derm Collective

While studies have shown positive results, the science is not wholly conclusive yet.

“Manuka honey is potentially effective in the treatment of atopic dermatitis lesions based on both clinical and cellular studies through different mechanisms. This needs to be confirmed by randomized and controlled clinical trials.”

• A study in the US National Library of Medicine

However, it is getting attention from parents of children affected by eczema. Some think it’s worth it to give the natural remedy a shot. Here’s what the team at Scratch Sleeves has to say:

“Application of Manuka honey to the skin is thought to help in killing harmful bacteria, reducing or removing the incidence of eczema outbreaks.

By treating the eczema-affected area it’s thought to help keep the zone moist which helps to reduce flare-ups and aids the skin’s recovery.

The high viscosity of honey is also thought to form a barrier for the skin which is helpful in preventing infection in the first place.”

• Scratch Sleeves

So, the only question is, which strength of manuka honey is best?

What Is The Best Manuka Honey For Eczema?

To treat eczema, it’s best to use a manuka honey with a high UMF™ rating.

This is because the higher the UMF™ rating, the more potent the honey.

That means there are higher levels of antibacterial and antimicrobial properties present, and these are what make manuka honey unique.

We recommend:

• Manuka Honey UMF™ 20+ | MGO 829+
• Manuka Honey UMF™ 24+ | MGO 1122+
• Manuka Honey UMF™ 26+ | MGO 1282+

These are our three highest UMF™ ratings, and great options for your eczema.

Lower UMF™ grades of manuka honey might also be effective, but for the best results, we recommend using a higher potency.

For more information about UMF™, check out these articles:

Read more: How much UMF™ is enough?

Read more: UMF™ honey and the UMFHA

How To Apply Manuka Honey To Eczema

You might be wondering, is it as easy as that? Do I simply put it on my skin?

The quick answer is yes. You can apply manuka honey straight on your skin from the jar.

But that’s not the only way. There are a few methods to suit different lifestyles, ages, or daily activities.

Of course, feel free to use a combination of the following to soothe your skin.

Straight from the jar

1. Apply a teaspoon or tablespoon (depending on the size of your affected area) to your eczema and gently rub in a little.
2. Leave it open to the air and avoid contact with clothing or objects to ensure the manuka honey stays on.
3. Wash it off after at least 20 minutes, or leave it on for longer.

Note: This is best done during the daytime, on eczema that isn’t covered by clothing.

Warm and runny massage

1. Drizzle two tablespoons of manuka honey into a saucepan and gently warm it on a low heat. You only want to warm it slightly to make it runnier - be careful that it doesn’t get hot.

“Overheating of honey should be avoided, since the enzyme glucose oxidase in honey that produces hydrogen peroxide, a major component of honey’s antibacterial activity, is easily inactivated by heat.”

• Study in the US National Library of Medicine

1. Smooth this onto the areas of your skin affected by eczema and allow it to rest for 20 minutes.
2. Rinse it off with warm water too, or wipe it off with a warm, wet flannel.

The bedtime remedy

1. Apply manuka honey directly to your freshly washed affected eczema areas (after a shower or bath).
2. Wrap them in a bandage to prevent the honey coming off on your sheets.
3. Sleep and let the manuka honey soothe your eczema overnight.
4. Since most of it will soak into your skin, it shouldn’t be too sticky in the morning when you remove your bandage.
   
   

Make an eczema cream

You can make this at home with your manuka honey, and we’ve got a recipe for you just below. In terms of applying it, here’s a top tip from the Eczema Company:

“Manuka honey in cream form can be applied to either dry or damp skin. Although we find it's best on slightly damp skin as a little bit will go a much longer way and you won't need to replenish your cream as frequently.”

• The Eczema Company

If you fancy making a soothing cream that you can easily turn to, we’ve got just the recipe for you.

Make Your Own Manuka Honey Eczema Cream: Recipe

Doing this at home can be a therapeutic part of the process of treating eczema, especially for kids who squirm when it comes to eczema creams.

Involving them in the healing process can have beneficial results.

Scratch Sleeves, a UK company making clothing preventing young ones itching themselves, has a brilliant recipe for a homemade salve. Here it is:

Ingredients

Makes: 2 x 60 ml jars.

• 15g beeswax
• 60g cold pressed coconut oil
• 30g manuka honey

Method

“Grate the beeswax into a microwave proof bowl and pop in the microwave on high for about 4 mins, until the remaining flakes are floating on the melted wax. Leave to stand for a couple of minutes until completely melted. Take care, it is really hot at this stage.

While the wax is melting, measure out the coconut oil and honey. Once the wax is completely liquid, add the honey and coconut oil and immediately stir briskly until the mixture is smooth.

Decant into a dry, sterile glass jars and leave to set. The mixture has a tendency to separate slightly, so give the jars a stir with a warm spoon every few minutes until the mixture solidifies (about 10-20 minutes).”

Jae from Scratch Sleeves recommends smoothing it onto the affected area and leaving it for at least 10-15 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water and patting the area dry.

When to see a doctor about your eczema

It’s up to you when you want to see a doctor about your eczema, and this certainly shouldn’t be avoided.

Here are some typical situations where you might want to seek medical help:

• The eczema is new, and changes to your environment aren’t helping.
• The eczema is getting worse, or affecting a larger area.
• You’ve tried topically applying manuka honey either straight or in a cream, and it hasn’t calmed your eczema down.
• You’re really worried about it.

While natural remedies can be effective for some, nothing beats professional medical advice when symptoms persist.

We recommend that you go and see a doctor if you experience any of the above.

But if your eczema is mild and you’re looking for some sweet relief, manuka honey could be the answer for you!

Manuka Honey For Eczema Reviews

Here are what some other happy customers are saying about using our manuka honey to treat their eczema.

“I use New Zealand Honey Co. Honey to treat eczema on my face and I have seen a significant improvement in my skin.”

• Verified buyer of UMF™ 15+, 24th April 2022

Looking for manuka honey but don’t know where to start? We’ve made a buyer’s checklist. After two minutes, you’ll know what to look for when buying manuka honey.

The Best Place to Buy Manuka Honey? Tick These 7 Boxes