This document describes a study examining the use of honey gauze dressings for treating burns. The study found that 3 out of 4 patients with superficial or partial thickness burns achieved complete healing within 13-47 days using honey gauze dressings changed 2-3 times per week. One patient dropped out due to pain. The dressings were well-tolerated and contributed antibacterial and healing properties from the honey. While the results were promising, the authors call for larger randomized controlled trials to validate the effectiveness of honey as a single treatment for burns.

1. Honey gauze
used for Treating and Healing
Burns
Aharon Wanszelbaum MD
Meuhedet health service wound clinics

2. HYPOTHESIS / AIM
Honey gauze dressing and Honey gels are well
known treatments that accelerate the healing
of problem wounds.
Our Hypothesis was that Burns also may benefit
from Honey dressing in the healing process .
We decided to use honey gauze
(Bfactory*) as a single treatment for burns

3. Our assumptions were:
1. The impregnated gauze will not
adhere to the burn surface
2. The honey will contribute its potent
antibacterial effects ,hyperosmolarity and
other characteristics to induce a better and
healing.
HYPOTHESIS

4. MATERIAL and METHODS
We decided to limit the spectrum of the trial to superficial burns (involving
only the Epidermis) and partial thickness burns (involving the epidermis
till most of the dermis). Patient with allergy to honey were excluded.
All patients got explanations of the treatment and signed an informed
consent.
Once patients enrolled they were dressed with the gauze with a
secondary foam dressing. The dressings were changed 2-3 times a week
until healing was achieved or the product went inadequate.
The use of gel, oral antibiotics and pain killer was permitted if
needed.

5. Results and findings
1: 3 Out of 4 patients (75%) achieved complete healing in 13-47 days (mean: 28.6
days) and 5-20 treatments (mean 11 treatments).
2: Patient 4 dropped out because of pain induced by the and healed with
silver sulfadiazine cream daily treatment .
3: Patient 1 was treated on his right hand by and on the left by a silver
dressing (Biatain Ag).Both were effective but with better results with
so that after 8 days ,we replaced the silver dressing to
Of importance is to mention that the side that got from the begining
healed better with a much nicer skin.

6. General description of the cases
Patient
Sex
Cause of burn
Localization
TBSA
Grade
Time to healing
(days)
Nb of dressings to
healing
Other pathologies
Albuminemia
Pain killer (burn
related)
1
Male
Frozen meat
Finger pulps both
hands
1%
2
13
5
Diabetes mellitus
insulin dependent
HbA1c:6.8
Renal failure
Diabetic
retinopathy
Anemia(mild)
Hypertension
Normal
Paracetamol
2
Female
Boiling oil
Shin heel plantar
foot left leg
4.5%
2
47
20
/
/
Paracetamol
dipyrone
3
Male
Boiling water
Finger 3 left hand
0.5%
2
26
8
Diabetes mellitus
Non-insulin
dependent
HbA1c:9.7
Diabetic
neuropathy
Poor compliance
Coronaropathy
Hypertension
Normal
/
4
Male
Explosion of gas
canister
Face-hands
6.5%
1
Dropped out
/
/
/
paracetamol

7. Patient 2
Before using
At 14 days of using
After 33 days of using

8. Conclusions and implications for
clinical practice
gauze should be considered as a first
choice in the treatment of superficial and/or
partial thickness burns .
Although we achieved good and impressive
results, randomized control and blinded trials
on a bigger scale should be done to ratify the
effectiveness of honey as single topical
treatment for burns

9. References
-1: Archer HG, Barnett S, Irving S, Middleton KR, Seal DV
A controlled model of moist wound healing: comparison between
semi-permeable film, antiseptic and sugar paste
J.Exp.Pathol.1990:71.155-70
-2: Moore OA, Smith LA, Campbell F, Seers K, McQuay HS, Moore RA
Systematic review of the use of honey as a wound dressing
Complementary and alternative medicine 2001.1:2
-3: Ingle R, Levin J, Polinder K
Wound healing with honey: a randomized control trial
South African Medicine Journal 2006:96:831-5
-4: Jull A, Walter N, Parag V, Molan PC, Rodgers A
Randomized clinical trial of honey- impregnated dressings for venous
ulcers
British Journal of Surgery 2008:95:175-82
-5: Molan PC
The antibacterial properties of honey
CINZ1995: July 10-14
-6: Kwakman PHS, te Velde AA, de Beer L, Speijer D, Vandenbroucke-
Grauls CMJE Zaat SAJ
How honey kills bacteria
Faseb journal: 2010:24.000-000
-7: Baghel PS, Shukla S, Mathur RK, Randa R
A comparative study to evaluate the effect of honey dressing and silver
sulfadiazine dressing in burn patients
Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery 2009: Jul-Dec,42(2):176-81
-8: Gupta SS, Singh O, Baghel PS, Moses S, Shukla S, Mathur RK
Honey dressing versus sulfadiazine dressing for wound healing in burn
patients:
a retrospective study.
Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery 2011:4.183-7
-9: Stephen-Haynes J
Implication of honey dressings with primary care wounds
Wounds UK 2005: Suppl 1 (3):33-53
-10: Subrahmanyam M
Topical application of honey for burn wound treatment: an overview
Annals of burns and fire disasters 2007: 20(3) 137-41
-11: Sukur SM, Hakim AS, Singh KKB
Evaluations of bacterial contaminated full thickness burn wound heal
Tualang honey
-12: Eleftherios Smaropoulos, Spyridon Romeos, Chrisavgi Dimitriadou
Honey-based therapy for paediatric burns and dermal trauma
compared to
standard hospitalization protocol
Wound UK 2011: vol 7 N1:33-40