Honey for Minor Burns

By

LJF

I have also used honey for minor burns, as in touching a hot pan, as you did. I mentioned it to my Dr. and he said it is very good for killing and preventing germs, and he only knows of one type of germ that it has no effect on, so all in all, on small, not deep, burns, honey is a good first aid, after cooling with water. Never,never use butter, oil, or grease of any sort. So many people did that in the "old days", and it was as wrong then as it is now. But remember, common sense should tell you right away if it needs just water, and maybe honey, or if it needs a DR.

By

mirador

I'm glad that the honey treatment has had no bad effects for this writer and others who have commented. I've heard people recommend this over the years, and although I'm no medical professional, my husband did spend over two months in a burn unit years ago following a house fire.

There were patients in the burn unit who were sent there for skin grafts on what the patient originally thought was a minor burn, and treated with home remedies (not specifically honey, but also salves and vaseline, etc.). When the burn turned out to be more serious than they'd thought, the burn specialists had to remove the honey, salves, ointments, etc. (painfully) before treatment could begin.

Due to my experience, I guess I'm a bit paranoid about burn injuries. If a burn is larger than the pad of a bandaid, I'm extremely careful how I proceed with wound care.

I don't put ANYTHING on burns except immediate cold running water for several minutes, then a gentle soap and water wash and a bandaid with built-in antibiotic.

Here's hoping for a decrease in burn injuries in 2010 for all of us!