Does honey benefit skin ulcers?

    Written by:
    Last Updated: April 23, 2025

    Honey may reduce healing time, pain, and hospital stay for diabetic foot ulcers compared to standard care. Limited evidence suggests that honey may be as effective as antiseptics and antibiotics for treating pressure ulcers.

    Three meta-analyses of honey for diabetic foot ulcers from 2019–2023 reported improvements to healing time and rate, pain, and/or length of hospital stay, compared to the usual care.[1][2][3]

    A 2016 Cochrane review reported very-low-certainty evidence (only 1 study) that honey was as effective as an antiseptic plus an antibiotic for improving pressure ulcers (bed sores).[4]

    Does honey benefit skin ulcers? - Examine