The benefits of honey on the healing of wounds

Christian Riesen, our specialist nurse in wound care and healing, recently spoke in Signé Genève magazine about the benefits of honey for wound healing. Indeed, Nature is very well made: the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of honey contribute greatly to the healing of wounds.

Essentially composed of water and fructose, honey has many active ingredients such as inhibins, hormones secreted by bees and formic acid with antiseptic properties. Honey is also acidic, which constitutes a real shield against the propagation of bacteria. In addition, the sugar concentration of honey is such that it naturally exerts an osmotic pressure that neutralizes bacteria. The antiseptic and antibacterial benefits of honey make it a very good healing agent.

With the patient's consent, Christian Riesen uses organic thyme honey daily at the ASSAL Center as a wound healing remedy. Fully committed to eco-friendly healing alternatives, the ASSAL Center strongly supports this approach and also uses fly larvae and acupuncture as treatment modalities.

How to easily use honey to heal a foot or leg wound from home once medical advice has been confirmed? Christian Riesen shares the tips he gives during his consultations.

Follow these steps:

• Wash the wound with a mild, pH-neutral soap.
• Apply honey generously to the wound: the wound should be completely covered.
• Put a dry dressing (sterile gauze).
• Repeat the same treatment 48 hours later (the duration of the treatment depends on the evolution of the wound).
• If there is any sign of deterioration, burning or increased pain, stop the treatment immediately.
• To optimize your chances of healing, it is essential to distinguish between food honey and 

To optimize your chances of healing, it is essential to distinguish between food honey and medical honey. It is usually advisable to use medicated honey (reimbursed by insurance) because with food honey, there is a greater risk of allergic reactions.

However, it is still possible to use organic food honey from a small producer, which has a very low risk of allergies and will be just as effective as medical honey.