Manuka Honey For Leg Ulcers

Reasons Why You Should Try Our Medical Grade Manuka Honey On You Leg Ulcers or Bed Sores

Helping to heal leg ulcers, particularly hard to heal ones, is one of the common uses for medical grade manuka honey. It is an area that has undergone scientific research (along with other wound types).

There have also been clinical trials done using manuka honey on leg ulcers with positive results. (note: these were done using medical grade honey)

Few advanced wound care products can match its broad range of healing help and yet still be suitable for long term use. Plus it is natural. For most people the only downside in using honey is its stickiness, but this can usually be managed.

How it works

Antibacterial properties fight any infection in the leg ulcer
Creates a barrier to stop any new infection from entering
Nutrients in the honey help "feed" new skin growth
Helps maintain the skin's pH
Keeps the 'wound' moist - which aids healing
Reduces scarring

The Research

There are now multiple published scientific research papers showing the positive healing effect of medical grade Manuka Honey on leg ulcers, bed sores, and other hard to heal wounds.

Collectively the research has reported Manuka honey to inhibit more than 80 species of bacteria, including those that are found in hard to heal wounds.

Cardiff Metropolitan University's latest study (published research, in the journal of Microbiology) has found manuka honey is effective against the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes, which can make wounds hard to treat. When Streptococcus pyogenes infects wounds it can start infection, destroy skin grafts, and clump together into a biofilm, or barrier, which means antibiotics become ineffective. It is known that people with this bacteria often find that their wound doesn't heal properly, with the biofilm making them especially difficult to treat with antimicrobials because the film offers a layer of extra protection. The university found the medical manuka honey not only kills off some of the bacteria but that it can also inhibit the growth of the problem biofilms.

Downsides:

Honey is sticky - which can be annoying, but most people are able to manage.

About 10-15% of leg ulcer sufferers who use manuka honey on them report some 'stinging' sensation on applying it, although for vast majority this then subsides.

Which Manuka Honey to use?

The important part. As in other wound care uses, it is important to use a proper medical grade manuka honey that has been appropriately filtered (finer levels of pollen and other bits removed) and sterilised.

Our most popular product for use on leg ulcers is the Comvita ManukaCare.

This is a tube of 100% Antibacterial, Medical grade manuka honey. It is also properly approved, with a medical devices license, and is the actual product used in several studies using medical grade honey.

Manuka Honey Dressings - these are ready to use dressings, with natural fibers impregnated with the medical grade manuka honey, and are sterilised. Made under the Medihoney brand, they are labeled Medihoney Apinate Dressings.

A study published in the Journal of Wound Care¹ concluded that manuka honey supplied by Comvita was "effective in eradicating MRSA from 70% of venous ulcers".

¹ Journal Of Wound Care Vol 17, No 6 June 2008

A customer review of using ManukaCare on a leg ulcer

"I would just like to thank you for the Manuka honey. I was told by a skin specialist in June that it would take at least a year to clear up a huge ulcer I had on my leg. It was 5cms across and in length and 2cms deep, whilst I was seeing the specialist it was difficult to manage to use the honey, however she then decided she would not see me again for another 6 months. I started to use the honey at the beginning of September and to my delight it has completely cleared up the ulcer. "

Sue T, UK (received beginning of October)