Can Honey Help Eczema?

Can Honey Help Eczema?
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Updated on June 10, 2025
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If you have eczema, you may be using medication to manage it as well as applying over-the-counter moisturizers. Maybe you’re also curious about home remedies and wondering whether applying a little honey to your eczema patches can help.

A few small studies suggest this might be effective because of honey’s anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, wound-healing, and moisturizing properties.

Dermatologists agree there may be some benefits to honey for eczema but don’t generally recommend it over other medically vetted treatments.

Common Signs and Symptoms of Eczema

Atopic dermatitis is the most common form of eczema.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Eczema

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Research on Honey and Eczema

A limited number of small studies looking at how honey might help eczema had positive results.

For one study, 12 people with eczema, psoriasis, or seborrheic dermatitis had a thin layer of honey applied to skin lesions daily. In most cases, their symptoms improved significantly after a week.

For a different trial, symptoms improved for 15 people with eczema on their outer ear after using medical honey for two weeks. They had less discomfort and itching and had fewer signs of eczema after the treatment.

Why Honey Might Help Eczema

Honey has a number of properties that may explain why it helps eczema.

Honey Is Anti-Inflammatory

Natalie Yin, MD, a dermatologist at U.S. Dermatology Partners in Colorado, says that honey can help treat eczema because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Honey contains flavonoids, a type of antioxidant, that can counter the damaging effects of molecules in the body called free radicals. Flavonoids also block the action of cytokines and other drivers of inflammation.

Honey Is Antibacterial

People with eczema are more prone to skin infections, in part because they are significantly more likely to have staphylococcus bacteria living on their skin.

 It’s unclear exactly why honey fights bacteria, but one explanation is that it pulls moisture away from germs, making it harder for them to survive.

Another theory is that sugars, proteins, and lipids in honey work together in a specific way to stop bacteria growth.

Honey Is Healing

People have been using honey to heal wounds for thousands of years. In ancient Rome, doctors applied honey dressings to battle wounds.

 Some research supports this practice.

 In 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued clearance for the sale and marketing of a honey-based wound dressing.

Scientists say that honey can promote healing in these ways:

  • Managing inflammation
  • Encouraging new skin cell growth
  • Repairing tissue with reduced scarring

Honey Is Moisturizing

The sugars in honey act as a humectant, which means they stop skin from drying out. Moisturizing the skin is an important method of treating eczema, and honey could fulfill this function.

“Honey is an incredibly thick emollient that would help trap moisture in the skin,” says Daniel P. Friedmann, MD, a dermatologist with Westlake Dermatology in Austin, Texas.

Which Type of Honey Is Best for Eczema?

Different kinds of honey vary widely in terms of composition. This affects their potency and effectiveness for health purposes, as well as the flavor, texture, and appearance.

Regular Honey vs. Medical Honey

There are several types of honey.

Raw honey may not be suitable for eczema treatment because it can contain propolis, a bee product that can cause an allergic reaction. Raw honey may also contain a toxin that can lead to botulism as well as other impurities that can cause severe illness.

Table honey is relatively inexpensive but not recommended for medical use as it may contain spores that increase infection risk.


Medical honey is the best honey to use for eczema because it is free of contaminants, sterilized by gamma irradiation, and organic. Look for products labeled “medical grade” at pharmacies.

Manuka honey is the type most often used for medical honey. It is a unique honey produced in Australia and New Zealand. Manuka honey contains higher levels of an antibacterial and antioxidant compound called methylglyoxal than other types of honey.

Risks of Using Honey for Eczema

While it’s likely safe for most people to apply honey directly to their skin, it’s best to ask your pharmacist or doctor first because of potential risks.

Honey Allergy

“It’s possible to have an allergic reaction to honey, particularly if you’re allergic to bees or pollen,” says Dr. Friedmann. “Do a patch test first on an unaffected area of the skin and wait a few minutes to see if redness or irritation occurs.”

If you have a history of allergic reactions, you may want to be even more cautious and wait a full day or two to see if you have a reaction. If you notice signs of an allergic reaction, seek medical help immediately. There could be a risk of anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction.

These are the signs to look out for:


Botulism

Babies under 1 year shouldn’t have any exposure to honey at all due to the risk of botulism, a potentially serious disease caused by toxins.


Hidden Drugs

Always get your honey from a reputable source. Aside from medical honey, herbal and complementary therapies don’t require FDA approval and aren’t regulated.

For instance, investigators found that one brand of royal honey marketed for conditions not related to eczema contained hidden drugs to make it appear more effective.


How to Apply Honey for Eczema

Always check with your doctor before using honey for eczema. When using medical honey, follow the packaging advice and any tips from your doctor or pharmacist, and always try a patch test first.

If it’s safe for you to apply honey directly to your skin, you might follow these five steps:


  1. Use medical honey at bedtime.
  2. Apply a thin layer.
  3. Cover it with a dressing.
  4. Leave it on overnight and then wash it off in the morning.
  5. Repeat for seven nights.

For other honey-based medical products, such as wound dressings, follow the instructions on the packaging.

The National Eczema Association notes that many people with eczema add manuka honey to their diet, but it’s not clear whether this can improve skin symptoms.


Do Dermatologists Recommend Honey for Eczema?

Dr. Yin warns that while honey does have some great attributes, people shouldn’t rely on it to treat eczema. “More rigorous scientific studies are needed to confirm its benefits in this setting,” she says.

Friedmann says he wouldn’t recommend honey to his patients with eczema, noting that there are plenty of products available at a drugstore that can do just as good a job — without the mess.

The Takeaway

  • Honey has a long history of use in treating skin wounds and burns, and may help manage eczema skin symptoms.
  • Scientists say that honey has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and wound-healing properties, and a limited number of small studies suggest that it may help with eczema.
  • Medical-grade honey is the safest option, but always check with your doctor before using this or any other honey product.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
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  4. Ballard A. Staph & Eczema: A Skin-Duo You Need to Know About. National Eczema Association. November 28, 2022.
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  6. Sartore S et al. Honey and Its Antimicrobial Properties: A Function of a Single Component, or the Sum of Its Parts? Cureus. September 2021.
  7. The Roman Army Medical Service. Malton Museum. March 2023.
  8. Jodidio M et al. Honey Therapies for Dermatological Disorders: More Than Just a Sweet Elixir. International Journal of Dermatology. November 2023.
  9. Derma Sciences Receives FDA Clearance for Its Active Manuka Honey Absorbent Dressing. Imaging Technology News. July 22, 2007.
  10. Ahmed S et al. Honey as a Potential Natural Antioxidant Medicine: An Insight into Its Molecular Mechanisms of Action. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. January 2018.
  11. Suwiński G et al. Innovative Honey-Based Product and Its Beneficial Effects Measured by Modern Biophysical and Imaging Skin Techniques. Pharmaceuticals. December 2024.
  12. Moisturizing for Eczema. National Eczema Association. March 2025.
  13. Oršolić N. Allergic Inflammation: Effect of Propolis and Its Flavonoids. Molecules. October 2022.
  14. McLendon K et al. Anaphylaxis. StatPearls. January 2023.
  15. Botulism Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 2024.
  16. Royal Honey VIP Contains Hidden Drug Ingredient. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
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  18. Top 7 Natural and Alternative Treatments for Eczema. National Eczema Association. December 2022.
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Susan Bard, MD

Medical Reviewer
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Susan Bard, MD, is a clinical instructor in the department of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine and an adjunct clinical instructor in the department of dermatology at Mount Sinai in New York City. Her professional interests include Mohs micrographic surgery, cosmetic and laser procedures, and immunodermatology.

She is a procedural dermatologist with the American Board of Dermatology and a fellow of the American College of Mohs Surgery.

Dr. Bard has written numerous book chapters and articles for many prominent peer-reviewed journals, and authored the textbook The Laser Treatment of Vascular Lesions.

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Yvette Brazier's career has focused on language, communication, and content production, particularly in health education and information. From 2005 to 2015, she supported learning in the health science department of a higher education establishment, teaching the language of health, research, and other language application skills to paramedic, pharmacy, and medical imaging students.

From 2015 to 2023, Yvette worked as a health information editor at Medical News Today and Healthline. Yvette is now a freelance writer and editor, preparing content for Everyday Health, Medical News Today, and other health information providers.

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