Honey for Eczema: What the Research Actually Says

Honey has been used on skin for thousands of years, and it is the first ingredient people notice in our name. So it is fair to ask: what does the science actually say about honey and eczema-prone skin? We think you deserve a straight answer, including the parts that are still uncertain. This article walks through the research we know of, what it does and does not show, and why the active ingredient in our creams is actually colloidal oatmeal.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is a medical condition, and the right plan depends on you. Please talk with your doctor, dermatologist or pediatrician about your skin, especially before starting anything new on a baby or on broken skin.

Why honey shows up in skincare

Honey is mostly sugars and water, along with small amounts of enzymes, acids and plant compounds. Three properties make it interesting for skincare:

  • It is a humectant. Like glycerin, honey attracts and holds water, which helps skin feel more hydrated.
  • It is naturally acidic. Healthy skin sits at a slightly acidic pH, and honey is acidic too.
  • It has a long history in wound dressings. Medical-grade honey products are used in clinical settings, which is why researchers became curious about other skin uses.

None of that automatically means honey will change how eczema behaves. For that, we need clinical studies, and here the evidence is small and mixed.

What the studies show

Study 1: Manuka honey, 2017 (small and encouraging, not controlled)

In 2017, researchers published a study in Immunity, Inflammation and Disease (Alangari and colleagues). Adult volunteers with eczema patches on both sides of the body applied manuka honey to one side overnight for seven days and left the other side without honey for comparison. In the 14 people who completed the study, the honey-covered patches scored better on a three-item severity scale than the comparison patches. The team also ran lab tests on skin cells, which suggested honey may influence some of the signals involved in skin inflammation.

What to keep in mind: only 14 people took part, the volunteers knew which side got honey, and the comparison side received nothing at all rather than a standard moisturizer. The authors themselves concluded the results needed to be confirmed by randomized, controlled clinical trials.

Study 2: Kanuka honey, 2014 (randomized, and no difference found)

A 2014 pilot trial in JRSM Open (Fingleton and colleagues) tested medical-grade kanuka honey, a close relative of manuka, in 15 adults in New Zealand. Each person applied honey to an eczema patch on one side of the body and a plain aqueous cream to the matching patch on the other side, every night for two weeks, with the side chosen by coin toss. A second investigator who did not know which side was which scored the skin.

After two weeks, the researchers found no meaningful difference between the honey side and the comparison side, including on itch scores reported by participants. They noted the study was small, so it could not rule out a modest effect, and that honey's look and stickiness made full blinding difficult.

So where does that leave us?

Two small studies point in different directions. The honest summary is this: there is not enough evidence to say that honey on its own changes eczema. What honey reliably does is help skin hold moisture, and that is exactly how we use it.

Our active ingredient: colloidal oatmeal

If you look at the Drug Facts panel on our Original Skin-Soothing Cream or Nut-Free Skin-Soothing Cream, the active ingredient is not honey. It is colloidal oatmeal at 1%, listed as a skin protectant.

Colloidal oatmeal is oats ground into a very fine powder that disperses in water. The FDA's skin protectant rules for over-the-counter products include it, which means it is one of a small group of ingredients allowed to carry OTC skin protectant labeling. It is also used in many oatmeal creams and bath products you will find at the pharmacy. On skin, it forms a protective film and helps dry, itchy-feeling skin feel calmer and more comfortable.

How honey, beeswax and oils fit in

Most eczema care guidance, including the National Eczema Association's moisturizing guide, comes back to one habit: moisturize consistently, especially right after bathing. A good moisturizer usually combines three kinds of ingredients:

  • Humectants draw water into the top layer of skin. In our creams, that role goes to organic honey.
  • Emollients soften and smooth. Ours come from plant oils: olive, almond and sunflower in the Original, and grapeseed and sunflower in the Nut-Free.
  • Occlusives form a light seal so moisture stays in. We use beeswax in place of petrolatum.

Put together with 1% colloidal oatmeal, that is the whole idea behind Eczema Honey: a simple, steroid-free cream with no added fragrance, made to keep dry, eczema-prone skin moisturized and comfortable. Both creams carry the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance.

Is honey right for your skin?

Honey and beeswax are gentle for many people, but no ingredient suits everyone. A few practical points:

  • Bee product allergies. If you are allergic to honey, bee pollen, propolis or beeswax, skip honey-based skincare and ask your allergist about alternatives.
  • Tree-nut allergies. Our Original cream contains almond oil. Choose the Nut-Free cream instead.
  • Patch test first. Apply a little to a small, unaffected area and watch for redness or irritation before using it more widely.
  • Do not use kitchen honey as a skin product. The studies above used medical-grade honey. Food honey is not made or tested for use on skin, and it is messy and sticky.
  • Babies and broken skin. Check with your pediatrician before using any new product on an infant, and with your doctor before applying anything to cracked, weeping or infected-looking skin.

When to see a doctor

Moisturizers are one part of eczema care, not the whole plan. Stop use and ask a doctor if your skin gets worse, or if symptoms last more than 7 days or clear up and come back within a few days. Get medical care promptly for skin that oozes, crusts, is very painful, or comes with a fever. A dermatologist can help you work out triggers and discuss prescription and non-prescription options.

Shop the routine

Want to see how these compare with other well-known creams? Read our ingredient comparison with Aveeno, CeraVe and Vanicream.

References

  1. Alangari AA, Morris K, Lwaleed BA, et al. Immunity, Inflammation and Disease. 2017. doi:10.1002/iid3.153. PubMed 28474502
  2. Fingleton J, Helm C, Tofield C, Weatherall M, Beasley R. A randomised controlled trial of topical Kanuka honey. JRSM Open. 2014;5(1). doi:10.1177/2042533313509263. PubMed 25057363
  3. U.S. FDA, Skin Protectant Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use, 21 CFR Part 347
  4. National Eczema Association, Moisturizing
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