Benefits of Mānuka Honey for Scars
Mānuka honey, a type of dark honey native to New Zealand that is produced when bees pollinate the flowers of the Mānuka bush, has emerged in recent years as an incredibly effective ingredient in skincare, able to offer advantages such as hydration, healing, and protection. With that said, there has been a lot of buzz (pun intended) about the potential of Mānuka honey and scar healing. So if you want to learn more about Mānuka honey and scar healing, keep reading.
What Is a Scar?
Although nearly everybody has at least one, not all of us know about how scarring works, so let’s break it down. When the skin is wounded by physical trauma like burns, cuts, and acne, your body heals itself by reconnecting cells and generating new ones. This healing process involves several stages.
First, your blood will clot and special cells called macrophages will come in to clear out any damaged tissue and bacteria. Next, your body will send more blood to the healing wound for extra protection and nutrition.
After that, your body will increase fibroblasts, a type of cell that secretes collagen proteins to help strengthen the damaged tissue. And finally, the type 3 collagen that was previously synthesized will be replaced by type 1, a stronger type that helps mend the damage.
Once the wound is completely healed, it will form scar tissue, a type of tissue that has a different texture and quality than the surrounding tissue. Most scars are flat and pale, fading over time. But if the body produces too much collagen, scars can be red and raised. And certain types of scars, like acne scars and some surgical scars, can appear sunken and pitted.
The important thing to note is that properly looking after a wound can help assure that it heals to be as healthy as possible. And though our bodies are incredibly, impressively capable of going through this entire healing process on their own, there are steps we can take to help it along. Utilizing Mānuka honey for scars is one such step.
How Mānuka Honey and Scars Interact
According to research, using mānuka honey for scars and wounds can help the healing of wounds and therefore reduce the occurrence of scars. One 2018 study found that medical-grade Mānuka honey is a very effective wound treatment, able to remove damaged tissue from a wound, kill bacteria, reduce inflammation, and promote the infiltration of fibroblasts, a type of cell that plays a key role in healing wounds. Another study in 2014 showed that using Mānuka honey on wounds helped less scar tissue develop than when wounds were left to heal on their own.
So how is it that Mānuka honey for scar prevention works so well? Well, the exact mechanism isn’t totally known, but Mānuka honey has several properties that could potentially contribute.
First, Mānuka honey is known to have humectant and emollient properties, meaning it can draw and lock in moisture, which cells need a lot of to function properly. Plus, moisturized skin is less itchy, meaning you’ll be less tempted to scratch at your wounds, potentially interfering with the healing process.
Mānuka honey also helps prevent infection, which is important in helping sensitive wounds fend off dangerous microbes, which could potentially turn a small cut into a much bigger problem.
How to Use Mānuka Honey for Scars
Whether you have a burn, a laceration, or an acne breakout, applying Mānuka honey topically to your wound can help speed up the healing process and prevent unsightly scars. First Honey’s products made with medical-grade Mānuka honey are specially formulated to make the most out of Mānuka honey’s natural properties to help your skin. Keep a tube of our Manuka Honey Ointment on hand for the next time you have a wound you want to heal quickly and effectively.
