Honey Gaining Respect As Burn Treatment

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- The suggestion that honey can help heal burns goes all the way back to the ancient Egyptians, but a new review has suggested they may have been onto something.

Researchers from New Zealand examined honey's healing power in 19 studies that included more than 2,500 participants. Their results suggested that applying honey to a burn may speed up healing by as much as four days.

Scientists theorized that honey makes the wound less hospitable for infectious bacteria in two ways -- by drawing moisture away from the burn and mimicking the effects of hydrogen peroxide.

Some medical centers around the world are already using honey to treat surgical patients and burn victims -- bandages that contain honey are placed over the wounds to help healing.

For people at home sustaining minor burns, the first step should be treatment with ice or cold water to stop the burning and reduce inflammation.