Honey has been rumored to help healing for centuries, but does it actually
work? A new review finds the answer is yes- at least for burns.

Researchers say the antibiotic properties of honey can speed healing and perhaps reduce the chances of infection.

The suggestion that honey can help heal burns goes all the way back to the
ancient Egyptians, but a new review suggests 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 suggest that applying honey to a burn may speed up healing by
as much as four days.

Scientists theorize 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.

After that, a tiny smear of honey on the burn might just help, but
researchers say they don't know yet whether honey actually beats out more
modern antibacterial treatments.