While I believe the "ax" that beekeepers grind is about the antibotic
properties of honey, there is large following in the medical field that
understands that any 'sugars' added to wounds improves healing times.
Surface sugars provide healing cells with disposable sugar energy.
Otherwise these sugars would have to be pulled through digestive system and
transported through the blood. The immediate osmosis of sugar to the cells
expidites the healing process.
The cited study may not have found honey to be effective because of the way
venous ulcers heal. They may not contain the same cellular structures that
surface skin wounds like burns and cuts have that can adequately absorb
surface sugars.
This study should not, and probably will not discount any previous studies
demonstrating the benfits of sugars applied to wounds.
(I may be a little bias, I lost the top 1/4 inch off my thumb to my table
saw, which healed miraculously back to normal. I attribute that to regular
clean bandages with a liberal dose of honey.)
-Jeff
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