Honey has been used for wound healing for over 4,000 years however has only recently been rediscovered by modern medicine. Records of people covering wounds with honey stretch back to ancient Egypt, as Dioscorides reported in 50 AD (1)

The development of medical grade honey products - Melladerm Plus - means that the properties of honey as a healing agent can be used to treat large varieties of different situations; from deep wounds or infected leg ulcers to burns, cuts, grazes, scratches, insect bites, etc.

Using medical honey on a wound is now advocated by many Healthcare professionals however it is also reported that pure honey can be painful when in use on a wound. Additionally modern woundcare practice advocates maintaining a moist wound environment to aid the healing process.
Users should also be aware that honey is produced from different floral sources and the antibacterial activity can vary depending on the origin of the honey and particularly how it is processed(2).


Melladerm Plus contributes to these requirements, consigning two myths about wound healing to history:

If it isn't hurting it isn't working - 100% pure honey products can cause pain by having an excess sucking effect (osmosis) on the wound bed. Additionally it has been reported that the initial application of the honey can cause a stinging pain, which often persists. This may all be good for healing but doesn't and shouldn't have to be painful. Melladerm Plus is a specifically selected honey which is then diluted to ensure all the healing and antibacterial properties are maintained whilst potential for the pain is negligible.

Let the air get at it - A wound kept moist and covered is far more likely to heal. Melladerm Plus provides the ideal moist environment for optimal healing.

The following link is a recently published article outlining the rationale and benefits for Melladerm Plus

Click here to view - Healing without the sting - by Keith Cutting

Published in The Journal of Community Nursing (JCN) July 2008

We offer Melladerm Plus as an ointment, in 20 or 50g tubes, or as a "Tulle" - this is a gauze dressing impregnated with the honey formulation, which will effectively cover wounds up to 10cm x 10cm without the need for extra dressings.

Having access to a proven fast acting ointment is invaluable. Melladerm Plus will:

- Accelerate Debridement (Removal of Dead Tissue)
- Control Odour
- Stop the Growth of Bacteria in the Wound
- Reduce Inflammation
- Encourage Healing

There is a wealth of clinical data supporting the use of honey in wound healing and specifically for Melladerm Plus. Additionally the product is CE Marked as a Medical Device in accordance with EU requirements.
As well as the above article, we have compiled a list of clinical references and also instructions for use at the end of this page however if you are in doubt, or require more information please do contact us.

Melladerm Plus is available to buy online, as an ointment in 20g and 50g Tubes, or as a dressing (Tulle) in 10cm x 10cm size. For your convenience, our prices below are inclusive of postage and VAT for UK delivery. For delivery outside of UK, please visit our Buy Online page. For further information on this product please give us a call on 01628 485159.

For more special offers on this range, please visit our *Spring - Summer Specials 2010* Page

Directions for Use

For single patient use only.
Remove lid, clean the mouth of the tube and the top of the lid with an alcohol swab.
Push the top of the lid into the silver coating to break the seal.
Squeeze the tube and fill the wound, taking care not to touch the wound.
Use a (sterile) spatula when necessary.
Place a dressing on top of the gel to cover the wound.
Melladerm® Plus can stay on the wound for up to 48 hours on average.
Renew the gel in the wound as soon as the gel has disappeared.
Store at room temperature, maximum 25°C / 77°F.

References:

(1) Gunther RT. The Greek Herbal of Dioscorides. New York: Hafner, 1934 (reprinted 1959)

(2) Molan P. Not all honeys are the same for wound healing. Eur Tissue Repair Soc Bulletin. 2002:9

Literature on the effectiveness of honey

1.: J Wound Care/Why do some cavity wounds treated with honey heal without scarring.Vol 11. (2) pg 52. 2002
2.: J Wound Care/The role of honey in the management of wounds. Vol 8. (8) pg 415. 1999
3.: J Roy Soc Med/Antibacterial activity of honey against Staphylococcus from infected wounds. Vol 92. pg 283. 1999
4.: J Postgard Med/Effect of honey on multidrug resistant organisms and its synergistic action with three common antibiotics.
Vol 44. pg 93. 1998
5.: J Obstet Gyn/Radical operation for carcinoma of the vulva. Vol 77. (11) pg 1037. 1970
6.: J Surgery/Recent advances in the management of Fournier's gangrene. Vol 113. (2) pg 200. 1993
7.: J Urology/Genital Fournier's gangrene. Vol 47. (5) pg 734. 1996
8.: Brit. J Surgery/Clinical observations on the wound healing properties of honey. l 75. pg 679. 1988
9.: Brit. J Surgery/Topical application of honey in treatment of burns. Vol 78. (4) pg 497. 1991
10.: Brit. J Plast. Surg/Honey impr. gauze versus polyurethane film in the treatment of burns. Vol 46. (4) pg 322. 1993
11.: J Orthop Surgery/Clinical and bacteriological results in wounds treated with honey. Vol 7. (2) pg 202. 1993
12.: J Burns/A clinical and histological study of superficial burn wound healing with honey. Vol 24. (2) pg 157. 1998
13.: J Obstet Gyn/Speeding up the healing of burns with honey. Vol 32. pg 381. 1992
14.: J Trop Med Hyg/The pattern and outcome of burn injuries, a review of 156 cases. Vol 97. pg 108. 1994
15.: J Burn Care/The efficacy of honey in inhibiting strains of Pseudomonas aer. from infected burns. Vol 23. (6) pg 366-370. 2002
16.: J Appl Microbiol/The sensitivity to honey of Gram-positive cocci of clinical significance isolated from wounds. Vol 93. (5) pg 857-863. 2002
17.: J Dermatology Treat/Healing of an MRSA-colonized, hydroxyurea-induced leg ulcer with honey. Vol 12. (1) pag 33-36. 2001
18.: Acta Paediatr/Local application of honey for treatment of neonatal postoperative wound infection. Vol 87. (4) pg 429-432. 1998
19.: J R Soc Med/Antibacterial activity of honey against strains of Staphylococcus aureus from infected wounds. Vol 92. (6) pg 283-285. 1999
20.: Austr. Wound Man. Ass. Conf./Honey has potential as a dressing for wounds infected with MRSA, March 1998
21.: J Wound Care/The use of honey as an antiseptic in managing Pseudomonas infection. Vol 8. (4) pg 161-164. 1999
22.: J Pharm Pharmacol/The effect of gamma-irradiation on the antibacterial activity of honey. Vol 48. pg 1206. 1996
23.: Ostomy Wound Manage/Re-introducing Honey in the Management of Wounds and Ulcers. Vol 48. (11) pg 28-40. 2002
24.: Am. J Clin Dermatol/Potential of honey in the treatment of wounds and burns. Vol 2. (1) pg 13-19. 2001
25.: Ligament/Honing en wondzorg back to the future. Vol 33. (2) pg 17. 2002
26.: Austr. J. of Wound Man./The evidence for honey promoting wound healing Vol 6. (4) pg 148-158. 1998
27.: Nurs Stand/The use of honey in wound management. Vol 15. (11) pg 63. 2000
28.: Arch Surgery/Protective covering of surgical wounds with honey impedes Tumo Implantation. vol 135. 2000