Medical Honey for Boils: Not Recommended
Do not use medical honey (Medihoney) to treat a boil, as current guidelines specifically recommend against honey for wound healing in infected skin conditions. 1
Why Honey Should Not Be Used for Boils
The International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) 2024 guidelines explicitly state: "Do not use honey (or bee-related products) for the purpose of wound healing in diabetes-related foot ulcers" with a strong recommendation based on low-quality evidence. 1 While this guideline addresses diabetic foot ulcers specifically, the principle applies to infected skin lesions like boils, which are fundamentally different from clean burns or surgical wounds.
A boil (furuncle) is an infected hair follicle filled with pus caused by bacteria, most commonly Staphylococcus aureus. This represents an active infection requiring different management than the clean wounds where honey has shown some benefit.
What Actually Works for Boils
Initial Management
- Apply warm, moist compresses for 10-15 minutes several times daily to promote spontaneous drainage and resolution of the boil. 1
- Do not squeeze or attempt to lance the boil yourself, as this can spread infection deeper into tissues or into the bloodstream. 1
Pain Management
- Use oral acetaminophen or NSAIDs (like ibuprofen) for pain control, which are well-tolerated and generally recommended for inflammatory skin conditions. 1
- Topical analgesics such as lidocaine may provide additional relief. 1
When to Seek Medical Care
- Seek medical evaluation if the boil is larger than 5mm, located on the face/spine/groin, associated with fever, or not improving with warm compresses after 3-5 days. 1
- Medical treatment may include incision and drainage by a healthcare provider, with or without systemic antibiotics depending on severity and location. 1
Why the Confusion About Honey?
The confusion arises because honey does have evidence supporting its use in clean burns and some surgical wounds—contexts fundamentally different from infected boils:
- The American Heart Association 2024 guidelines state it "may be reasonable to apply honey" to small partial-thickness burns being managed at home after cooling. 1
- Research shows honey dressings heal burns 7.80 days faster than silver sulfadiazine with lower complication rates. 2, 3
- Honey has demonstrated antibacterial properties in laboratory studies and some clinical contexts. 4, 5, 6
However, these benefits in burns do not translate to active skin infections like boils. Burns are thermal injuries with tissue damage but not necessarily bacterial infection at presentation, whereas boils are established bacterial abscesses requiring different therapeutic approaches.
Critical Distinction: Burns vs. Infections
The evidence supporting honey is primarily for:
- Thermal burns (tissue injury from heat) 1, 2, 3
- Clean surgical wounds 1
- Non-infected chronic wounds in specific contexts 1
Boils represent acute bacterial infections where the primary pathology is microbial proliferation in tissue, not tissue injury requiring healing promotion. The IWGDF's strong recommendation against honey for infected wounds should guide practice here. 1
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Do not delay appropriate medical care by attempting home remedies like honey on boils that require professional drainage or antibiotics. 1
- Do not apply honey to obviously infected wounds, as guidelines specifically recommend against this practice. 1
- Recognize that hidradenitis suppurativa (recurrent boil-like lesions) requires specialized management beyond simple boil treatment and may benefit from multidisciplinary care. 1