Venous Ulcers or Arterial Ulcers: Could Manuka Honey Dressings Be the Missing Piece in Healing?

Chronic lower-limb wounds such as venous ulcers and arterial ulcers remain some of the most difficult conditions to manage in modern healthcare. These ulcers often resist standard treatment, leading to prolonged healing times, high recurrence rates, and significant patient discomfort.

Imagine a 65-year-old patient with a history of diabetes and hypertension. He presents with a venous ulcer near the ankle that has persisted for months despite routine dressings. The wound shows heavy exudate, increasing pain, and early signs of infection. Standard approaches have failed to bring improvement, and both the patient and clinicians are searching for alternatives. In such cases, innovative options like manuka honey dressings for wounds—with their natural antimicrobial activity and ability to maintain a moist healing environment—are being explored worldwide.

Could this approach be the missing link in achieving better outcomes for patients suffering from these challenging ulcers?

Understanding the Difference Between Venous and Arterial Ulcers

Venous Ulcers

Cause: Venous insufficiency leads to poor return of blood from the legs.

Appearance: Shallow wounds with irregular edges, often near the ankle, with heavy exudate.

Guidelines: Compression therapy remains the gold standard of care (NHS UK).

Arterial Ulcers

Cause: Peripheral arterial disease restricts blood flow.

Appearance: “Punched-out” wounds, typically on bony prominences, with dry tissue and significant pain.

Guidelines: Often require vascular interventions before topical therapy (NCBI).

Can Manuka Honey Dressings Support Healing?

Therapeutic Properties of Manuka Honey

Medical-grade honey, especially Manuka honey, exerts antimicrobial effects via high osmolarity, acidity, and, notably, methylglyoxal (MGO)—which can inhibit biofilms and even antibiotic-resistant bacteria .

Evidence in Venous Ulcers

• A randomized study involving 80 patients with chronic VLUs showed that those treated with Manuka honey plus compression healed in up to 7 weeks, compared to up to 14 weeks in a group treated with calcium alginate + silver dressings MDPI.
• Another study on sloughy VLUs found Manuka honey improved healing at 12 weeks, though slough reduction at 4 weeks was not significant ebm.bmj.com.
• A retrospective comparison between standard alginate vs. Medihoney alginate dressings for lower-extremity chronic wounds showed the honey group had a significantly faster reduction in wound area (from ~14 cm² to ~1.7 cm²) and higher complete closure rates (71.4% vs. 43.8%) jwmr.org.

Limitations & Guidelines

• A systematic review and guideline summary reported conflicting evidence: some guidelines advise against using honey for chronic wounds like VLUs, while allowing its consideration in pressure injuries.
• One small RCT indicated potential benefit of honey in chronic VLUs, but overall evidence remains mixed.

What About Arterial Ulcers?

Evidence for Manuka honey’s effectiveness in arterial ulcers is scarce or inconclusive. One case series noted minimal improvement in arterial-type wounds compared to venous ones PMC.

Application Scenarios and Best Practices

1. For VLUs: Use as adjunct therapy, especially when combined with compression bandaging. Monitor carefully, and switch dressing if no progress within several weeks.

2. For arterial ulcers: Proceed cautiously; surgical or vascular interventions may be prioritized before topical alternatives.

3. General chronic lower-extremity wounds: Manuka honey-alginate dressings may be particularly beneficial in antibiotic-resistant or infected wounds jwmr.org.

In all cases, follow the TIME framework—focus on debridement, infection control, moisture balance, and edge care—to guide wound management decisions.

Introducing CEEPORT’s Solution: Adhesive Island Dressing for Targeted Healing

Our product—CEEPORT Manuka Honey  Dressing—offers:

• A non-adherent central pad compatible with sensitive or fragile wound beds, ensuring gentle removal.
• A breathable adhesive border providing secure and comfortable adherence, ideal for lower-limb exudative ulcers.
• Versatile use in burns, post-op wounds, traumatic injuries, and similarly, chronic leg ulcers with moderate exudate.

This combination addresses critical needs such as moisture retention, infection barrier, ease of use, and patient comfort.

Why CEEPORT’s Dressing Stands Out

• Ease of Use: One-step application without additional tapes—beneficial in home or clinical settings.
• Patient Comfort: Non-sticky pad reduces wound bed disruption, especially important when changing dressings frequently.
• Supporting Healing: When paired with Manuka honey or similar agents (via separate application or saturation), it may enhance the moist and antimicrobial environment needed for chronic VLU management.

Final Thoughts

Venous ulcers and arterial ulcers present unique challenges — but could manuka honey dressings be the missing piece in their healing journey?

While evidence strongly supports their role in venous ulcer care, especially with compression, their application in arterial ulcers remains more limited. Nevertheless, when paired with high-quality dressings like CEEPORT’s Manuka Honey  Dressing, manuka honey may help create the optimal healing environment patients need.

Learn More and Explore

• For deeper insights on wound management, visit our Wound Education Blog.
• Browse our full portfolio at the CEEPORT official site.
• Discover our specialized adhesive solution: CEEPORT Manuka Honey Dressing