Honey can be a great treatment for healing acne due to its antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Regular honey has been used for such properties for thousands of years. As an acne sufferer, you may not be aware of the increased benefits of Manuka honey. That’s not your fault because after years of testing even researchers still can’t pinpoint exactly what the special ingredient is.

This article will take a closer look at Manuka honey for acne and you’ll be in a better position to see if it’s a remedy you want to give a try.

A researcher found that honey made from bees who feed from the flowers on the Manuka bush (also known as Tea Tree), native to New Zealand, has antibacterial properties greater than other honeys.

In all honey, hydrogen peroxide is produced from an enzyme that bees add to the nectar which gives the antiseptic qualities. In manuka honey, and in jellybush which is similar but grows in Australia, there’s something else besides the hydrogen peroxide.

Since they cannot pinpoint exactly what the special ingredient is they call it the uniue manuka factor (UMF). They use the UMF as a standard to grade honey on its anti-bacterial strength. Not all manuka honey is the same and not all will have this special property. A honey is only allowed to list UMF as an ingredient if it has a UMF of 10 or above.

The researcher that identified the unique manuka factor, compares it with a regular antiseptic like phenol to measure it’s antibacterial efficiency.

Manuka honey works on all sorts of bacteria and fungi, which makes it useful for treating the bacteria involved in acne prone skin. Some bacteria become resistant to antibiotics that are used to cure acne but Manuka honey for acne can tackle antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria.

It also has a strong anti-inflammatory effect which can reduce swelling in acne and help it heal faster. Since using Manuka honey acne treatment is a natural remedy it is less likely to have side effects and is gentle on sensitive skin.