Years ago when my children were young I read in Prevention Magazine that bacteria couldn’t grow in honey and that honey has been used for centuries as a medicinal remedy. When one of my children developed a severe case of diaper rash and no store bought or prescription ointment helped heal it, I decided to try spreading honey on the rash during each diaper change. To my amazement within two days the rash was completely healed! I told my pediatrician who scoffed at the idea that honey was the cure, but I was convinced and continued to use honey to heal any rash as soon as it appeared!
Fast forward 40 years… there now appears to be a scientific explanation for the healing power of honey. I just read an interesting article entitled “The Science Behind Honey’s Eternal Shelf Life” by Natasha Geiling of the Smithsonian Magazine. She explains that the chemical makeup of honey creates such an inhospitable environment that organisms can't survive. "The pH falls between 3 and 4.5," she explains, "so bacteria must look elsewhere for a home -- the life expectancy inside of honey is just too low."
Honey also contains a small amount of hydrogen peroxide which additionally contributes to its healing power. "Hydrogen Peroxide is the next thing that goes into work against all these other bad things that could possibly grow," Geiling says. So, at last, I feel validated in my use of honey in healing diaper rash! If you are at all interested in the healing power of honey, I encourage you to read Geiling's entire article which is full of interesting facts about bees and honey. Also check out the following links to more articles about the healing power of honey: