MediHoney

I developed a stye infection on my right lower eyelid a couple of months ago.  I'm not really sure how I got it, but I might've caused an abrasion trying to get an eyelash out of my eye with a tissue.

I reluctantly went to the doctor when it didn't go away after about a week.  She prescribed an antibiotic ointment that I was to apply for around 3 days and if that didn't work I was to take two different types of oral antibiotics simultaneously for a week.

I did all of the above, and the inflammation did subside, but it never really went away.  A thin sliver of pus could be seen trapped under intact skin, not causing any discomfort, but seemingly lying in a dormant state just waiting for the right moment to flare up again.

A couple of weeks ago I decided to try using some MediHoney on it.  I had given away my tube awhile back so I ordered another one from Amazon.  It was $6.99 for a small tube.  

After a few days of carefully (it stings if it gets in my eye) applying small dabs, a breakthrough occurred.  An accumulation of moist pus(?) slough(?) gunk(?) appeared along my lash line.  After washing it off I could see a noticeable improvement.  For the first time in a long time the lid looked healed and lesion-free.

It's been a week now and a very slight redness remains, but I'm hopeful that that too will soon be gone.  What a relief!

You can find more info on Medihoney here.  

I found the information below about honey at the NCBI website here.

Honey is a powerful antimicrobial agent with a wide range of effects. Various components contribute to the antibacterial efficacy of honey: the sugar content; polyphenol compounds; hydrogen peroxide; 1,2-dicarbonyl compounds; and bee defensin-1. All of these elements are present at different concentrations depending on the source of nectar, bee type, and storage. These components work synergistically, allowing honey to be potent against a variety of microorganisms including multidrug resistant bacteria and modulate their resistance to antimicrobial agents. 

Low pH:  The optimal growth of most microorganisms occurs at neutral pH, ranging from 6.5 to 7.5. The acidity of honey, between pH 3.2 and pH 4.5, is a very marked characteristic of its antibacterial efficacy.   Tissue repair is enhanced by the low pH of honey causing a reduction in protease activity on the wound site, elevating oxygen release from hemoglobin and stimulating fibroblast and macrophage activity. 

High Sugar Content:  Pure, undiluted honey inhibits the growth of bacteria due to its sugar content, which exerts osmotic pressure on bacterial cells, causing water to flow out of the bacterial cells via osmosis. As a result, the cells shrink due to dehydration and are unable to survive in the hypertonic sugar solution. 

Production of Hydrogen Peroxide:  When honey is diluted, glucose oxidase is activated and acts on endogenous glucose to produce H2O2.  Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a disinfectant and a strong oxidizing agent. It provides honey with its antibacterial efficacy and is produced enzymatically. The enzyme glucose oxidase is naturally present in an inactive state in honey due to the low pH conditions.  Furthermore, H2O2 has antiseptic effects, and it disinfects the wound site and stimulates production of vascular endothelial growth factor.