Special New Zealand Honey Proven a Natural Medicine

Up from the shires of New Zealand has come a medicine made from honey. Originating from kanuka flowers and processed naturally by bees, the resulting product has powerful antiseptic properties that have been brought to bear against the stubborn skin condition rosacea.

The New Zealand company HoneyLab, the world’s largest platform for honey-based research, has successfully tested medical-grade kanuka honey, called Honevo, against inflamed skin and is seeking to promote the product in larger markets like the United States.

“Rosacea affects 5-10 percent of adults, is very hard to treat and affects quality of life: two-thirds of people with rosacea avoid situations because of it,” said Dr. Shaun Holt, the New Zealand researcher behind Honevo.

Unlike current leading skin treatments, Honevo will be available without a prescription, and this ease of access will contribute to what the maker estimates is a $3 billion market in medical-grade facial skin care.

Trial results that indicate the effectiveness of the new medicine have been submitted to the American Academy of Dermatology. According to the study, partially funded by the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, the Honevo product outperformed Cetomacrogol, a topical cream used on the face, by a 2-to-1 margin.