Exploring the Role of Honey Dressing in Post- Cesarean Surgical Site Wound Care

Delivery via cesarean section (C-section) heightens the likelihood of surgical site infection (SSI). Expensive medications and dressings are employed to manage the healing of C-section wounds, which may lead to a delayed healing process and an extended hospital stay. Consequently, complementary therapies and alternative medicines have recently become more popular. In this context, various studies indicate that the topical application of honey dressing is beneficial for the rapid recovery of C-section wounds in mothers. This paper aims to explore the potential roles of honey in the healing of C-section wounds. Studies were selected by searching for keywords such as honey, cesarean section, C-section, surgical site infection (SSI), wound healing, and tissue remodelling. Research articles, case studies, clinical trials, and reviews were obtained from databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Embase, Medline, and Scopus. Only full articles published in English up to June 2025 were included in this study. Data gathered from various sources indicates that honey is an easily accessible, cost-effective natural product, abundant in a wide range of nutritional components. Honey possesses numerous medicinal properties. It reduces inflammation, oxidative stress, microbial infections, and scar formation. Nutritionally rich honey promotes wound healing by enhancing cell proliferation and migration, angiogenesis through the elevation of growth factors, as well as tissue remodelling via collagen degradation. Moreover, the viscosity and hygroscopic characteristics of honey safeguard wounds against infection and dehydration. The use of honey dressing leads to a faster recovery from post-cesarean wound and SSI when compared to the conventional treatment strategies.