Background and Aim: Eczema is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease that reduces quality of life of the patient. The present clinical trial with control group aimed to determine therapeutic effects of natural honey plus cold cream compared to cold cream alone on hand eczema. Methods: Through a blind clinical trial, 72 patients with hand eczema were categorized in two equal groups. The first group used a mixture of honey plus cold cream and the other group applied cold cream alone. Patients used either Treatment 2 times a day for 21 days on their lesions. The effects including relief of symptoms such as dryness, redness, itching and scaling were evaluated by a dermatologist as well as the patients themselves. The results were analyzed using SPSS software and P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: According to the physician’s evaluation, 26 (36.1 %) patients in group combined honey and coldcream, were cured and 9 (59.12%) patients do not recover while in cold cream alone group, 6 (3.8%) patients were recovered and 30 (7.41%) patients did not. This difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). According to the patients evaluation in group combined honey and coldcream, 26 (36.1%) felt better and 9 cases (59.12%) did not, while the corresponding rates in group cold cream alone were 6 (2.8%) and 30 patients (7.1%) respectively. This finding was statistically significant (P<0.001). Conclusions: With respect to the therapeutic effects of honey on hand eczema, it is recommended to use honey with other therapies to treat eczema.

Keywords: hand eczema, honey, cold cream, clinical trial

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