The Benefits of Colloidal Silver / Silver Hydrosol on the Skin
Silver has been known & used for its medicinal properties since antiquity. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, first described its use as an antimicrobial agent in 400BC. These days, the use of silver nanoparticles – also called “colloidal silver” (or silver hydrosol) – is known to have the exceptional ability of killing germs and is being promoted as a treatment for some skin conditions.
What is colloidal silver / silver hydrosol?
Colloidal silver is actually tiny pieces of silver dispersed & suspended in water. The silver pieces are so small that they are invisible to the naked eye, appearing just like drinking water. Yet it’s this colloidal form of silver which makes it compatible with the body.
To easily understand its use(s): bacteria, fungus & viruses that come into contact with silver are immediately killed by it1. You only have to look in a hospital to see medically approved silver products as the standard for sterile equipment. It is this same antibacterial property of colloidal silver which makes it a great topical treatment on skin conditions such as acne, healing wounds and skin infections.
As a natural remedy that has been around for centuries, it’s still not one that is commonly used in the household. But its use as an antibacterial ingredient makes it an ideal member of your first aid kit for cuts & scrapes. If you search for further information online, you’ll quickly learn that colloidal silver gets quite a beating for its internal use. In some rare cases, it leaves irreversible silver deposits in the skin. But if you stick to products that are approved, you’ll only reap the benefits.
So, what’s the deal?
There’s a buzz surrounding this natural phenomenon. American television personalities Dr. Oz and Academy-Award-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow publicly took a stand in defense of the safety & efficacy of colloidal silver as a natural remedy. They even went so far to endorse its success as a cure-all remedy.
However, the medical community is less enthusiastic than they are, not fully embracing it as a panacea. The lack in scientific support has lead the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban its use in the 90s2. Over-the-counter drugs containing colloidal silver for internal use were no longer for sale. With only topical treatments and homeopathic remedies still made readily available. The EU food authorities (EFSA) followed suit in 2010, classifying it only to be used as an antimicrobial mineral solution – not as medicine or as a food supplement3.
The benefits of colloidal silver in cosmetics
Lotions & creams seem to be the one area where silver nano-particles really has the space to work. Dr. Robert Becker, a pioneer surgeon at Syracuse Medical University, mad a significant discovery. He found that colloidal form of silver triggers an “amazing and unexpected regrowth of tissues” when applied to an infected area. In other words, he found that it helped the skin repair itself. Resulting in dramatically enhanced the healing of damaged skin tissues. Becker’s studies also showed that no cases of topical treatment gave rise to any undesirable side effects.
Since then, it has become favored as an antibacterial mineral solution, becoming a more popular ingredient in high-end organic & green skincare products.
These products make using colloidal silver quite the luxurious experience, and understandably so: its skin repairing and bacteria killing properties makes it a beloved treatment for many skin conditions.