Colloidal silver administration and Argyria

For many years, silver and its compounds have been avoided in medical practice for fear of the supposedly skin-staining side effect known as Argyria. Studies show that only overexposure to silver salts as well as over dosage in uncontrolled therapeutic administration may lead to the deposition of the mineral at the level of the soft membranes, skin and nails. The Argyria cases are mainly specific to the industrial contact with silver salts, affecting workers in silver mining, metal manufacturing, silver refining and so on. Colloidal silver homeopathic supplements may be administered without the risk of getting Argyria on the one condition that the therapeutic or prophylactic dosage be strictly followed.

The early symptoms of Argyria include staining of the gums that afterwards extends to skin or other soft membranes particularly on the areas exposed to the sun: hands, forehead and nose. However, mention should be made that clinical and physical symptoms appear within years of exposure to silver compounds as a high amount of silver gets deposited in the tissues. Silver doesn't accumulate only in special parts of the body; it is usually spread throughout the system, though you may not see the outward signs.

Argyria treatment involves first and foremost the end of exposure to silver compounds; if you've been taking a high dosage of colloidal silver for a long time now and you start showing bluish stains on the skin, it's a clear sign you've administrated too large an amount. Depigmentation products may not be enough to treat Argyria satisfactorily, but it will reduce the number of granules deposited in the upper skin layers and around the sweat glands. Use opaque cosmetics with a high sunscreen level as further depigmentation could be prevented, and they will also mask the already installed Argyria signs.

How can one prevent Argyria? The only way to do so is to avoid taking too large dosages of a colloidal silver product that you've been recommended. Silver is absorbed at the sublingual and digestive level in a matter of minutes; then it remains in the system for a few weeks and is afterwards safely eliminated through excretions. Normal dosage does not present any risk to the user; furthermore, even if you took more colloidal silver than you should have, don't worry about turning blue over night. Even taken like that, colloidal silver is not risky for your body, as it takes months of over-administration to develop Argyria.