Colloidal silver has been marketed as an effective acne remedy. However, the benefits of colloidal silver hardly move beyond addressing the external factors.
Acne is one of the most common skin disorders afflicting people round the world. An estimated 17 million people in America are afflicted with unsightly acne breakouts and scarring caused by the acne pimples. The skin eruptions and pimples are the result of bacterial infection in the sebaceous glands of the skin. This is usually caused as a result of an overproduction of sebum in the skin due to hormonal changes. There are many acne control treatments, which includes over-the-counter and natural cures. These can help prevent and contain the ugly pimple breakouts. In recent years, colloidal silver has emerged as a permanent acne cure. Let us have a look at what colloidal silver is and whether or not it can actually cure acne.
Colloidal Silver Information
In recent years, colloidal silver has been heavily marketed as a product having a positive influence on a number of health conditions including cancer, AIDS, infections, and many others. It is manufactured by electrically charging and processing 99.9% fine silver which is then attached to a molecule of protein and held in suspension in a solution of de-ionized water. This colloidal state contains submicroscopic particles that enter into human cells and leave it without poisoning the system.
It is believed that when colloidal silver comes into contact with the various infection-causing bacteria, virus, and fungus organisms, it quickly neutralizes and kills off these organisms. So how different are they from our regular antibiotics? Well, unlike the regular antibiotics, colloidal silver is known to possibly differentiate between single-celled life forms like viruses and tissue-cell enzymes, thus leaving the good bacteria and the tissue cell enzymes in place. Along with this, colloidal silver is considered safe for human use and does not come with any visible side effects. However, in the long run, the silver salts deposit in the skin and eyes cause a condition known as argyria, which can turn the skin ashen-gray.
Is it Effective?
While the benefits of colloidal silver in killing of the bacteria and virus is undisputed, its use in acne treatment has been surrounded by a number of controversies. Although the silver is effective in killing the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria that normally live on the skin and cause plugged follicles, it is not effective in resolving the internal issues that cause acne. While the external causes are fixed for a while, the root causes of acne, which are essentially the hormones that trigger overactivity in the sebaceous or oil-producing glands, remain intact.
In fact, most of the topical creams, antibiotics, and benzoyl peroxide are used for external treatment only. So using colloidal silver can clear the blemishes while you use it, but once you stop the acne treatment, the pimples and zits would soon reappear.
It is best to understand that the only way to effectively tackle acne is to provide holistic treatment that reduces not just the external symptoms but treats the underlying cause as well. You can use the colloidal silver in conjunction with natural acne treatments such as aloe vera and Vitamin E creams, that help to repair the damaged cells while the colloidal silver restricts and kills off the bacteria that causes acne.