Dandruff afflicts
hundreds of millions of people around the world – in fact, by some estimates,
half the adult human population suffer from the itching and flaking of the
scalp that typifies this frustrating condition.
Unfortunately, there’s
no medical cure for the condition, because it involves a fungus that lives and
thrives on the scalp as part of our normal human biota. However, most mild cases of dandruff can be
effectively treated with shampoos, as long as they’re used regularly.
But as just about
anyone who suffers from a stubborn case of dandruff will attest,
over-the-counter dandruff shampoos are not always effective. And often, even
shampoos containing anti-fungal drugs are not effective.
Thankfully, many
people suffering from stubborn dandruff are finding that colloidal silver is
the perfect natural remedy, due to its powerful antifungal properties. Here’s what you need to know now…
For over a decade now, I've been spraying 10 ppm homemade colloidal
silver on my head (after showering) each morning, for dandruff.
It almost immediately cleared up a stubborn and life-long
dandruff problem I’d endured since childhood.
And it’s never
failed to keep the dandruff completely under control for me.
This means my wife no longer has to inspect the shoulders of
my shirt or jacket as we get ready to enter a restaurant or other public place,
and use her hands to brush the dandruff away, as she frequently had to do when
we were first married nearly 20 years ago. (What would me do without wives,
huh, guys?)
The Dandruff Shampoo
Shuffle
In fact, I can remember when my bathroom shower had at least
four different dandruff shampoo products on the shelf, because no single
product ever seemed to be able to completely relieve the dandruff.
One product would work for four or five weeks, and then stop
working. And I’d have to switch to
another dandruff product for a month or so, before it too would stop working. Then I could go back to the original, or try
yet another.
I had used the typical Selsum Blue, Head & Shoulders,
Pantene Pro and even the prescription version of the antifungal Nizoral
shampoo.
But in every case, the dandruff kept coming back.
I tried dietary changes, such as eliminating sugar and
simple carbohydrates from my diet. I
tried reducing stress. I tried washing
my hair more often. I tried washing it less
frequently than usual.
I tried products that were supposed to add oil to the
scalp. And I tried products that were
supposed to help dry out the scalp.
Nothing worked. The
dandruff prevailed.
Thank You, Dr. James
Balch!
It wasn’t until 1997 or so, when I read an issue of Dr.
James Balch’s newsletter on natural healing, Prescription for Healthy Living, that I finally understood why nothing I had tried was
working.
Dr. Balch explained that many stubborn cases of dandruff are
actually caused by topical fungal infections in which the fungus either becomes
overactive on the scalp, or over-populates the scalp, triggering larger than
usual levels of dead skin cells to be shed from the scalp.
Thankfully, I had been introduced to colloidal silver
several years earlier. And I’d been
researching it ever since. So I knew that
numerous medical studies had demonstrated the simple fact that colloidal silver
kills fungus, yeasts and molds with astonishing effectiveness.
Of course, I’d been ingesting colloidal silver orally, at
that time, and had found it to be a big help – in conjunction with other
supplements -- for controlling the bouts of chronic fatigue syndrome I’d been
plagued with for years previously.
But armed with my newfound knowledge about fungus growing on
the scalp and causing dandruff, I also began spraying it on my head each
morning after showing, drying and combing my hair.
And miraculously, the lifelong dandruff problem that could
not be controlled by even the toughest of dandruff shampoos cleared up almost
overnight!
Is There a Fungus
Having Sex on Your Head?
If you’ve got dandruff, you’ve quite possibly got a fungus
having sex on your head. Let me explain…
According to the National Disease Research Interchange (see here),
the cause of stubborn cases of dandruff has actually been suspected for over
100 years.
But it was not completely verified until 2007 when a team of
scientists working for Procter & Gamble began to study the fungus now known
as Malassezia globosa.
“A team at Procter & Gamble
said they had sequenced the genome of Malassezia
globosa, a fungus that grows on the skin of between 50 percent and 90
percent of the population. It causes dandruff and a range of other skin
conditions.
Malassezia fungi have been the
suspected cause of dandruff for more than a century. Previously referred to as Pityrosporum ovale, Pityrosporum orbiculare, or Malassezia,
these fungi are now known to consist of at least seven Malassezia species.
…Malassezia lives on the scalps of
most healthy adults without causing problems. But sometimes it grows out of
control, feeding on the oils secreted by your hair follicles and causing irritation
that leads to increased cell turnover.
The result is a large number of
dead skin cells. As the cells fall off, they tend to clump together with oil
from your hair and scalp, making them appear white, flaky and all too visible.”
In short, Malassezia
globosa is a normal part of the micro-flora that lives on our skin. But when it grows out of control on the
scalp, the end result is more dead skin cells than normal, resulting in both flaking
and itching.
Thomas Dawson, a scientist at Proctor & Gamble, led a
team of researchers to study the Malassezia fungal organism. They grew enough of the fungus to give
dandruff to 10 million people.
Then they sequenced the entire genome of the fungus.
One of the things they discovered is that the fungus is “capable
of excreting more than 50 different enzymes that help digest and break down
compounds in the hair and scalp.”
These enzymes can trigger the scalp irritation that so
frequently accompanies stubborn cases of dandruff.
Researchers say irritation to the scalp caused by excessive
levels of the scalp-dwelling fungus and the enzymes they secrete seems to
cause faster turnover of skin cells, meaning more dead skin cells than usual
are being replaced by new skin cells.
In people without
dandruff, it takes about 30 days for a crop of new skin cells to mature, die
and shed. In people with dandruff, it
may take only 2-7 days, thanks to Malassezia
globosa.
Another thing the researchers discovered is that the
Malassezia fungus has “mating-type genes,” indicating it is capable of
sex.
According to MicrobeWorld.com, fungi do not usually
reproduce by sex. Indeed, most fungi reproduce
asexually, by budding (i.e., “buds”
are grown, each of which develops into a new fungus), fragmenting (i.e., in
which two or more fungal fragments grow into new individual fungi) or through
fission (i.e., a single fungus splits into two).
Researchers speculate that Malassezia’s apparent ability to
reproduce sexually may well explain why it is so hard to eradicate once it gets
established on the scalp.
That’s because sexual reproduction of fungi helps ensure genetic
recombination, increasing the likelihood that offspring will be better adapted
to the environment they’re “born” on, and can withstand any adverse conditions
which may exist.
In other words, the fungus is literally genetically predisposed
to thrive on your scalp!
In With Colloidal
Silver, Out With Dandruff Shampoos!
Popular dandruff shampoos that use the minerals zinc (i.e.,
Head & Shoulders) or selenium (i.e., Selsun Blue) as an active ingredient
are generally effective against mild cases of dandruff, because these two
metals are known to be at least moderately antifungal and antibacterial.
Similarly, shampoos containing topical antifungal drugs such
as ketoconazole (i.e., Nizoral) also work by inhibiting fungal growth.
And shampoos that use Tea Tree oil or Neem as active
ingredients can also work for mild cases of dandruff, simply because both Tea
Tree oil and Neem are natural antifungal agents.
But in many cases the Malassezia
globosa fungus can be too tough to eradicate for standard dandruff shampoos
containing zinc, selenium, or essential oils like Tea Tree Oil or Neem, or even
for shampoos containing drugs like ketoconazole.
In fact, researchers say new anti-dandruff treatments are sorely
needed since the existing compounds used in shampoos have never been very
effective at preventing and treating stubborn cases of dandruff.
So it should come as no surprise, I suppose, that colloidal
silver, being the world’s most powerful natural antiviral, antibacterial and
antifungal agent, would work wonders against dandruff – even when shampoos
containing selenium, zinc, Tea Tree oil, Neem oil or an antifungal drug like ketoconazole
don’t.
After all, numerous clinical studies going back to the
1970’s have demonstrated the profound effectiveness of colloidal silver against
a wide variety of fungal pathogens. For
example:
Colloidal
silver has also been demonstrated, anecdotally, to work against toenail fungus
(see article here).
And
it’s been demonstrated, anecdotally, to work against athlete’s foot fungus and
other topical fungal infections, as well (see article here).
What’s
more, colloidal silver has even been demonstrated, anecdotally, to work against
the potentially deadly fungus behind Valley Fever, known as Coccidioides,
of which there are now an estimated 150,000 cases per year in the U.S. (see
article here),
costing billions of dollars in annual medical treatments.
So
colloidal silver has long been known to have profound antifungal properties.
What the Experts Say About
Colloidal Silver and Fungal Infections
What’s more, experts agree that colloidal silver and other
silver-based antimicrobials are often astonishingly effective against fungal
pathogens.
Here are just a few quotes from medical studies and various medical
and clinical experts attesting to the powerful healing qualities of colloidal
silver against fungal pathogens:
"In addition to its antibacterial properties, silver
is also being studied as an antifungal agent.
A study published in Mycoses in 2007 indicated that
silver is effective against four fungi which cause major fungal infections in
humans: Trichophyton rubrum, Candida albicans, Microsporum canis, and
Aspergillus flavus."
-- S.M. Foran, Therapeutic
Properties of Silver: an Historical and Technical Review
"Silver is taken up rapidly by fungus spores, so
that germination can be completely inhibited after a contact time of 1 minute
or less.
Only mercury( I) and (II), and to a lesser extent copper,
offer serious competition."
-- Miller, Lawrence P., and
McCallan, S.E.A. 1957. Toxic action of metal ions to fungus spores.
Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 5(2), 116-122.
"Silver was similarly toxic to a range of [fungal] pathogens including
Pythium aphanidermatum, Thielaviopsis basicola and Fusarium oxysporum f.spp.
Most zoospores of phytophthora spp were killed by Ag+ in the range 5-50 ppb,
bursting at the higher concentrations...
Zoospore cysts and germlings showed the same sensitivity
to silver. Oospores were mostly killed over the range 25-100 ppb...
…It is surprising that no silver-based fungicide has been
developed."
-- Slade, S.J., and Pegg, G.F. 1993. The effect of silver and other metal
ions on the in vitro growth of root-rotting Phytophthora and other fungal
species. Annals of Applied Biology, 122, 233-251.
"Spherical silver nanoparticles (nano-Ag) were
synthesized and their antifungal effects on fungal pathogens of the skin were
investigated.
Nano-Ag showed potent activity against clinical isolates
and ATCC strains of Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Candida species (IC80, 1-7
microg/ml).
The activity of nano-Ag was comparable to that of amphotericin B, but
superior to that of fluconazole (amphotericin B IC80, 1-5 microg/ml;
fluconazole IC80, 10- 30 microg/ml).
Additionally, we investigated their effects on the
dimorphism of Candida albicans. The results showed nano-Ag exerted activity on
the mycelia.
Thus, the present study indicates nano-Ag may have considerable antifungal
activity, deserving further investigation for clinical applications."
-- J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2008
Aug;18(8):1482-4., Kim KJ, Sung WS, Moon SK, Choi JS, Kim JG, Lee DG.
Department of Microbiology, College of Natural Scienes, Kyungpook National
University, Daegu 702-701, Korea.
“…the antifungal activity and its mechanism of silver, Nano-Ag specifically,
was investigated.
Nano-Ag, in an IC80 range of 1-25 µg/ml, showed significant antifungal activity
against T. mentagrophytes and Candida species.
Toward all fungal strains, Nano-Ag exhibited similar
activity with amphotericin B, showing IC80 values of 1-5 µg/ml, but more potent
activity than fluconazole, showing IC80 values of 10-30 µg/ml.
…Many studies have shown the antimicrobial effects of Nano-Ag (Klasen, 2000;
Russell & Hugo, 1994; Silver, 2003), but the effects of Nano-Ag against
fungal pathogens of the skin, including clinical isolates of T. mentagrophytes
and Candida species are mostly unknown.
The primary significance of this study is the observation that Nano-Ag can
inhibit the growth of dermatophytes, which cause superficial fungal infections
(Kim et al., 2008).
Nano-Ag also exhibited potent antifungal effects,
probably through destruction of membrane integrity (Kim et al., 2009).
To the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to apply Nano-Ag
successfully to dermatophytes and pathogenic fungal strains.
Secondly, the fact that preparation method of Nano-Ag
described here is cost-effective is also of importance. Therefore, it can be
expected that Nano-Ag may have potential as an anti-infective agent for human
fungal diseases.”
-- The Silver Nanoparticle (Nano-Ag):
a New Model for Antifungal Agents, Dong Gun Lee School of Life Sciences and
Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University,
Republic of Korea
“The results of the current study demonstrate the
excellent in vitro performance of silver, particularly the nanocrystalline
form, against a variety of common fungal pathogens.
The most remarkable aspect of the fungicidal experiments
is that nanocrystalline silver appears to be effective against the resistant
spores produced by some of these organisms."
-- Wright, J.B., et al. 1999.
Efficacy of topical silver against fungal burn wound pathogens. American
Journal of Infection Control, 27(4), 344-349.
“The present study demonstrated that anodic silver (Ag+)
at low direct currents had inhibitory and fungicidal properties.
Broth dilution susceptibility tests were made on several
species of Candida and one species of Torulopsis.
Growth in all isolates was inhibited by concentrations of
electrically generated silver ions between 0.5 and 4.7 mg/ml, and silver
exhibited fungicidal properties at concentrations as low as 1.9 ,ug/ml.
The inhibitory and fungicidal concentrations of
electrically generated silver ions are lower than those reported for other
silver compounds.”
-- Antifungal Properties of
Electrically Generated Metallic Ions, by Becker, Spadaro, Berger, Bierman,
Chapin, published inAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Nov. 1976, p.
856-860
"Silver ions are bactericidal, antifungal,
protozoicidal, and active against herpes simplex virus."
-- Russell, A.D., et al. 1994.
Antimicrobial activity and action of silver. Progress in Medicinal
Chemistry, 31, 351-370.
"Beginning in the 1970s, several independent
researchers found that silver ions easily destroy Candida and other fungi.
But it wasn't until a pilot study during the mid- 1990s
that included human patients suffering from terminal AIDS that medical
researchers established solid evidence showing just how quick and effective
silver ions can be in the treatment of Candida as well as HIV.
In this study, nine individuals who were near death were
divided into two subgroups. One group suffered from HIV and a terrible Candida
infection.
The other group suffered from both HIV and an extreme
form of malnutrition (known as Wasting Syndrome).
The researchers found that in both groups the colloidal
silver was capable of killing pathogens and purging the bloodstream of germ
defenses in order to restore the immune system."
-- Dr. Jonathan Wright, M.D.
“I sincerely recommend that everyone have electrically generated colloidal
silver in their home as an antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal
agent."
-- Dr. Joseph Weissman, M.D. board certified immunologist and Assistant
Clinical Professor at the University of California Medical School
“Ag-NP's have strong antifungal activity on Candida
albicans, Candida globrato, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei, and
Trichophyton mentagrophytes.”
-- Biometals, 24 September 2010, Antibiotic effect of silver
nanoparticles on Staphylococcus aureus
“Electrically generated silver has also proved adept at killing various
yeast/fungus species at very low Silver concentrations, including Candida
albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. pseudotropicalis, Torulopsis
glabrata and Aspergillus niger.”
-- James South, MA, Biochemist
Unfortunately, there have been no clinical studies conducted
specifically on the effectiveness of colloidal silver against the dandruff-causing
Malassezia globosa fungus.
However, the anecdotal evidence for colloidal silver’s
effectiveness against dandruff is pretty darned convincing, as you’re about to
see.
What Colloidal Silver
Users Say…
Here are just a few of the anecdotal accounts I’ve run
across from people who have used colloidal silver to control their stubborn
dandruff problems:
“I found out about the
silver about a year ago, I am never without it.
I used it on my son’s
dandruff also, which the Dermatologist gave him an Rx for 65.00 shampoo that
did not work. Grrrrrrrrrr…nothing worked except the silver. That and Essential
Fatty Acids!
Love this stuff and
wish more people would be aware of it.”
-- Joanna S.
“You name it, and
we've probably used colloidal silver for it!
My husband even sprays
it on his hair in the mornings, for dandruff. And come to think of it, he
hasn't had any dandruff to speak of in four or five years now!
Owning a colloidal
silver generator from The Silver
Edge has given us the luxury of being able to use high-quality micro-particle
colloidal silver any time we need it, and we never have to worry about the
costs.
The machine is very
easy to use, and easy to store. And it is without a doubt the single-best
money-saving appliance in my entire house!"
-- K. Sullivan, NM
“I
have got rid of my dandruff with Colloidal Silver. And using it on burns is nothing short of
astonishing. The relief is practically instant.
I
cannot promote it enough. Thx Steve for all your dedication and hard work. It
is very much appreciated."
-- Peter A.
Here are some
additional testimonials regarding colloidal silver and dandruff, from various
websites:
“I had dandruff as long as I can remember
and have used "Head and Shoulders" for at least 25 years.
One morning a few
weeks ago, I ran out of shampoo and started using my wife's un-medicated kind.
I keep a bottle of
colloidal silver on my bathroom counter to take a swig from each morning. It
has a spray cap on it so I can use it as deodorant (works great!).
I sprayed it on my
hair and let it dry. I noticed the next day, my hair was nice and soft. I did
it the next day and used the un-medicated shampoo again.
Now, I use it every
day and have soft hair and no itchy scalp or dandruff. What a blessing! Try it.
It may work for you.”
-- UtopiaSilver.com
“I have not used the
colloidal silver a lot yet but I did use it on my daughter’s hair. She has hair
like I did when I was younger it got greasy within one day and the dandruff was
awful.
But I used the
colloidal silver in her hair and there was no dandruff and it actually stayed
soft and not greasy for at least 3 days after.
It’s the only thing
that has kept her hair free of dandruff.”
-- UtopiaSilver.com
“I've always had
dandruff, and without washing every single day with dandruff shampoo, my scalp
would get itchy and flaky, and my hair would get oily. And I'd be extra
susceptible to bed head, hat head, and other such embarrassments.
Depending on who you
ask, dandruff seems to be fungal or yeast-oriented condition. Colloidal silver
is supposed to have anti-fungal properties, right?
Turns out, for me at
least, it works better than the store-bought shampoo. Less itchy, less flaky,
less oily. I'm calling this one Confirmed.”
-- GreenBlueBrown.blogspot.com
In short, colloidal silver is a powerful anti-dandruff agent
that, for many people, appears to be even more effective than traditional antifungal
shampoos.
Getting Rid of Your Dandruff
Simply spraying some 10 ppm colloidal silver onto your head
and working it into your scalp after showering and drying your hair each
morning seems to do the trick for most people.
Then simply comb your hair and go about your day, leaving
the silver to air dry on the scalp.
However, in really stubborn cases, some people may need to
do this three or four times a day, at first.
But usually within a week most people report being able to
use the colloidal silver only once per day directly after showering for
complete relief of their dandruff.
Many people also pour a couple of ounces of 10 ppm (or
stronger) colloidal silver into their favorite bottled liquid shampoo, and
shake it up to evenly disperse the silver throughout the soap.
In this manner, they create their own powerful homemade anti-dandruff
shampoo, for added protection against dandruff.
But simply spraying a 10 ppm solution of colloidal silver
directly onto the head (and working it into the scalp, if you have thick hair)
seems to work well for most people dealing with mild to moderate dandruff
problems.
The Bottom Line
Silver’s powerful antifungal properties have not only been
known for decades but have repeatedly been verified by medical science.
So frankly, it’s quite astonishing that colloidal silver has
never been investigated as a remedy for dandruff.
In part, that’s because, as I mentioned earlier, the specific
fungal pathogen responsible for most stubborn cases of dandruff, while
suspected for nearly 100 years, was never completely verified as the actual cause
of the condition until 2007.
And in part, it’s also because Big Pharma has had a
love-hate relationship with silver ever since the advent of prescription
antibiotic drugs back in the 1940’s, which displaced silver as the reigning
antimicrobial treatment of the day.
The medical establishment is therefore loathe to admit that
nature’s miracle antibiotic – colloidal silver -- actually works better (and
safer) in many cases, than their failing prescription antibiotic drugs.
So it probably won’t be long until you’ll hear of clinical
studies being conducted to see whether or not silver can help control stubborn
dandruff problems, as well.
But you don’t have
to wait for the studies.
If you have a stubborn dandruff problem, you can find out if
colloidal silver will work for you, right
now.
How? Simply by
purchasing some at your local health food store (or by making your own colloidal silver
at home) and trying it on your scalp as described earlier in this article.
It’s relatively inexpensive.
And unless you have an allergy to silver, it’s perfectly safe. What’s more, it’s completely natural. And it’s generally very soothing to dry,
itchy skin as well.
I’ll write more on this topic as additional information
comes about. And I’ll be back next week
with another great article on colloidal silver.
Meanwhile, you can learn more about making and using colloidal silver by clicking
the link in this sentence.
Yours for the safe, sane and responsible
use of colloidal silver,
Helpful Links:
Important Note and
Disclaimer: The contents of this Ezine have not been
evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Information conveyed herein is from sources
deemed to be accurate and reliable, but no guarantee can be made in regards to
the accuracy and reliability thereof.
The author, Steve Barwick, is a natural health journalist with over 30
years of experience writing professionally about natural health topics. He is not
a doctor. Therefore, nothing stated in
this Ezine should be construed as prescriptive in nature, nor is any part of
this Ezine meant to be considered a substitute for professional medical advice. Nothing reported herein is intended to
diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
The author is simply reporting in journalistic fashion what he has
learned during the past 17 years of journalistic research into colloidal silver
and its usage. Therefore, the
information and data presented should be considered for informational purposes
only, and approached with caution.
Readers should verify for themselves, and to their own satisfaction,
from other knowledgeable sources such as their doctor, the accuracy and
reliability of all reports, ideas, conclusions, comments and opinions stated
herein. All important health care
decisions should be made under the guidance and direction of a legitimate,
knowledgeable and experienced health care professional. Readers are solely responsible for their
choices. The author and publisher
disclaim responsibility and/or liability for any loss or hardship that may be
incurred as a result of the use or application of any information included in
this Ezine.
Copyright
2013 | Life & Health Research Group, LLC | PO Box 1239 | Peoria AZ
85380-1239 | All rights reserved.
Posts
