Colloidal silver is nature’s
safe, natural antimicrobial. As such,
many users claim it makes the perfect substitute for the potentially harmful, chemical-laden and sometimes caustic acne medications and prescription antibiotic drugs so often
used to treat persistent acne.
Here’s what you need to know
about using colloidal silver to help your body heal pimples, boils, blackheads,
whiteheads and acne outbreaks in general, quickly, easily and effectively…
Some may
laugh it off saying zits, blackheads and whiteheads are just life’s cruel joke
designed to crush adolescent enthusiasm.
But in reality, acne can be a serious
matter for both teens and adults alike.
It’s true
that to a teenager there’s nothing more
devastating than waking up in the morning and finding you have a third eye
growing on your forehead. Indeed, one should never forget the emotional and
physical pain these unsightly blemishes can cause.
The way I
remember it, the more important the day was too me (i.e., school pictures,
important date, etc.) the greater the chance of developing a monster. I would
run to the
bathroom and pull out every acne product I had, and cover it with thick paste
of goop. Then peering into the mirror I would watch and wait for some sign of
the offending zit’s demise.
I
would try to resist the urge to squeeze it, knowing it would only result in an
even more unsightly wound. But the urge was often too great. In the end I
would give in to my instinct to destroy the alien creature that landed on my
face in the middle of the night. I never really understood how or why pimples
formed. Like most teenagers, I hated and
feared their arrival.
In
the course of this article you’re going to learn why you need not hate nor fear
acne outbreaks any longer, thanks to a safe, natural substance known as colloidal silver which helps heal acne
outbreaks in four important ways. More
on that in just a moment.
But
first, let’s take a closer look at the plague of acne, learn why acne outbreaks take place, and why
even adults into their 40s, 50s and 60s are now being afflicted with this
troublesome condition.
Acne: It’s Not Just for Teens Anymore!
For
some unfortunate souls, acne is not just a youthful phase but rather an ongoing
torture, even into adulthood. Indeed, it
appears there’s been a gradual but quite dramatic rise in the number of cases
of adult onset acne since the late 1970s.
And today, adult onset acne is afflicting
more men and women today than ever before.
In fact, according to this study,
published in the British Medical Journal
way back in 1979, facial acne affected only 3% of men and 5% of women after age
40.
But
the researchers also discovered that the average
age of clinical acne cases had increased from age 18 to age 26 – this, in just
a few short years. And doctors were
seeing significant increases in cases of adult onset acne in both men and women
well into their 40s!
The study authors
speculated at the time that “the surprisingly high prevalence of acne in adults
may be related to antibiotic treatment.”
In other words, way back in the 1970’s researchers were speculating that
the use of antibiotic drugs to treat acne may have been allowing acne-related
bacteria to mutate and grow stronger and more prevalent, reaching further into
the adult population than it previously had.
Today,
nearly 35 years later, a whopping “25% of adult men and 50% of adult women” are
affected by stubborn acne outbreaks at some point in their adult lives,
according to an article on
Acne.org. What’s more, “One-third of
adults affected with facial acne also have acne on their back and body.”
The
article goes on to say, “For still unknown reasons, people seem to be
struggling with acne into their 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond. Dermatologists find themselves seeing more
adult acne patients than in previous decades.”
In
other words, the increase in adult onset acne noticed by researchers back in
the late 1970’s has now skyrocketed. And
since antibiotic drugs like tetracycline, doxycycline and others have been used
for decades to treat stubborn acne outbreaks it begs the question could this
dramatic rise in cases of adult acne be yet another example of the over use of
antibiotic medications?
Well,
according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), that may
well be the case. . .
“Antibiotic
use, appropriate or otherwise, contributes to the development of antibiotic
resistance. This is true for acne medications that contain antibiotics.
Short and long-term use of antibiotics for treatment or
prevention of bacterial infections should be under the direction of a physician
to ensure appropriate use and detection of resistance.”
In
other words, the more antibiotic drugs are used against acne, the more
resistant (and resilient) the acne-causing bacteria have become. And thus they can spread easier into the
adult population.
As
promised, in just a moment we’ll discuss colloidal silver, a safe, natural alternative to the use of chemical-laden
acne drugs and prescription antibiotics.
And we’ll see exactly why so many acne sufferers are finding it to be
highly effective, even in stubborn cases of teenage acne as well as adult onset
acne. But first…
What Really Causes Acne?
According
to an article
on HowStuffWorks.com, acne results when the pores of the skin become plugged
with dead skin cells and an oily substance produced by the skin’s sebaceous
glands called sebum.
These
plugged up skin pores in turn make the environment of the skin extremely
conducive to bacterial overgrowth. It’s
like turning your skin into a laboratory Petri dish. As the article on HowStuffWorks.com explains:
Acne occurs
when several things happen inside the pores. First, the sebaceous glands
produce too much oil.
Then, as the
pore's lining naturally renews itself, it sheds dead cells. These cells -- not
the cells on the surface of the skin -- combine with sebum to create a plug.
The result is an enlarged, blocked pore called a comedo.
If the plug
stays beneath the surface of the skin, it causes a whitehead. If it reaches the
surface of the skin, it causes a blackhead. If the walls of the pore break
down, the result is a pimple, also called a pustule.
Plugged
pores create a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, which causes pain,
inflammation and swelling. The bacteria and oil can also create deep, painful
areas called cysts, which can lead to scarring.
Meet the Acne Bacterium
In
short, when the pores of the skin become plugged up with guck, they also become
conducive to harboring colonies of various bacteria – including Propionibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus epidermidis and sometimes
even Staphylococcus aureus.
Propionibacterium acnes is a common
bacterium found in the many nooks and crannies on human skin.
Interestingly,
the size of these colonies varu with age. Researchers have discovered that
colonization begins a few months after birth, but only in relatively small
concentrations. Years later as we approach puberty and
the environment of the skin changes, colonies of the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria can explode into a full grown
empire.
While Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus are present in acne as well, researchers have mixed
opinions regarding the extent to which either of these pathogens are involved
as a causative agent in acne outbreaks.
For
example, one clinical study titled
“Staphylococcus aureus in Acne Pathogenesis:
A Case-Control Study,” published in the North American Journal of Medical Sciences, begins by saying “There
is considerable evidence which suggests a possible pathogenic role for Staphylococcus
aureus in acne vulgaris” [i.e., adult onset acne].
Ominously,
the study further states that “Most Staphylococcus aureus isolates in the acne group were resistant to doxycycline
and tetracycline.” (Doxycycline and
tetracycline, of course, being the two main antibiotic drugs being used by
doctors to treat severe and persistent acne for decades -- ED)
But
the study ends with the researchers claiming the role of Staphylococcus aureus in acne is still “controversial”
and that more research is needed. Well,
of course. That’s what researchers
do: more research.
According to an entry on Wikipedia.com, the other form of Staph
bacteria that lives on human skin, Staphylococcus
epidermis, is also implicated in acne outbreaks:
“Preliminary research also indicates Staphylococcus
epidermidis is universally found
inside affected acne vulgaris skin pores, where Propionibacterium acnes is normally the sole resident.”
In other words, there’s at least some evidence that acne results when Staphylococcus epidermidis begins to move in and colonize skin
pores normally colonized by Propionibacterium acnes.
And while Staphylococcus epidermidis is almost
universally considered by researchers to be a rather benign bacterium, one
clinical study from May
2000, published in the Journal of
Dermatology, demonstrated that “More than 30% of Staphylococcus epidermis isolates [from acne lesions] were
resistant to antibiotics such as erythromycin, roxithromycin, and
clindamycin.”
So
regardless of which pathogens actually exacerbate acne, I certainly don’t want
these potentially drug-resistant superpathogens growing out-of-control on my
face!
Skin Care First and Foremost
Nevertheless,
it’s important to note that in order to fully understand the cause of acne you
must realize it’s not caused by any single element, such as a bacterium. There’s no
such thing as an “acne germ” plaguing humanity as it spreads its unsightly and
destructive offspring around the world.
Instead,
acne is caused by a host of changes on the skin that can result in the perfect
environment for common skin bacteria such as Propionibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus epidermis and even Staphylococcus aureus to thrive and spread.
To
resolve acne, you must learn to control the conditions
that lead to the formation of pimples. Think of yourself as a farmer of beauty,
and think of your skin as your field. If you want a beautiful healthy crop of flowers
on your field, you’ll need to make caring for the field a top priority. If not, it will be taken over by noxious
weeds!
In other
words, start thinking in terms of what you need to do in order to cultivate an
environment that is conducive to healthy skin as opposed to an environment
conducive to the growth of pathogens such as Propionibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus epidermis and
Staphylococcus aureus.
There are
four main things experts say need to be done in order to help create an
environment on the skin that is not conducive to acne outbreaks:
#1: Drink lots of fresh, pure water!
Water
is not only important for proper hydration of skin cells, it’s essential in
removing waste and toxins from the blood. White blood cells that die fighting
off pathogens as well as the toxins produced by these pathogens must be removed
from the body.
This
includes the pathogens that are associated with acne! If you don’t get enough
water, the body’s natural cleansing processes can be dramatically circumvented.
#2: Eliminate excessive sweets, refined
carbohydrates and processed foods from your diet.
To
put it simply, sugars and processed foods have a high glycemic index which can
lead to inflammation of hair follicles that result in sebum blockages which in
turn leads to more pimples.
A
2002 study in the Archives of Dermatology
demonstrated that people who eat a diet of fresh plant foods and lean meat have
few to no pimples, whereas people with similar genetic makeup living in Western
countries, eating a diet rich in refined carbohydrates (i.e., sugars) and
processed foods developed dramatically more acne.
#3:
Practice
proper skin cleansing and moisturizing.
Experts say
you should clean your skin at least twice a day, to remove excess oils and dirt
that can clog pores. But avoid harsh
alkaline soaps like bath soaps as they can destroy the *acid-mantle, the
natural barrier that forms on our skin and helps protect our tissue from
bacterial, fungal and viral infections.
Some people
swear by expensive moisturizing colloidal silver soaps, such as Cor Silver Soap, or Cyclic
Nano Silver Cleanser, which are available on Amazon.com and can range between
$39 to $120 a bar. Based upon the numerous
positive anecdotal accounts I’ve seen, these pricey soaps must really work.
However, for
those of us not made of money, a really good colloidal silver soap, with some
phenomenal moisturizers in it as well, is Silver Miracles Original Colloidal
Soap, which sells for under $10 a bar (see here) and which I've used for years to keep my skin in great condition.
#4: If
additional moisturizing is needed, use a “noncomedogenic” moisturizer.
Keep
in mind that heavy, oily moisturizers can contribute to clogged pores and lead
to further outbreaks.
All
dermatologists agree that keeping your skin properly moisturized and
maintaining a healthy *acid-mantle is essential to preventing acne and other
skin problems from developing.
So
it’s important to use only skin moisturizers that are pH balanced and
specifically designed to aid in building a healthy skin environment.
*
It’s important to note that colloidal silver will NOT disrupt the natural pH
barrier of the acid mantle, because it is slightly acidic and will actually
support it by helping to kill pathogenic organisms.
Can Colloidal Silver Help?
In my book, The
Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual, I recount the story of a young teen
my wife and I personally knew, who very successfully used colloidal silver to
beat a stubborn and persistent case of facial acne:
“A friend of
ours had a teenage grandson who suffered with terrible facial acne. Nothing they tried would help. No over-the-counter medications worked. And the doctor’s prescription drugs didn’t
work either.
We gave our
friend a bottle of 10 ppm colloidal silver and she had her grandson put some
into a small fine-mist pump spray bottle so he could spray it directly onto his
acne outbreaks two or three times a day and allow it to air dry each time. She also had her grandson drink about one
ounce of colloidal silver each day, orally.
It took him
about three weeks to get rid of the vast majority of his acne. Then he stopped using the colloidal silver,
finding that he only needed it on an occasional basis after that.
For example,
if he saw an acne outbreak starting, he’d nip it in the bud by starting up his
topical and internal colloidal silver regimen again for a few days until the
outbreak would go away.
In this
manner he changed virtually overnight from a young teen with what seemed to be
interminable facial acne, including large angry red and purplish inflamed
pimples that covered his face from his jawbone to his cheeks, to a very
handsome and smooth-skinned young man.”
Here are a
few more real-life accounts from people who have witnessed first-hand just how
effective colloidal silver can be against acne!
A reader named Dale T. wrote some time
back to say he'd cured his cat of feline infectious peritonitis by giving him
an eyedropper full of colloidal silver orally, several times a day. He ended his letter by saying:
"Two young teens in our neighborhood
find the same formula very effective in controlling their acne. The best
testimony stems from their respective mothers coming back for more!”
In other words, simply taking a few
eyedroppers full of colloidal silver orally each day apparently helped heal the
acne of these two teens.
Another reader wrote as follows:
"When I have adult acne
breakouts, I will spray a light mist all over my face after washing. I do this
daily after showering or washing my face, and within a couple of days, my face
is much more clear."
And another reader wrote:
"My girlfriend has noticed a huge
improvement in healing her acne with colloidal silver. At some point soon we
could provide ‘before and after’ photos to prove how amazing the results have
been so far.
…we have found that using a soaked
piece of gauze pad with colloidal silver on it held on the trouble spots
overnight produces the best results vs. spraying it on several times
daily."
Now that’s a completely different
technique, and one that we’ve heard from many colloidal silver users works for
very stubborn cases of acne.
Finally, a reader from Oregon wrote:
"Our teenager had acne and sprayed colloidal
silver on her forehead each day, and the acne cleared up. Colloidal silver is
now a daily regimen for our family."
As you can see, different people have
had different experiences using colloidal silver against acne, but so far, all
positive.
·
Some
acne sufferers noticed dramatic results simply by taking colloidal silver
orally, as a daily nutritional supplement.
·
Others
sprayed colloidal silver onto their acne outbreaks several times a day.
·
And
still others experienced successful results by wetting gauze pads with
colloidal silver and laying them over the affected areas at bedtime.
Some of the best results I’ve
personally witnessed, in which very stubborn and persistent acne outbreaks have
been healed, are from people who have combined these methods.
For example, one individual I know who
suffered from a persistent and particularly inflamed acne outbreak on his neck
and cheeks took one-half ounce of 10 ppm colloidal silver orally, twice per
day.
And throughout the day, whenever
convenient, he would use a small pump spray bottle with a fine mist nozzle to
spray his acne outbreaks with a light mist of colloidal silver, allowing it to
air dry. Often, he did this four or five
times a day.
Then, at night, he would wet several
cotton balls with colloidal silver and use them to clean his entire face, as
well as his neck.
And for the first five days of this
treatment regimen, he would wet gauze pads in 10 ppm colloidal silver and apply
them over the most inflamed areas while laying in bed and reading, before
bedtime.
Within two weeks, one of the most
severe acne outbreaks I’ve ever seen – which had proven resistant to all
over-the-counter acne treatments and doctor treatments – was gone. And it was all thanks to colloidal
silver!
Even
More Successful Results…
While searching the internet for
additional information on this topic, I found this testimonial on the
alkalizeforhealth.net website:
"I have had adult-onset acne
since my 20's (face, neck, chest & back).
I went through everything -- antibiotics, ointments and gels, accutane
(several times) -- but nothing would make it stay away for good.
I became known as the "turtleneck
queen" because I tried to hide my acned neck under turtlenecks (all year
round - they do have short sleeves for summer).
BUT after spraying the colloidal
silver on my face and body for about a month, I started to notice that the acne
gradually was going away and wasn't coming back!!! Wow, it was a miracle for me!
After using it for 2 years now, I just
take it for granted. I can wear all
kinds of tops now because I have no acne to hide anymore. My dermatologist noticed it as well. I told him what I had been doing with the
colloidal silver and he was amazed… At least acne is one thing I no longer have
to worry about."
I also found this testimonial on the
Utopia Silver website:
"My 17 year old son has suffered
with acne for 2 years. He has been on many costly prescription drugs for
lengthy intervals. Nothing has helped.
The dermatologists suggested he go on
accutane as a last resort. After reading the terrible side effects from
accutane my son and I agreed it was not worth the risk.
I had heard very little about
colloidal silver but somehow stumble upon your website. I read your info and
figured it was worth a try since nothing else had worked and the side effects
and cost were nil compared to accutane.
I am happy to report that after 1
month on your colloidal silver product (1 TSP. orally and 2X topically a day)
my sons skin is almost perfect. He
doesn't have any new breakouts and his skin is healing beautifully.
Not only that, but he escaped the flu
that many of his friends have suffered from!
Thank You so much!!"
The following real-life account was
also on the Utopia Silver website:
"I had a coworker who was plagued
by adult acne, had tried everything, and had made an appointment with a
dermatologist to ask to go on acutane.
I told her about the side effects of acutane
and asked her to let me bring her a spray bottle of colloidal silver that I
always keep on hand. I asked her to give it a two week trial before she went to
the doctor.
I also told her how my daughter, who
was in a state beauty pageant, had broken out in a horrible case of acne all
over her face just a week and a half before the pageant and used colloidal
silver.
Her skin was clear for the pageant and
she came in first runner-up and got a nice scholarship.
I told my co-worker to take two
teaspoons twice a day orally and spray it on her face directly after washing
her face.
Her doctor appointment was scheduled for
after the two week period, so she said she would try my method.
At the end of that time, her skin was
clear and she cancelled the appointment! She uses colloidal silver faithfully
now and looks beautiful."
And I found this one on the
health2us.com website:
“My best friend, at age 32 had severe
adult acne and tried many creams with no real results.
I had her taking colloidal silver
internally and the acne was little affected.
At my suggestion, she started cleaning
her face twice daily with a cotton ball moistened with 5 PPM ionic colloidal
silver and in just 2 days the results were vividly clear -- an 80% improvement!
Upon stopping treatment (she though
she got rid of it) the red blemishes reappeared.
Acne is apparently an external
infection and thus internal consumption had little effect and continued
external treatment is required, although now after 6 months she can be much
more lax in cleansing her face."
Here’s a personal account from
Acne.org, from a person exhorting her fellow acne sufferers to try colloidal
silver:
“I have officially stopped all acne
creams pills and everything. I did some research into colloidal silver liquid
and found that it works like no other acne med to clear acne.
I went out and bought some and applied
it all over my face this morning and again this evening and OMG you would not
believe it, my spots have shrunk to almost nothing.
This stuff is seriously amazing!!!
Silver was used many years ago as a
natural antimicrobial before antibiotics were created, and is said to heal many
ailments.
I’m not entirely sure how it works but
all I can say is please try it. I have tried everything and never experienced
results like this in such a short space of time.”
According to natural living author
Sarah Rachel, on the Yahoo Voices Beauty page:
“Colloidal silver acne treatments are
a simple way to clear up acne fast.
When colloidal sliver is combined with
specific lifestyle changes it can dramatically improve acne...
…You can use colloidal silver
topically twice per day after you have cleansed your skin.
Simply spray the silver all of your
face and avoid touching your face. The silver works both internally and
externally to rid your body of bacteria and viruses.”
How To Use
Colloidal Silver to Prevent and Treat Acne
As you can
see from the above real-life accounts, the procedure for
using colloidal silver to prevent and treat acne outbreaks is really
quite simple.
There are no
prescriptions involved. And there’s no
great cost in time or money to rid yourself of this problem.
If you have
a small pump spray bottle with a fine mist nozzle, a few ounces of colloidal
silver and a minute of your time, you have the solution to your problem at
hand. (Small, glass pump spray bottles
are often available at health food stores.
Or they can be purchased online at some of the sources listed in this article).
From the
first-hand and second-hand reports I’ve received, what most acne sufferers do
is this:
After
following a good skin cleansing either with a mild colloidal silver soap, or
with liquid colloidal silver on a cotton ball, simply spray 10 ppm strength
liquid colloidal silver over your entire acne outbreak and the adjoining skin,
and allow it to air dry.
You can
follow up by taking just a tablespoon or two of colloidal silver orally, up to
twice per day, to help aid your immune system in reducing the colonization of
your skin by various bacterium. The
colloidal silver taken orally will be carried to the skin pores via sweat and
natural internal moisturizing of the skin, helping to reduce bacterial
colonization from the inside out.
At night,
after washing your face again either with colloidal silver soap or with a
cotton ball soaked in liquid colloidal silver, you can also place a gauze
bandage soaked in colloidal silver directly over a persistent pimple or a group
of stubborn pimples. Lay back and watch
TV or read a book for 20 to 30 minutes or longer while allowing the colloidal
silver to work its magic.
Based on the
reports by others, you should be able to start seeing at least minor visible
results within 48 hours. And depending
upon the severity of your outbreaks, significant remission within a week.
You can
judge whether or not you need to continue the colloidal silver treatment by the
progress you’re making.
So whether
you’re a teenager on a search-and-destroy mission trying to eliminate your
archenemy the ‘Zitoids,’ or an adult looking for some relief from the
scar-producing blemishes of adult onset acne, colloidal
silver is something you definitely need to have in your anti-acne arsenal.
Why does colloidal silver work so well against acne? According to colloidal silver advocates,
there are basically four reasons:
Reason
#1: Colloidal silver kills bacterial
pathogens
In clinical studies, various forms of
antimicrobial silver have already been proven to be effective against Propionibacterium acnes as well as the Staphylococcus family of bacteria.
For example,
in this clinical study published in
the Journal of Hospital Infection in
March 2013, it was documented that wound dressings impregnated with
antimicrobial silver were highly effective against Propionibacterium acnes.
According to
the researchers, “The in-vitro data
demonstrated that the silver-containing wound dressing was bactericidal against
Propionibacterium acnes, it maintained its killing effect over a prolonged
period (seven days)…”
In other
words, the antimicrobial silver killed the Propionibacterium
pathogen, and continued killing it for seven days.
Another
clinical study evaluated
how effective silver nanoparticles are against antibiotic-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis as well as
other drug-resistant bacterial strains.
The study authors found silver to be extremely effective, stating:
“The silver
nanoparticles were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities against
different pathogenic organisms.
The most
sensitive antimicrobial activity has been observed against
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus followed by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus pyogenes.”
As you can
see, silver demonstrated antimicrobial activity against even the drug-resistant
strains of Staphylococcus aureus and
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
epidermidis.
[* Numerous additional clinical studies
demonstrating the profound effectiveness of colloidal silver against pathogenic
microbes can be found here.]
The bottom
line is that silver has been clinically demonstrated to be extremely effective
against the specific pathogens implicated in the onset of acne.
Reason #2: Colloidal silver helps boost immunity
Your
immune system is your body’s primary defense against pathogenic microorganisms,
including the ones associated with acne.
So
could persistent and severer outbreaks of acne be a sign that something might
be wrong with your immune system?
Well,
according to the good folks at WebMD acne
outbreaks can indeed be a symptom of a weakened immune system.
“When the immune system weakens, the body finds
itself unable to fight toxic substances alone. This raises the levels of toxins
and ultimately, the inner detoxification system gets weak, and you have more
[acne] breakouts.”
Thankfully,
colloidal silver supports the immune system in several ways. First, using colloidal silver to help kill
pathogens gives the immune system a bit of a rest. It helps the immune system by taking some of
the load off it, and thereby giving it time to re-charge. It’s been well
documented that if the immune system is overwhelmed, it can become
significantly weaker.
“One
recent study (2002) conducted at The Departments of Immunology and Microbiology
and Molecular Cell Immunology and Allergology, Advanced Medical Research
Center, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan, discovered that
silver ions activated mast cells (i.e., mastocytes).
Quoting
the report: ‘These findings indicate that silver activates mast cells by
bypassing the early signaling events required for the induction of calcium
influx.
Our
data strongly suggests the existence of an alternative pathway bypassing the
early signaling events in mast cell activation and indicates that silver may be
useful for analyses of such alternative mechanisms’.”*
This is a very important
finding! Mast cells are similar to white blood cells, which are a crucial
component of the immune system. While
excessive stimulation of mast cells is prominent in allergic responses, normal
activation of mast cells is intimately involved in wound healing and defense
against pathogens.
According to
Wikipedia.com, mast cells are particularly prominent in the skin:
“Mast
cells are present in most tissues characteristically surrounding blood vessels
and nerves, and are especially prominent near the boundaries between the
outside world and the internal milieu, such as the skin, mucosa of
the lungs, and digestive tract, as well as
the mouth, conjunctiva, and nose.”
These specific areas of
the human body – including the skin -- are often among the first to be infected
by invading organisms. Destroying these invaders by activating mast cells
before they can take hold is therefore crucial to human health. And
silver appears to do exactly that!
Of course, the FDA claims
there is no use whatsoever for silver in the human body, and that it has no
affect whatsoever on the human immune system.
This claim is parroted by virtually all orthodox medical experts.
But independent clinical
researchers, cutting edge health practitioners and experienced colloidal silver
users tend to disagree with those contentions, considering them to be the FDA's
way of keeping people herded towards pharmaceutical drugs for all of their
health issues.
Here are some quotes from
other experts who reference, to one degree or another, the beneficial effects
of colloidal silver on the human immune system:
According to Dr. Kent
Holtorf, of the Holtorf Medical Group, silver may be a natural component of the
human immune system:
“There is evidence that silver is a
natural critical component of our immune system and that low tissue levels
associated with a dietary deficiency may result in a relatively weakened immune
system, making one more prone to infection. (3,4,5)”
According to Dr. Robert O. Becker,
M.D., author of the best-selling book, The
Body Electric, who conducted ground-breaking research into silver and
healing at Syracuse Medical University, the lower one’s bodily silver levels
are, the more sickness and disease one is likely to have:
“While analyzing hair samples and
questioning the parties involved, I noticed the correlation between low silver
levels and sickness.
People who showed low silver levels in
their hair analysis were frequently sick. They seemed to have innumerable
colds, flu, fevers, and various other sickness. I
believe that a silver deficiency may be the
key to the improper function of the immune system."
Dr. Jonathan Wright, M.D., of the
famous Tahoma Clinic in Washington State, has stated in his article, “Stop
Supergerms in Their Tracks with One Powerful Silver Bullet”:
“In 1909, the Journal of the American
Medical Association was the first medical journal to point out that colloidal
silver could actually increase our immune cells' phagocytic index.
In the past few years, more studies
have shown that silver ions greatly enhance the essential second part of the
phagocytic index-the part where the germ is digested by our immune cells.
This is brought about because silver
ions increase the "digesting juices" (what you know as hydrogen
peroxide) of these immune cells."
And as the famous Dr. Joel D. Wallach,
BS, DVM, ND and Ma Lan, MD, MSb, and author of Rare Earths, Forbidden Cures has stated:
“Silver has been employed in human
health care and in the search for immortality since the days of the Chinese
alchemist 8,000 years ago.
Many feel that silver is in fact an
essential element, not because it is required for an enzyme system, but rather
as a systemic disinfectant and immune system support."
And according to clinical researcher
V. Edwards-Jones, writing in Letters in
Applied Microbiology, in an article titled, The benefits of silver in
hygiene, personal care and healthcare”:
"Silver has been used for
centuries as an antimicrobial agent to reduce bioburden and prevent
infection…Increasing evidence of improved antimicrobial activity of
nanoparticles of silver and possible dual immunomodulatory effects are
exciting."
And finally, as Dr. Ron Surowitz, head
of the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association, has stated, many of his own
skin patients have found dramatic relief by spraying colloidal silver onto
infected areas of skin:
“...Some
of my teenage patients with facial skin infections seem to do well with a spray
on the skin and into the mouth once or twice daily. Sometimes higher amounts
are needed. This certainly beats taking
antibiotics for years and years to prevent these skin conditions...
…It's interesting how many of my
patients improve with the use of Colloidal Silver. It enhances the immune
system where other antibiotics cause yeast overgrowth...”
So it’s relatively clear that
colloidal silver helps boost immunity.
And of course, a stronger immune system can be a dramatic aid in helping
prevent acne outbreaks.
Reason
#3: Colloidal silver relieves
inflammation –
Inflammation of the skin in acne
outbreaks is a given. Much of that
inflammation is caused by the body’s natural response to attackers, whether
they be bacterial, chemical or even foods your body doesn’t like.
In acne, once your pores become clogged
with sebum and dead skin cells, an oxygen-deprived environment is created that
turns out to be the perfect home for bacteria like Propionibacterium acnes and others
we’ve discussed throughout this article.
They turn
out to be anaerobic bacteria, which means they thrive best in oxygen-poor
environments, such as inside clogged pores.
And as they feast on your sebum and dead skin cells, two things
happen: One, they multiply rapidly. And two, they excrete inflammatory waste
products. This causes the severe
inflammation, redness and swelling that characterizes a nasty acne
outbreak.
Of course, colloidal silver is well
known for its ability to kill the pathogens, which by itself can help relieve
acne inflammation because fewer pathogens are available to reproduce inside of
clogged pores and excrete inflammatory waste products.
But silver is also known for its ability
to reduce inflammation independently,
as well. And it does this by inhibiting
excessive cytokine production.
Cytokines
are one of the body’s signaling molecules produced by our cells. They basically
communicate with other cells in the body.
Among other things, cytokines warn our immune system of invading
pathogens, which in turn then directs white blood cells towards the site of
infection, flooding the area, which in turn produces inflammation.
But
sometimes, particularly with persistent infections such as involved in acne,
the cytokines signal excessive levels of white blood cells, causing excessive
inflammation. But according to several
recent studies, silver appears to bond with and modify the cytokine molecules in
such a way as to inhibit the production of more cytokines, thus reducing the
inflammatory response.
In
other words, even while silver is killing the pathogens, it is also modulating
the pro-inflammatory cytokine response so that less inflammation is
produced. In the case of acne, this of
course would result in clearer skin, faster.
Indeed, silver appears to be so
effective at reducing cytokine expression, the authors of a December 2007 study
published in the journal International Immunopharmacology recommended
studying silver as a treatment against inflammation, saying:
“Kenneth
Wong and others at the University of Hong Kong recently investigated the wound-healing
properties of silver nanoparticles…
…the new
research...indicates that silver…modifies cytokines – the enzymes involved in
cell growth and movement – leading to reduced inflammation and an increased rate of healing…
…These experimental data suggest that nano-silver could be used to treat
immunologic and inflammatory diseases."
So
colloidal silver can help reduce the horrific inflammation that accompanies
moderate to severe acne is two distinct ways, i.e., one, by eliminating
pathogens that are the root cause of the inflammation, and two, by reducing the
body’s own inflammatory response to over-colonization of pathogens.
Reason
#4: Colloidal silver helps soothe and
heal the skin –
If
you’re well-versed in the amazing healing benefits of colloidal silver, then
this is probably old news to you. But for readers who might be new to the uses
of colloidal silver, you’ll probably be surprised to know that silver actually
stimulates cells in your body to regenerate and speed-up healing.
This
astonishing fact was first discovered by Dr. Robert O. Becker, M.D., and
revealed in his best-selling books, The
Body Electric and Cross Currents.
The
results were also published in numerous clinical research papers including:
This research ultimately led to the development of medical
products such as silver sulfadiazine cream, which is used in hospital burn
wards around the world to help prevent infections from setting in on the skin
of burn victims and to stimulate the healing of the skin.
And
it also led to the development of silver-impregnated bandages for use in
hospitals, for the prevention of infection in chronic wounds and to stimulate
wound healing.
The silver actually promotes skin and tissue cell
growth. As a first-hand anecdotal
account published by Dr. Robert O. Young, PhD., in his best-selling book The pH Miracle: Balance Your Body, Reclaim Your Health
reveals, silver’s ability to heal skin can be nothing short of astonishing:
"I was told I had second-and
third-degree burns on my face and third-degree burns on my hands....the very
next day my mother brought me colloidal silver, with directions to use it
externally and internally as frequently as possible, because it assists in
growth of new tissue.
She had learned from Dr. Young
that silver's positive electrical charge counters the negative charge of a
damaged body area, bringing it back into balance and enabling the body to
regenerate and heal itself.
Mom sprayed undiluted colloidal
silver onto the burned areas, and I took it by drops under my tongue...My mother
applied the silver many times a day. It was absorbed into my skin instantly. It
felt cool and tingling and loosened the tension on my face, hands, and
fingertips...
…After only one day of treatment
with silver, it was obvious the healing was happening very rapidly. New tissue
and skin grew back at an accelerated pace. The swelling of my head diminished
rapidly and the breathing apparatus came off almost immediately.
The plastic surgeon told me I was
healing twice as fast as any burn patient he had ever seen in his long
career."
--
The pH Miracle: Balance Your Body, Reclaim Your Health by Robert O. Young,
PhD., pgs 137-138
Your New
Best Friend?
As you can
see, colloidal silver can be an acne sufferer’s best friend.
Silver not
only kills the bacteria that are in large part responsible for the effects of
acne, but it also helps boost immunity so the body itself is able to better
able to naturally and holistically deal with acne outbreaks.
What’s more,
colloidal silver helps reduce the underlying inflammation that’s so common to
acne outbreaks. And it soothes and heals
the skin with remarkable effectiveness.
Many acne
sufferers claim that colloidal silver has worked for them when no other acne
treatment would. And now you can
understand why.
Where Can
You Find Colloidal Silver?
You
can purchase colloidal silver from many health food stores, or from online
vendors on Amazon.com, SwansonVitamins.com and other websites.
Costs
can range between $20 to $30 for a tiny, four-ounce bottle. And it might take two or three of these
bottles over time to get a stubborn or persistent acne outbreak fully under
control.
That
can be expensive. But here’s the good
news: You can make your
own high-quality micro-particle colloidal
silver for about 36 cents per quart
with the Micro-Particle
Colloidal Silver Generator from The Silver Edge.
Indeed, with
a Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator from The Silver Edge, you can make
colloidal silver for the rest of your life, quickly, easily and for just a few pennies per quart.
And the
device is so simple to use, anyone who’s ever made coffee with a kitchen
counter top coffee maker can use a Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver
Generator.
Discover how
simple it is to make your own high-quality colloidal silver with a new
Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator at this link.
Learn More About Colloidal Silver…
One last thing, a tremendous wealth of information on colloidal
silver can be found at The Silver
Edge website.
For example, you can find over 100 articles on the powerful healing and
infection-fighting properties of colloidal silver, at this link.
And you can watch over a dozen “how to” videos on making and using
colloidal silver at this link.
Meanwhile, I’ll be back next week with another great article on colloidal
silver…
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.
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