Medicinal Uses of Silver

• Silver has been used medicinally for centuries, particularly on the skin as an antibiotic. Today, silver nitrate is used to treat eye infections in newborns and skin conditions like warts, and silver sulfadiazine is used to treat burns. According to the Green Beauty Guide, because of its antibacterial properties. colloidal silver is used in bandages in U.K. hospitals to treat burns and infected wounds.
  
  

Silver in Skin Care

• Colloidal silver is used in some skin-care products, as it is believed to act as an anti-inflammatory and to kill microbes and bacteria on the skin. Colloidal silver is believed to be effective against rashes, sties and acne, and to repair damaged tissue and reduce or eliminate scars. However, it is important to note that many modern skin-care products do the same thing without the use of colloidal silver.
  
  

Warnings

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not recognize any products with colloidal silver as being safe or effective. While colloidal silver does appear to have antibacterial properties, its use is not recommended due to possible serious side effects. Though most colloidal silver side effects seem to come from ingestion, a condition called argyria is possible from applying it to your skin. Argyria is caused by a buildup of silver in the tissues of the body and permanently turns the skin gray.