Make way, gold, silver has become one of the biggest beauty trends. However, we’re not talking about gorgeous sparkly eyeshadow this time, rather we’re focusing on the kind of silver that many women are adding to their skincare routines for an amazing complexion.
Colloidal silver, essentially tiny particles of silver suspended in a liquid, has been used globally as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent for centuries. It was considered one of the most important antimicrobial treatments before antibiotics were widely introduced in the 1940s. Whether it was the Ancient Greeks, Romans or Egyptians, they relied on the invaluable medicine to encourage healing and used it topically to treat infections. And throughout World War II, bandages were drenched with colloidal silver to promote faster healing.
While colloidal silver is still widely used in the medical world, it has also become very popular in the dermatological one. With its reputation as a bacteria guzzler, it’s popping up in more and more products that aim to treat acne and other reactive skin conditions.
The microscopic pieces of silver dispersed and suspended in water act by attaching themselves to the proteins on the cellular wall of the bacteria. After penetrating into the cells, they disrupt the bacteria’s metabolic processes, causing death. Impressively, the precious metal kills germs without destroying the natural balance of your skin. In the case of acne, for example, colloidal silver doesn’t induce bacterial resistance and it isn’t as harsh as other topical treatments like retinoids.
Infused in beauty products, it’s better to incorporate colloidal silver into your beauty regimen via leave-in formulas like serums, moisturisers and mists to allow the active ingredient enough time to work. Plus, choosing the highest quality and purest form of colloidal silver will increase tissue protection and decrease irritant effects caused by oxidative stress. Aim for something with silver hydrosol, positively charged silver ions made of 99.9 percent pure silver. As with any skincare products, it’s better to do a patch test first, plus it isn’t advisable to take colloidal silver orally as it can cause generalised argyria, which is usually a permanent grey to blue discolouration of the skin.
Even If you don’t often break out in spots or get flare-ups of rosacea or eczema, colloidal silver’s anti-inflammatory properties can soothe a stressed-out complexion or sensitive skin. It also stimulates skin elasticity, and as it triggers healing effects in tissue it is perfect for scarred and ageing skin.
