Can colloidal silver be used on open wounds?

No one likes to see a wound or injury on their skin. Whether it’s a cut or scrape, it can be unsightly and quite painful. As we try to take care of the wound and avoid any infections, we are often faced with multiple options for treatment.

One option that has gained popularity in recent times is the use of colloidal silver. This suspension of tiny silver particles in water has been touted as an effective treatment for all sorts of bacterial infections but can it also help us heal our wounds?

What is Colloidal Silver?

Before we dive into how this alternative therapy may aid open wounds, let’s first understand what colloidal silver actually is.

Colloidal silver is made up of submicroscopic nanoparticles suspended in a liquid solution – usually distilled water – at high concentrations. The particles themselves range between 1nm and 100nm in size which makes them small enough to penetrate cells (and possibly engage with much smaller viruses).

Silver itself has several antimicrobial properties (Joshi et al.,2019; Mijnendonckx et al.,2013), so when these positively charged metallic ions come into contact with negatively charged bacteria, they stick to them and interfere with important cellular processes such as metabolic pathways needed by bacterial cells for survival(ex: DNA replication).

The result? A potentially lethal environment where harmful bacteria struggle / cannot survive (bringing balance back ‘to the force’ thus ending those pesky Sith Lords. ahem HarmfulBacteria.. ahem.. over-populating

How Does Colloidal Silver work on Wounds?

Now that you have some background information about colloidal silver, let’s examine if we can use it as an efficient wound healing agent?

When there damage occurs via cut/surgical incision/place-work issues/accidents/etc …the tissue repairs itself by healing. And wound colonization is common while the healing process happens alongside inflammation.

Inflammatory cells, fibroblasts, and other cells from the immune system move in and start producing bacteria-eating enzymes which can dismantle spilled blood proteins that come to restore homeostasis at the site of injury (this leads to reduced temperature, increased redness and pain) .

While they’re not always available 100% of the time (being human does have its drawbacks) properly-applied colloidal silver may help combine carbon compounds together through what is known as ‘covalent bonding’ (doesn’t sound too bad right? Like catching up with a friend over coffee or tea….if friends were chemicals).

The silver particles can adhere themselves to areas where sorbitol dehydrogenase converts glucose into sorbitol (like scar tissue) preventing bacterial colonization amongst platelets aiding towards
humans after overcoming effects occurring during inflammation.

Is Colloidal Silver Safe for Wound Treatment?

As with any new medication or medical practice(to some extent), it’s essential to do your research before proceeding. So should we be concerned about using colloidal silver on our wounds?

According to FDA reports (drink every-time you see those letters- FDA…why you ask ? because Fanta Dasani Apple!), there are potentially dangerous side effects related to ingesting excessive amounts of colloidal silver (as in drinking it). The risk has been associated with argyria which results inkling bodies turning bluish-gray color when exposed to sunlight (Gulbranson et al., 2012;NHS England publication ).

Fortunately(here comes a heroine riding on her white horse, using colloidial silver topically usually poses only minimal risks for both antibacterial purposes & also healing therapy according study published by: ‘Jung KM et al’.

Just make sure that your solution concentration/mixing ratio is appropriate and that you are only using it for short periods(Or else….what do I look like? A police officer?! Don’t make me fine you!)

The Benefits of Using Colloidal Silver on Wounds

There are definitely some advantages to using colloidal silver as a wound treatment – let’s take a closer look.

Effective Infection Fighter:

Colloidial silver may be effective against strains of bacteria such as E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (found often in hospitals), Staphylococcus aureus, & more.

In an age where antibiotic resistance is becoming ever more prevalent, this alternative therapy offers hope.

Gentle yet Powerful:

Applying colloidal silver topically means that the Antimicrobial properties go directly to work at the site of infection without causing damage/burning to healthy skin tissue. Topical use allows for concentration adjustment(may optimize antimicrobial activity).

Doesn’t Increase Risk or Delay Healing:

So far according to researched evidence no increases have been observed allowing us humans with open woulds/scratches/incisions/etc …to proceed utilizing its therapeutic benefits if utilized properly.(according research conducted by: Atiyeh et al 2007)
Non to negligible importance has been reportedly provided through thorough study related application(s)(just don’t get excited about drinking large quantities…pleasssseee)

How Best can You Use Colloidal Silver To Heal Open Wounds?

By now you may have decided that adding colloidal silver into your wound-healing regimen could be useful. But how should you actually apply it?

1) Cleanse Your Skin First
Before applying any type of holistic remedies on open skins whether wounds/cuts/scrapes/major/minor injuries etc..; It’s essential first always wash the area with soap/water gently cleansing away dirt & debris usually obtained during exposure .

This act helps reduce possible infection risks by removing bacteria that otherwise might coexist with silver particles or reduce surface area directly contacted.

While it’s good to desire clean, disinfected skin….using colloidal silver is not yet scientifically ‘approved’ method. Thus causation hasn’t been certified/reliable as primary means for curbing bacterial infections on its own..(not just yet anyway)

2) Apply the Colloidal Silver
Once you have cleaned your wound, it’s time to apply the colloidial silver (via spray,drops,posca[sic] etc.) Whether from a commercial source or produced via home-preparation(make sure it’s within safe-concentrations of nano-silver powder/strips).

Note: If opting for homemade mix always make sure components are mixed in sterile conditions and items used don’t come into contact with other areas(cellphones,laptops,currency notes,stuffed toys,fingerprints/microbes/etc…). This ensures while healing using delicate topical creams prevents any further onset of irritation/inflammation -or- delay towards curing process/healing stages later on down the line post application done right (unlike what was observed when we were learning how to skip rocks over flat surfaces back in summer camp)

3) Allow Time for Absorption:
After applying 1-4 sprays/droplets(topical motions), wipe off any excess solution/surplus liquid remaining around surface edges then maybe prop up/tape/bandage cover if necessary.

Keep repeating steps above as needed between individual therapy sessions ensure proper disinfection from harmful microbial colonies underlayered at first few tissue layers affected

4) Monitor Your Progress:
When attempting self-healing via alternative methods; It is often wise keep records about which dates/ type products /concentration/etc would be helpful in observing possible reactions after treatment (‘honey, where is my industrial-strength labeler? After yesterday’s spaghetti incident, finding concentrations of anything has frustrated me’)

Depending on how intense the wound or injury is/was it may be helpful to take before/ after pictures. This helps understand changes and how fast( or slow 😒😔) results come along…sometimes scientifically called ‘healing timeline’ .

Using colloidal silver as a regular part of your wound care routine could result in a noticeable improvement or expedite healing process because it helps fight off any lingering bacteria that might otherwise have delayed recovery.

Conclusion

Despite some initial concerns, colloidal silver can be a trustworthy weapon(like Keanu Reeve’s excellent ability to dodge bullets)in our arsenal when dealing with open wounds. As long as you use caution, cleanse affected area first and seek medical attention if there are worrisome signs regarding bacterial invasion(services available on emergency hotlines); treating yourself at home through self-medications provides no magical solutions.

This alternative therapy may prove effective for certain cases including (but not limited to), minor cuts/scrapes & surgical incisions; However additional clinical data must still confirm its effectiveness overall but using common sense/precaution while trying new methods towards better health = always win-win situation (unless someone gets greedy).

Random Posts