Colloidal Silver

[Marebear]

I was approached by a customer asking me if I would be interested in using colloidal silver in my soap. He explained that it was antibacterial. I told him that I sell a lot of tea tree oil soap and that it is antibacterial. I also told him that I would research this. Has anyone ever used the colloidal silver?

 

[Scooter]

I have heard of people ingesting it, but not so much as far as people bathing in it. Here is some information from the Mayo Clinic:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-l.../expert-answers/colloidal-silver/faq-20058061

People who ingest too much can have serious problems, most notably developing a permanent and disfiguring bluish hue to their skin. Here's an example: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...ffers-argyria-60-years-silver-built-body.html

Scooter

 

[milky]

People who ingest too much can have serious problems, most notably developing a permanent and disfiguring bluish hue to their skin. Here's an example: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...ffers-argyria-60-years-silver-built-body.html

Yup. My grandmother is a shade more blue every time I see her.

I've heard of using it topically for acne but don't know how well it works.

Not sure but it might react with lye. This is just conjecture based on instructions to not use silver or aluminum utensils when handling kefir. Of course, lye is not a scoby, but I tend to lump silver with aluminum as far as reactivity goes. Any chemists here? Please chime in!

Edit: a Google search proved interesting

 

[Scooter]

Also, are you intending to make medical claims for your soap if you sell it? Any medical claim would probably raise a red flag but one for colloidal silver might look particularly suspicious. I never have sold my soap so I do not really know the intricacies of putting "medicinal" soap on the market.

Any soap sellers want to chime in here?

Scooter

 

[BattleGnome]

I know they sell silver bandages and an old wives tale says that those who eat from silver plates tend to not get sick as often... I can't imagine that would survive the lye (if it didn't outright react badly). Without proper evidence I'd treat silver like the fancier oils, put it in a leave on product or into something without lye. I can't imagine the speed of washing would allow the silver to react much anyway.

If the customer is insistent, maybe offer a bath bomb or lotion? Something that would have longer contact with skin for sure.

 

[jblaney]

I use it and have for years, but not often. It works great to get rid of infections. Some people use it often and that's when you have issues with your skin turning blue/grey permanently. I use Argentyn 23 by Allergy Research Group. Not sure how it would work in soap. It's in water, so you could replace the water with Colloidal Silver. For a small batch it's doable.