There are many things we come into contact with on a daily basis; food, people, technology, and if you’re living in the southern region of California like me, traffic. But regardless of location, there is something consistently present in the life of every human being…and that is bacteria. There are lots of sources of bacteria and there are lots of antibacterial agents available to assist us in fighting against the build up of bacteria. We’ve all seen the store shelves full to the brim with a variety of these products, not to mention the ridiculous amount of commercials. But what about antibacterial agents when it comes to personal care?
Although lots of products exist to create bacteria free environments (well, maybe not completely free, but significantly decreased) they tend to be filled with chemicals. And personal care antibacterial products are exactly the same.
Let’s take a look at rubbing alcohol…it seems to do a particularly great job at disinfecting wounds, however, it burns the inside of my nostrils if I get even the tiniest whiff of it while trying to rub it on the injured area. This prompts me to wonder, “Just how safe is this food-grade rubbing alcohol for my body to absorb upon application?” My nose certainly isn’t raking in any benefits! But what other options do I have???
Usually it’s just another chemical-filled product that ushers in the same concerns I have about rubbing alcohol. I’m not saying to quit using rubbing alcohol completely, in fact, I have a bottle of 75% Alcohol in my bathroom cabinet right now. Nor am I recommending anyone to abandon their current antibacterial methods. But I would like to inform you of a long forgotten antibacterial agent that is both successful at eliminating bacteria and gentle on the user. This product is a naturally occurring metallic element and it has no smell (so your nose can get a break from the chemical stuff).
I’m talking about Colloidal Silver. This element, which served as a very popular antibacterial agent for infants during the Depression era, is often overlooked by people nowadays. There are so many products available for the average consumer it really isn’t any sort of mystery as to how this happened, but it is unfortunate for the consumer who is looking for a more natural method for eliminating bacteria where personal care is concerned. It is even more unfortunate for the average Joe wanting to eliminate bacteria in extremely sensitive areas on the human body, such as the eyes.
I was recently reminded of Colloidal Silver after a visit to the eye doctor. As I was finishing up my visit to get new contact lenses, my optometrist told me that I have a condition called Blepharitis. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Blepharitis is the inflammation of the eyelids. Belpharitus usually involves the part of the eyelid where the eyelashes grow and affects both eyelids. Blepharitis commonly occurs when tiny oil glands located near the base of the eyelashes become clogged.” Apparently this is a common condition, but it is one that requires attention in order to prevent dry, itchy eyes in the future. I have a very mild case, but because of it bacteria is also collecting at the back of my retinas.
So, my optometrist began discussing treatment options, which were all supposedly mild antibacterial products. My doctor knows of my preference for natural/Holistic products so he first recommended some tea tree oil wipes (apparently found at Trader Joe’s if anyone is interested). He said they will clean the base of my lashes where the bacteria is prone to collecting, but it will definitely burn if the wipe becomes too close to my actual eye. I checked the product out later for myself and saw that someone had left a review saying, “Don’t use this product. It will burn the crap out of your eye!” It must have hurt pretty bad because this guy definitely wasn’t holding back! It is tea tree oil so this definitely makes sense! However, despite the burning side effect I would have been reluctant to use this product anyway because Tea Tree Oil is a known seizure trigger for epileptics (which I happen to be). The strong smell of this essential oil is enough to turn people away, but for an epileptic you’re going to want to run in the opposite direction if you want to avoid increased seizure activity.
My only other option was special medical grade wipes that were created by Optometrists and formulated to help those dealing with Blepharitis. This may sound like the best option, however, these wipes are full to the brim of chemical ingredients. Are these ingredients actually safe for coming in contact with the eye?? Definitely not, but they’ve been approved for safe use regardless of their poor quality ingredients. Not exactly ideal for anyone looking for a healthy product.
Plus, the product he was recommending costs over $50!! Yeah, I’m not paying that much for some crappy wipes that may or may not help fix the problem. Call me crazy, but I don’t trust a product composed of ingredients created in a lab. Apparently, there are cheaper options if you search for wipes online, but I’m still not very impressed with the product options.
Walmart carries a product called Blephadex Eyelid Wipes for $22.95, which is a more reasonable price, however, the ingredient label is just as scary as the $50.00 wipes and even more so since this product is composed of cheaper ingredients.
Here’s a closer look at the ingredient label for Blephadex Eyelid Wipes:
Aqua, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Benzyl Alcohol, Salicylic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauryl Glycoside
***Side Note: Just as a reminder, an ingredient label lists ingredients according to their overall amount in the product. So, the first ingredient listed is going to be the most dominant ingredient in said product. The last ingredient will mean that there is a very small amount overall. So, now that I’ve covered that, there are a few ingredients I would like to spotlight on…
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil: this is an ingredient frequently used in cosmetic products as a surfactant, an emulsifier, and a perfuming agent. It is basically the gross film leftover from the castor oil that collects during the hydrogenation process and would be much more suitable in the trash.
In this particular product you will notice that the item is listed second on the ingredient label, which means, next to water (Aqua, the first ingredient), this is the primary ingredient in this particular product. So there is A LOT of it! And though it has been deemed “safe” for use in cosmetic products, it has a few dirty secrets… “PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil is a polyethylene glycol derivative of caster oil; may be contaminated with potentially toxic impurities such as 1,4-dioxane” (EWG). In addition to 1,4 dioxane (a known carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) and irritant to the eye that is actually banned in many countries such as Canada) this ingredient has also been found to consistently contain another contaminant that is even more dangerous than the 1,4 dioxane. This second contaminant is called Ethylene Oxide. This chemical is reported by the EWG to be a “known human carcinogen and it is has been shown to be a possible human developmental toxicant, human immune and respiratory toxicant or allergen, known human respiratory toxicant, and it has been classified as an eye, lung, and skin irritant.” So a product meant to improve the skin and eye area is actually composed of an ingredient contaminated by elements that will do the exact opposite. Hmm….is it just me or does something not seem right here???
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, another human carcinogen (EWG), though milder than the previous ingredients.
Benzyl Alcohol is “associated with creating immunotoxicity and has been classified as expected to be toxic or harmful (EWG).”
Salicylic Acid is one of those ingredients that has been given the reputation as a positive ingredient because it is used in so many skincare products. However, it is actually a known skin irritant that many people are incredibly sensitive to, myself included! I actively avoid this ingredient when it comes to my cosmetic products.
Sorbic Acid is a synthetically produced compound used as a preservative, but has a known reputation for being a human skin toxicant or allergen as well as creating organ toxicity (EWG).
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (coconut oil mixed with glycerin) is listed by the EWG as “a known environmental toxin,” but somehow it has not yet been listed as a toxin for the human body as well. Anything that has a poor effect on the environment cannot be any better for the human body…just sayin’.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is yet another synthetic ingredient that is also known to be contaminated by the carcinogen 1,4 dioxane. Nuff said.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is listed as an ingredient that is suspected to be an environmental toxin and has been restricted to limited use in cosmetic products due to the potential harm it may cause, yet it is found in a product meant to cleanse the eyelids. Hmmm…I wonder how an ingredient known to contain Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, 3-Dimethylaminopropylamine, and Nitrosamines (3 carcinogenic ingredients that actually contaminate whatever product they happen to be found in) can be considered as a beneficial or even desired ingredient for any product, especially one with the purpose of CLEANSING the eyelid of existing bacteria. How are contaminated ingredients supposed to help with the removal of bacteria??
Researching each individual ingredient might take a bit of time, but you cannot deny the facts I have provided above. The scary truth is, the majority of ingredients found in the Blephadex Eyelid Wipes ingredient label are both dangerous for human exposure and known to create irritation for the skin and eyes.
Yes, there are other brands of wipes available, but their ingredient labels are also filled with chemically-derived ingredients so why risk your exposure to unhealthy products when a natural option exists?
While living with Catamenial Epilepsy for the last 10 years, I have learned to tread carefully where every processed product is concerned. After being exposed to a majority of unhealthy products and paying a very high price for it, I have come to favor natural/holistic solutions. In this case, I needed a solution to help fight the bacteria collecting in the back of my retinas and at the base of my eyelids. You certainly can’t use any of the “typical” antibacterial products for eye care, such as rubbing alcohol. And the medicinal wipes aren’t even close to being beneficial…so what now?
Colloidal Silver. “Colloidal silver is a commercially sold product that contains microscopic flakes of pure silver. Usually the flakes are suspended in demineralized water or another liquid” (Healthline).
My mom is actually the person who recommended the product to me. She has lots of experience using it for antibacterial purposes. In particular, she has used Colloidal Silver to heal pink eye, styes, and tired/irritated eyes. As well as athlete’s foot, which usually requires chemically-derived foot creams in order to get rid of the fungus completely. However, by applying the Colloidal Silver before bed to the affected areas and wearing socks (in order to contain the liquid around each foot) she was able to get rid of the fungus in 4 days.
After dealing with all of these situations she had no doubt that it would be gentle enough to use with my eyes and it would help with my condition. I was initially planning on using it to simply wipe my eyelids morning and night (this is the typical protocol according to my optometrist). However, my mom recommended I place one drop directly into each of my eyes as well as wiping the eyelids to help eliminate the existing bacteria too.
Did you know that Colloidal Silver was once a prominent antibacterial method for infants?? It is such a gentle substance that it can be trusted to eliminate bacteria without negatively affecting babies and toddlers. “Sovereign Silver represents the intersection of a long healing* tradition and state-of-the art modern science. Silver is a natural element that can be found in whole grains, mushrooms, mammalian milk, and water. It has been used medicinally for more than 2,000 years, and Hippocrates wrote of silver’s healing and anti-disease properties in his medical texts. Colloidal Silver was a preferred choice of physicians in the 1930s before the advent of antibiotics” (Sovereign Silver). Needless to say this product is frequently labeled as “History’s Best Kept Secret” and I couldn’t agree more.
There is a debate about the benefits and effectiveness between the two types of Colloidal Silver available. Dark Colloidal Silver (an amber color) contains larger silver particles, therefore making it more difficult for the body to absorb and creating a larger risk for toxicity due to the necessity for excretion of the larger particles. In addition, Colloidal Silver products bearing a darker color also tend to contain less bio-active amounts of silver particles despite the increased size of the particles themselves. “Colloidal Silver can have as little or less than 13% bio-active silver particles” (Sovereign Silver) as opposed to the 99.999% bio-active silver particles found in the clear Colloidal Silver. Overall, you’re receiving a stronger product with the clear Colloidal Silver that is going to be more likely to create positive change and/or healing for your body.
Personally, I use the clear Colloidal Silver because of its potency and composition…due to the slightly unstable state of my digestive system this is the ideal choice because it eliminates any risk of toxicity from build up if processing and elimination is not happening as often as it should be. Plus, it guarantees a stronger product with a higher level of bio-active silver particles, which I like very much! In conclusion, the choice between dark Colloidal Silver and clear Colloidal Silver is really based upon preference.
Although I highlighted a few of the perks of clear Colloidal Silver, someone may need the dark Colloidal Silver for a particular reason based upon their circumstances. Both are equally wonderful products so it is up for you to decide which type of Colloidal Silver is most appropriate for you.
When it comes to Colloidal Silver product options, I prefer Sovereign Silver Bio-Active Silver Hydrosol for Immune Support by Sovereign Silver because it is a great quality product! First, it is packaged in a glass bottle to avoid the chemical exposure from plastic. Second “it contains more than 98% bio-active silver ions and silver nano clusters, in pharmaceutical-grade purified water” (Sovereign Silver/Amazon). Third, it only contains two ingredients and these ingredients happen to be real ingredients, not ingredients formulated in a lab.
99.999% pure silver and pharmaceutical grade water. That’s it.
And I must admit that I absolutely love the minimalism of the ingredient label especially when you compare it to the eye wipes above. Lastly, both my family and I have used this product and we have received successful results every time! You just can’t beat personal experience!
To all of my readers, this is not an advertisement for Colloidal Silver products, this is strictly an opportunity to share my positive experience with an unexpected product. Unfortunately it has been over shadowed by the (supposedly) “latest and greatest” pharmaceutical antibiotic treatments. However, it is difficult to deny the validity of a product that has proven time and time again to do exactly what it is supposed to do without any pesky side effects. This is why the pharmaceutical industry has never been able to successfully remove Colloidal Silver completely from our world. People like results when it comes to treating medical conditions and Colloidal Silver never ceases to deliver.
It has certainly met my expectations! I began using Colloidal Silver to treat my Blepharitis condition. After only two weeks, I returned to my optometrist for a final check on the performance of my contacts. During the examination, my doctor inquired if I had been using the wipes he recommended. Hesitantly, I admitted that I had not followed his instructions but began using Colloidal Silver instead. First he asked me, “Isn’t that the stuff they used to use on babies?” To which I replied “Yes.” But it was his next sentence that really came as a shock! He said, “I am very sorry I didn’t know about this before to recommend to you, but I will definitely keep it in mind to recommend to others because I can already see a decreased amount of bacteria in the back of your retinas.” After only TWO WEEKS!
The fact of the matter is, Colloidal Silver is a product that I prefer because of the factual evidence I have witnessed with my own eyes. Pink eye, styes, athlete’s foot, Blepharitis, not to mention it makes an excellent cleaning agent for plastic retainers as well! And that’s just the beginning! Although the medical and pharmaceutical industries would like everyone to forget about this amazing product, I am going to do everything I can to keep it relevant.
Silly medical and pharmaceutical industries! Haven’t they realized that Colloidal Silver is absolutely UNFORGETTABLE?!
If you scan the internet for more information on Colloidal Silver you will find a great deal of skepticism from a variety of large medical institutes such as the Mayo Clinic. However, how can you argue against such clear evidence? Colloidal Silver is a safe antibacterial agent not because an institute has deemed it so, but because of the concrete evidence that can be tracked back to the 1930s.
***If you have any questions about the article above or you just want to share some feedback please feel free to contact me via email at Katie@seizethedayblog.com
Medical Disclaimer:
The information posted on Seize the Day Blog, including but not limited to, articles, images, recipes, text and other material are shared for informational purposes only. None of the writings should be looked upon as advice meant to replace that of an actual medical professional. If you suspect you have a serious medical condition you should seek help from a healthcare professional immediately. Please be aware that the author of this website is posting information simply to inform NOT to recommend others about health-related topics. Before following any information (i.e. undertaking a new healthcare or diet routine) found here on Seize the Day Blog, you should always consult a medical professional first. Please be sure to never disregard any medicinal advice because of something you have read on this website.
Sources:
Mayo Clinic / Blepharitis: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/blepharitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20370141
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/704597/PEG-40_HYDROGENATED_CASTOR_OIL/
1,4 dioxane: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/726331/1%2C4-DIOXANE/
Ethylene Oxide: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/726229/ETHYLENE_OXIDE/
Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/700275/ALOE_BARBADENSIS_%28ALOE_VERA%29_LEAF_JUICE_EXTRACT/
Benzyl Alcohol: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/700697/benzyl_alcohol/
Salicylic Acid: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Salicylic-acid
Sorbic Acid: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/706224/SORBIC_ACID/
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/701056/caprylic%3B%3B_capric_triglyceride/
Sodium Laureth Sulfate: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/706089/sodium_laureth_sulfate/
COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/701520/COCAMIDOPROPYL_BETAINE/
Healthline Colloidal Silver: https://www.healthline.com/health/colloidal-silver
Sovereign Silver Colloidal Silver Product: https://www.amazon.com/Sovereign-Silver®-Bio-Active-Silver-HydrosolTM/dp/B019ZPNH0A/ref=asc_df_B019ZPNH0A/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=343370342144&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1746548706796271568&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1013549&hvtargid=pla-782188458860&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=68283614599&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=343370342144&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1746548706796271568&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1013549&hvtargid=pla-782188458860
Sovereign Silver Website: https://sovereignsilver.com/busting-silver-myths-should-colloidal-silver-be-amber-or-clear/