Toronto (ECN) - In 2007 a man that many called Papa Smurf made national headlines. Paul Karason, is a 58 year old Bellingham, Washington resident. Mr. Karason’s skin has turned blue, not through makeup, but through a chemical reaction his skin has turned blue.
14 years ago, Mr. Karason was treating dermatitis by using Colloidal silver. This is a method of suspending silver in a water based tonic. It was used for centuries to fight infection. It was replaced by cheaper and more efficient penicillin. In 1999 the FDA banned colloidal silver because it would collect in the skin and other organs. It reacts to light in the same way that silver reacts in a photo lab, turning blue.
Mr. Karson says that he did not know of the side effects, and had he known he would have never taken his home remedy. However, now that the damage is done he states that he is taking less now than ever. Experts believe that the condition will be permanent, because the silver does not dissipate from the organs or skin.
Mr. Karason has received national recognition from making appearances on MSNBC and the “Today Show.” He states that his original hope was so that he would be accepted by society that doesn’t understand he is not blue by choice. According to Mr. Karason, “I'm anxious to try green. I'm getting a little bored with blue."
