The blue skin disorder is quite a rare disorder and is known as Argyria. Excess or inappropriate exposure to the chemical compounds of the element silver, the silver salts and silver dust causes this disorder. People call it a blue skin disorder because this condition makes a person’s skin turn bluish-grey. Depending on the level of exposure to silver elements, this disease is of two types – the local and the generalized argyria. The local argyria shows up as small patches on the limited parts of the body whereas the generalized argyria affects much of the visible parts of the body.
Little amount of silver is not bad
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Consuming little amount of silver does no harm but too much of it surely does. There is no exact specification about the amount of silver one can have, but over exposure of it is harmful. Actually, silver does not pass through the body completely, as in; it leaves silver salts in the body. If a person continues that overexposure to silver, the silver salts keep piling up in the body and after a certain point, they start discoloring the body. It makes the skin of a person blue, and even the internal organs it turns blue. This condition does not have any health effects as such but the discoloration of the body is permanent, it is irreversible.
Cosmetic effects
Usually the blue skin disorder only has cosmetic effects and no other health effects. Argyria causes discoloration of skin but do not cause any sort of lethal damage to the body. Researchers believe that silver has a low toxicity and this is why this disorder is not lethal. As compared to other metals, silver has lesser amount of toxins; probably this is why it is used in medicinal purposes and instruments. This disorder is rare and only has cosmetic effects still it is quite a big trouble. First, people start looking like some alien stuff and secondly it is a disorder that is passed on from generation to generation, as it is hereditary.
Precaution and cure
There is no cure to this disease, once someone gets it then it is irreversible. However, the afflicted can take some precautions and stop it from growing further. One should refrain from ingestion of silver and its compounds, and should restrict exposure to sun.
Summary:
Chronic intake of silver and it compounds causes this bizarre sort of disorder in human beings, the blue skin disorder known as Argyria.
