Nano-Silver Technology is a revolutionary way to use the precious metal, silver, for medical purposes, consumer products, and applications that affect daily living. Although Boomer Naturals is leveraging this technology in a new way in face masks, silver has been used in a variety of applications for centuries because of its many benefits.
Here, we explore the history of silver and it’s potential health benefits so you can understand why we leverage this powerful metal in our face masks.
Use of Silver in Medicine
Silver has been widely used for numerous medical purposes. Before antibiotics were introduced in the 1940s, silver was “the most significant microbial agent available”. Recorded use of silver dates back to 1500 BCE when it was used therapeutically by the Han Dynasty in China.
Silver has been used throughout history to curb and prevent the spread of and to treat certain disease states. For individuals with diabetes, for example, nano-silver is used in bandages, socks and even specially made shoes that help to prevent ulcers in the feet and legs from deteriorating. In dermatology, silver has been used to treat various skin infections such as eczema and rashes or acne outbreaks.
Dental Applications
In dentistry, silver has been the main component in dental mixtures for more than a century. It has also been used to prevent pre- and postsurgical infections. Because of its ability to reduce bacteria, nano-silver has been used to prevent infections in dentures and other dental support devices.
Medical Products
Because of its antimicrobial properties, silver is used in a variety of medical products. Silver coating is used in a multitude of items, such as pre-packaged medical apparatuses that self-sterilize once opened. This coating is also used for implanted devices that are coated with nano-silver to provide antimicrobial protection.
Nano-silver coating is used in medical-grade needles as well as in medical devices that are implanted or otherwise “introduced” into the body, like bone implants and cardiac catheters.
Compared to standard wound dressings, silver-based dressings have significantly improved to the point that more complex wound dressings have been created. For example, improvements in the way burn wounds are managed have led to nano-silver being used in topical gels for burn treatment.
Alternative to Antibiotics
When antibiotics were discovered at the start of the 20th century, silver stopped being developed for antimicrobial use. Although antibiotics were introduced in the 1940s, resistance to these medicines has been on the rise. Therapeutic applications of silver “represents a new hope”, as rising bacterial resistance has prompted a reexamination of their prospects.
Cutting-Edge Uses
Nano-silver is being incorporated into hundreds of products and items that people use every day including disinfectants and cleansers, cosmetics, antibacterial clothing and food packaging.
Personal Health Products
Another innovation is its wide use in personal health products because of the hygienic properties that silver imparts. It may surprise you that silver can be found in contact lenses, breast pump assemblies, and hair dye. Because of silver’s sanitizing effects, it is also used in grooming products like shavers and toothbrushes. A German company has applied silver to a range of products such as deodorants and shower gels.
Military Uses
Silver is also uniquely used by military personnel serving on the front lines. Soldiers often work in unsanitary, outdoor conditions that make hygiene challenging. Nano-silver socks help to keep their feet dry, preventing fungal infections and other damaging foot conditions like athlete’s foot.
Apparel and Fabric
Nano-silver is commonly used in athletic clothing to stave off bacterial infections, like methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that often occur with participants of contact sports. By incorporating silver into textiles, odor-causing bacteria is limited, making it ideal for use in athletic apparel or clothing for people with active lifestyles.
Industrial Applications
Silver is used to purify water in large quantities, at water treatment facilities for example. It is also used to ensure a sterile environment for medical-quality products and devices. In food manufacturing, where preventing bacterial contamination is crucial, silver is used in storage containers for milk, meat, water and wine. In farming, silver is often fused into nylon ropes that have various uses in cultivation and other agricultural purposes.
Electrical Goods
Because of its effectiveness as a surface coating, silver is used for multiple electrical goods. These goods include appliances, like refrigerators and washing machines, as well as air purifiers. Because of its antimicrobial properties, silver is particularly effective on high-touch areas in households such as door handles, keyboards, and bathroom safety devices.
Conclusion
Nano-silver is being widely applied to a vast array of materials. Whether used for medical purposes, consumer products, or industrial aims, interest in Nano-Silver Technology continues to grow. These new uses, such as in Boomer Naturals Nano-Silver Reusable Face Masks, take advantage of the significant antimicrobial and antibacterial properties of silver.
References:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26330393_History_of_the_Medical_Use_of_Silver
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6315945/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110131133005.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3702006/