Silver nitrate, cold sore, stain

**teletyler** · Nov29-09, 05:27 PM

Hello, im new to the forum but hope to make many friends here.
Ok, i stole some silver nitrate sticks from school (yes stealing is bad.)
I applied to silver sticks to a cold sore on the edge of my lip, it worked but now i have
a black stain on the corner of my mouth going onto the skin. I think i applied too much.

How long will it take for the stain to go away? Anything i could try to speed up the fading of the stain?

**Moonbear** · Nov29-09, 09:48 PM

Silver nitrate stains no matter how much you apply. That was very foolish to apply a chemical to your skin without knowing what you were doing. In this case, you're lucky that the price you will pay is only having an ugly black spot for about a week until it fades on its own.

**sas3** · Nov30-09, 12:38 AM

Unless it develops into Argyria http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argyria
But as the article states it would take many exposures for this to happen.

**teletyler** · Nov30-09, 01:38 AM

Originally Posted by Moonbear

Silver nitrate stains no matter how much you apply. That was very foolish to apply a chemical to your skin without knowing what you were doing. In this case, you're lucky that the price you will pay is only having an ugly black spot for about a week until it fades on its own.

Oh no, i know a lot about silver nitrate. It's often used in the manner that i used it.
It worked effectively and burnt the sore right off and resulted in no pain what so ever.
However, i applied it accidentally to the corner where both upper and lower lips meet and some got onto the skin and discolored it, i'm just glad it is not permanent.
Thanks and yes it was stupid experiment though, wont try that again.

**teletyler** · Nov30-09, 01:44 AM

Originally Posted by sas3

Unless it develops into Argyria http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argyria
But as the article states it would take many exposures for this to happen.

I think you have two seperate cases mixed up. The person in the photo ingested enormous amounts of collidol silver possibly for years to cure an ailment, he over did it.

The nitrate in the stick i used wouldn't even come close to the amount of collidol he ingested for years and mine will fade away in a few days or weeks. My stain is only about the size of the butt end of a nail.

Thanks for your help that was a great read.

**teletyler** · Dec2-09, 06:23 PM

the stain left just incase anyone was wondering.

**alxm** · Dec3-09, 12:00 PM

Pff.. who doesn't know silver nitrate stains the skin? There's a reason the romans called it 'lapis infernalis'. (damned rock!)

**teletyler** · Dec3-09, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by alxm

Pff.. who doesn't know silver nitrate stains the skin? There's a reason the romans called it 'lapis infernalis'. (damned rock!)

Oh, i knew that, just wondered how long it would last.