Abstract
Argyria is blue-grey hyperpigmentation of the skin and mucous membranes as a result of prolonged ingestion or contact with silver-containing compounds. It is often considered an entity of the past, one that has largely disappeared with the cessation of silver usage in oral medications. However, with the practice of colloidal silver ingestion in current ‘alternative health’ treatments, argyria should be considered in the differential diagnosis of blue-grey hyperpigmentation. We report a case of 68-year-old man who presented with pulmonary embolism and was noted to have an incidental blue skin discolouration. Histopathological examination of skin biopsy, which showed minute yellow black granules around pilosebaceous units and sweat ducts in the papillary dermis, verified that colloidal silver was the source of the patient’s hyperpigmentation.
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