Paul Karason, a man made famous after his skin turned permanently blue 15 years ago, has passed away at 62 after suffering a heart attack, according to The Christian Post.
Karason’s skin turned blue after he used colloidal silver, a liquid made by extracting silver from metal, to treat his dermatitis – a condition that causes swollen, red and itchy skin. Karason reportedly drank the silver-based remedy and rubbed it on his skin.
“The change was so gradual that I didn't perceive it and other people around me likewise," said Karason in an earlier interview. "It wasn't until a friend I hadn't seen in several months came by my parent's place to see me and he asked me, 'What did you do?’"
After turning blue, Karason led a reclusive life until appearing on the Today show in 2008.
Karason suffered from heart problems and underwent a triple bypass five years ago, according to the Christian Post. He had also recently suffered a bout of severe pneumonia and a stroke.
The use of colloidal silver in oral drugs has since been banned by the FDA, according to the National Institute of Health.
