You probably remember the face. It wasn't just a slightly off-tint or a trick of the light. Paul Karason had skin the color of a deep, bruised plum—a striking shade of navy blue that earned him the nickname "Papa Smurf," a title he reportedly loathed.
When he passed away in 2013, the internet went into a bit of a frenzy. People naturally assumed that the very thing that turned him blue was the thing that killed him. It makes sense, right? If your skin changes color because you're ingesting metal, you'd think your organs might just quit. But the reality of the Paul Karason cause of death is a lot more "human" and, frankly, a lot more common than a rare metal toxicity.
He didn't die of "turning blue."
The Medical Reality of Paul Karason’s Death
Paul Karason died at the age of 62 in a hospital in Washington. Honestly, he had been through the wringer physically for years. While the world was fascinated by his skin, his internal health was failing for reasons that had nothing to do with silver.
The actual chain of events was a "perfect storm" of cardiovascular and respiratory failure. According to his estranged wife, Jo Anna Karason, Paul was admitted to the hospital after suffering a heart attack. While he was being treated, he contracted pneumonia. To make matters worse, he then suffered a severe stroke.
It was this combination—heart attack, pneumonia, and stroke—that officially took his life.
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Was the Silver to Blame?
This is where it gets nuanced. Paul suffered from argyria. This is a permanent skin discoloration caused by the ingestion of silver. In Paul's case, he had been drinking homemade colloidal silver and rubbing a silver salve on his skin for years. He started doing this back in the 90s to treat a nasty case of dermatitis and sinus issues.
It worked for his sinuses, or so he claimed. But it also turned him into a walking photo negative.
Medical experts, including those who spoke to the Los Angeles Times shortly after his death, pointed out that argyria is mostly a cosmetic condition. Silver particles get stuck in the skin cells and react to light, much like old-school photography film. While it’s definitely not "good" for you to have heavy metals lodged in your tissues, there isn't much evidence to suggest that argyria directly causes heart disease or strokes.
A Lifetime of Health Struggles
To understand why he died at 62, you have to look at his lifestyle. Paul was a heavy smoker.
He had already undergone a triple bypass surgery about five years before he died. When you have a history of major heart surgery and you continue to smoke, the deck is stacked against you. By 2012, a year before he passed, he was also dealing with prostate cancer and had fallen on extremely hard financial times, eventually moving into a homeless shelter.
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The stress of poverty, a history of heart disease, and a smoking habit are a much more likely explanation for a heart attack and stroke than the silver was.
Understanding Argyria: The "Blue Skin" Condition
Argyria happens when you ingest or inhale silver over a long period. The body doesn't have a great way to get rid of it. The silver accumulates in the skin, internal organs, and even the whites of the eyes. Once it's there, it stays.
- The Reaction: When silver in the skin is exposed to sunlight, it turns blue or gray.
- The Permanence: There is no known "cure." Some laser treatments have shown promise in fading the color, but for someone like Karason, who had a "generalized" case, the change was permanent.
- The FDA Stance: Back in 1999, the FDA officially stated that colloidal silver wasn't safe or effective for treating any condition.
Karason was a true believer, though. Even after he turned blue, he didn't stop using it. He was convinced it kept him healthy, despite the fact that his heart was clearly failing him.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception about the Paul Karason cause of death is the idea that he was "poisoned" by silver. While "silver poisoning" is a term people use, argyria itself isn't usually fatal.
Most people who saw him on The Today Show or Oprah saw a medical curiosity. They didn't see the man who was struggling with the same things many Americans face: heart issues, tobacco addiction, and a lack of stable housing.
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Why This Still Matters
Paul Karason’s story is a cautionary tale, but maybe not the one you think. It's not just "don't drink silver." It's a look at how alternative medicine can sometimes lead people to ignore conventional health red flags.
If you’re looking for actionable takeaways from Paul's story, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Heavy Metals Stay: Whether it’s silver, lead, or mercury, the human body isn't a sieve. What goes in often stays in, especially in the dermis.
- Vascular Health is King: Smoking and heart disease remain the leading killers. Paul’s blue skin was a distraction from the much more dangerous plaque building up in his arteries.
- Consult Professionals: If you're treating chronic issues like sinusitis or dermatitis with "homemade" remedies, please get a second opinion from a licensed dermatologist or GP.
Paul Karason was more than just a headline or a nickname. He was a man who wanted to feel better and ended up paying a heavy price in visibility. He lived his final years in relative seclusion, but his death reminds us that the most dangerous health problems are often the ones we can't see on the surface.
To keep your own heart health in check, focus on the basics: regular blood pressure screenings, smoking cessation, and managing stress levels. These are the factors that ultimately decided Paul's fate, far more than the silver ever did.