The world’s most famous blue man, Paul Karason, also dubbed Papa Smurf, was born as a fair-skinned, freckled boy with ginger hair. In the 2000s, he became an internet sensation and made many TV appearances, openly talking about his condition. Let’s find out together why Karason turned blue and how he became a cautionary tale.
Paul Karason had a skin condition that made his skin flake, as well as acid reflux and arthritis. Doing his own research in order to improve these ailments, he found out about a solution of silver in water, also known as colloidal silver.
Colloidal silver was widely used as an antibiotic back before penicillin was invented in the 1930s. It was banned in 1999 in over-the-counter medications after scientists found that it can severely damage internal organs.
The late Paul Karason and his wife, Joanne
Karason drank what he believed was a miracle cure for over 10 years. Moreover, he even began to apply a silver preparation directly to his skin; he claimed his acid reflux and arthritis just went away. “I had arthritis in my shoulders so bad I couldn’t pull a T-shirt off. And the next thing I knew, it was just gone,” he shared.
Due to the silver accumulation in his skin, he started to turn blue and suffered from a permanent and rare condition called argyria. Only when Karason met an old friend who asked him, “What have you done to yourself?” did he begin to realize he’d become blue.
Karason claimed his blue skin had many advantages — he never got sunburns or had to wear sunglasses. There were some side effects he did not appreciate, however, such as folks “being less than polite” to him. Moreover, Karason confessed he couldn’t get a job because of employers’ resistance to hiring “people that are blue or that are noticeably different.”
Sadly, Paul Karason passed away in 2013 when he was 62 years old due to heart complications.
Papa Smurf’s story serves as a valuable lesson about the importance of being careful when it comes to at-home remedies. While it’s natural to want to find easy solutions to health problems, it’s important to be aware that such remedies can sometimes pose serious risks. It’s always better to consult a doctor and follow their advice for a safe and effective treatment.
Man Spends $70K To Tattoo His Full Body And Eyeballs, Reveals What He Looked Like Before
In an astonishing testament to his unique spirit, Quest Gulliford, a TikTok sensation known for his resilience as a cancer survivor and adorned with a vast array of tattoos, is capturing attention with his latest viral video. Not only does he reveal his intricate full-body artwork, but he also showcases his bold choice of dyeing his eyes.
Having triumphed over Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Gulliford has poured a staggering $70,000 into his tattoo collection since embarking on his inked odyssey in 2009. His recent TikTok post provides an immersive glimpse into his journey, particularly highlighting the intense mental preparation required for undergoing eyeball tattooing.
Reflecting on the risks involved, Gulliford emphasized: “It was a gamble, but one that I had been longing for… and I’m still absolutely delighted with the outcome three years down the line”.
His dedication to his distinctive mode of self-representation surpasses the $70,000 mark, with an eye-popping $10,000 designated solely for the metamorphosis of his gaze.
Recalling the mental endurance needed during the eyeball tattoo session in Houston, Texas, Gulliford confessed: “It was quite the internal battle, even after stepping foot into the studio, to muster the courage to proceed”. This nonconformist process entails a needle traversing all angles of the eyeball, resembling more of an alteration or enhancement than a conventional skin-deep tattoo.
In an unexpected development, Gulliford unveiled his intention to revisit the same tattoo artist next month, signaling his unwavering dedication to exploring the boundaries of self-expression.
Amidst the intricate tapestry of ink decorating his body, Gulliford proudly bears symbols of his victorious battle against cancer. From the inaugural tattoo, a cross etched on his chest bearing the inscription ‘God First’, to a poignant purple ribbon commemorating his seventh-grade confrontation with Hodgkins Lymphoma, each design narrates a tale of resilience.
Reflecting on the health journey that inspired his tattoos, Gulliford recounted: “I noticed a sizable lymph node… I didn’t think much of it. It led to about six months of chemotherapy. After that, I felt like I possessed superhuman strength”.
During a candid conversation with Inked magazine in 2019, Gulliford shared his venture into facial tattoos, a decision made at the tender age of 18, much to his mother’s initial dismay. Though she gradually came to terms with smaller facial inkings, the prospect of larger designs on a more prominent canvas sparked her concerns, leading to interventions at tattoo parlors in hopes of dissuading artists from executing extensive facial artwork.
Quest Gulliford’s unabashed odyssey of self-expression, forged through trials and tribulations, continues to enthrall audiences, underscoring the notion that sometimes, the most extraordinary tales find their canvas on our skin.
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