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Q. I have glaucoma and have been using tafluprost eye drops for several years to treat it. My eyelashes got longer and thicker as a side effect. Since tafluprost comes in single-use vials, there is always liquid left over.
I had almost no eyebrows due to hypothyroidism, so I decided to try using the leftover drops from the tafluprost on my brow line and now I have thicker eyebrows. Bonus!
A. Tafluprost is a prostaglandin-like drug in the same category as bimatoprost. You might recognize these drugs better by their brand names, Zioptan and Lumigan, respectively. Doctors prescribe them to treat glaucoma. The manufacturers warn that they can make eyelashes grow longer, thicker and darker as a side effect. These drugs can also color the iris of the eye brown if it was a light color originally.
As you can imagine, thicker eyelashes appeal to many people rather than seeming like an unpleasant side effect. The Food and Drug Administration also approved the use of bimatoprost under the brand name Latisse specifically to help grow eyelashes.
We’ve never heard of using such a drug to grow thicker eyebrows, although the eyebrow-thinning effect of hypothyroidism is well known.
Q. My brother was a consistent drinker. He used Tylenol to mitigate the after-effects of a hangover.
He finally stopped drinking, but it was too late. Several months later, his liver failed and he was told he would need a transplant, but he only lasted two or three months before he died. He was 44 years old.
This was in 1986, when no one knew about the dangers of this drug. I’m amazed at how many people are still unaware of what Tylenol can do to the liver, especially combined with alcohol. It’s a stupid way to die.
A. By the mid-1980s, researchers began to recognize the dangers of combining Tylenol with alcohol. The general public, however, may not have been aware of the risk.
We are so sorry to learn about your brother’s untimely death. Hopefully, people now know that alcohol and acetaminophen can be a dangerous combination.
Q. I can never stop the allergy medicine Zyrtec. If I stop, I get severe itching and hives. My allergy symptoms (clogged ears, runny nose, sneezing) are worse than before I started the medication. Doctors do not have an answer.
A. Many readers have reported rebound itching when they stop cetirizine (Zyrtec). It can take several weeks before this reaction starts fading.
Other allergy treatments include the mast cell stabilizer cromolyn (NasalCrom). It works best when used before exposure to allergens.
Many allergists recommend corticosteroid nasal sprays such as fluticasone (Flonase) or Nasacort Allergy 24HR (triamcinolone).
Decongestant nose sprays are popular. We discourage their use for more than a few days, though, as you might end up with rebound congestion.
To get relief without drugs, you might want to consider a device that provides acoustic resonance therapy. The FDA has approved this approach to easing nasal congestion and stuffiness. Sonu uses a mobile phone camera to map the contours of the face, then delivers personalized vibrations through a headband. This technique provides clinically meaningful relief from nasal congestion (International Forum of Allergy and Rhinology, January 2022). It may also be helpful for children with allergies (OTO Open, May 22, 2026). The manufacturer, SoundHealth, supports The People’s Pharmacy podcast and radio show. More information is available at www.getSONU.com.
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In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 300 W. 57th Street, 41st Floor, New York, NY 10019, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”
(c) 2026 King Features Syndicate, Inc.