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Q. You recently had a question about skin tags and suggested applying liquid bandage or clear nail polish. You also mentioned over-the-counter cryotherapy products.
When I got a skin tag as a youngster, my mother tied black silk thread on it, and it fell off in less than a week. Now I live alone and can't tie thread around them. Instead, I use duct tape to remove them. I leave the tape on for about five days, replacing it as needed. If it is in an area that shows, I use clear duct tape. This treatment also works on warts.
A. Thanks for suggesting a novel use for duct tape! You inspired us to look for any relevant research. To our surprise, we found a study of a "mechanical device" described as a "flat adhesive patch" (Dermatology Online Journal, Feb. 15, 2009). This approach worked best on small skin tags, but more than three-quarters of those up to 2 millimeters in diameter disappeared in three to six days. This sounds a great deal like your technique.
Your mother's tactic of tying off a skin tag with silk thread is a common home remedy. Many readers report similar success. But dermatologists generally discourage any home removal of skin tags for fear of misdiagnosis, bleeding, pain or infection.
Q. I'm always amazed at people who criticize you for sharing home remedies that haven't undergone a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. There is no downside to putting Vicks VapoRub on your feet to ease a cough.
Yet you always get ridiculous comments from people who decide, with no evidence, that the remedy is nonsense.
A. Drug companies are not likely to fund studies on home remedies, given that they generally can't be patented. Some scientists have found, however, that ingredients in Vicks VapoRub can activate transient receptor potential channels (Drugs in Context, Oct. 11, 2023). These channels are part of the cough pathway and help explain how putting Vicks on the skin could reduce cough. Ingredients in Vicks, including menthol, camphor and eucalyptus oil, may also calm the release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) that is triggered by rhinovirus infection. Scientists suspect that ATP may contribute to coughs due to colds.
Q. I was diagnosed with mild psoriasis on my hands about four years ago. It is annoying but not terrible.
None of the ointments and creams the doctor prescribed worked. Finally, we got to Otezla. It's extremely expensive, but I was still working at the time. With my insurance, it only cost me $40 a month.
Then I retired and later turned 65. My Medicare Part D didn't cover Otezla. Needless to say, I was upset. I tried to get financial help, but I own my home, which pretty much disqualifies me for any assistance. Affordable suggestions would be appreciated.
A. Psoriasis does require medical supervision. That said, however, some readers have found that light therapy can be helpful, especially under a dermatologist's care. Others have discovered that flaxseed oil can be helpful.