Applying liquid bandage helped eliminate skin tags
Q: Thank you for your recent comment on liquid bandages for skin tags. It sure worked for me!
I had a skin tag on my forehead for years and it really bothered me. I kept rubbing it and it would get sore. I started using liquid bandage on it when I read your article, and my skin tag is now gone!
A: Skin tags are benign fleshcolored growths that often appear on armpits or around the neck. Older people are more vulnerable to them, as are patients with diabetes. Dermatologists can cut them off, freeze them with liquid nitrogen or burn them with an electrical cautery device.
Insurance doesn’t always pay for such procedures, so we understand why people might want to try home remedies. We first heard about liquid bandage 14 years ago from this reader:
“I have noticed quite a few skin tags appearing on my body. I have had one or two of the larger growths cut off by my doctor.
“I was fascinated to read in your column that a reader had success getting rid of skin tags by putting Band-Aid Tru-Stay Clear Spots over them. I tried this but could never get a bandage to stay on long enough.
“I was about to give up when I ran across some liquid bandage in my medicine cabinet. I had a large skin tag growing on my shoulder and put the New-Skin Liquid Bandage on it. Within a week the growth fell off.
“I put it on some smaller skin tags and they shriveled and fell off, too. Have you heard of this before or have I discovered an alternate way to get rid of these unsightly skin growths?”
Since receiving that letter, we have heard from others that this approach can be helpful.
Q: Two dermatologists diagnosed me with acne rosacea. I was told how to care for my skin with creams and what medicines to use on a daily basis. Even when I used these remedies, my skin would have flare-ups. I looked like a teenager with acne outbreaks in addition to red skin from the rosacea.
Then a family physician suggested I avoid nightshades like tomato and pepper to calm joint pain. At first I resisted, but I finally decided to remove these items from my diet. After a while, I realized that it had been months since
I’d had any acne breakouts or redness in my skin.
I’ve found I can go three months or longer with clear skin even without the prescribed skin care routine. Why didn’t the dermatologists ever ask about my diet? Making those changes was much more cost-effective and I look much better.
A: Dermatologists sometimes advise their rosacea patients to avoid spicy foods as well as alcohol and hot beverages (Dermatology Practical & Conceptual, Oct. 31, 2017). In addition, foods containing a compound called cinnamaldehyde (tomatoes, citrus and chocolate, among others) often seem to trigger outbreaks.
Q: I’ve gotten muscle cramps in my shins, of all places, for at least 20 years. I tried every remedy without success until I heard about mustard on your show. Voilà!
A: There is growing evidence that strong flavors such as vinegar, capsaicin (the essence of hot peppers), ginger and mustard can activate special sensors in the mouth, throat and stomach. These transient receptor potential (TRP) channels can interrupt the muscle spasm.
You can learn more about this and the science behind many other nondrug treatments in our eGuide to Favorite Home Remedies. This online resource is available in the Health eGuides section of PeoplesPharmacy.com.