GRAEDONS | People's Herbal Pharmacy Use potent moisturizer after washing hands

Q. I am a teacher, and my fifth-graders catch and spread a lot of colds. To try to stay healthy, I wash my hands dozens of times a day. As a result, my knuckles are raw, and my nails are a mess.
This problem might be worse because I have extremely dry skin in the winter. Is there an affordable way to fight dry skin? My heels are extremely rough, and I ruin too many pairs of pantyhose because of it.
A. Some people find that alcohol-based hand gels might actually be less drying than soap and water. Regardless of what you use for washing, you need to use a strong moisturizer afterward. Petroleum jelly is one of the cheapest, but also messiest. Put it on your heels at night, cover with plastic wrap and then put on socks.
Prescription Lac-Hydrin (12 percent) is pricey but highly effective for really dry skin. Inexpensive alternatives include Bag Balm, Udder Cream and Hoofmaker. All of these can now be found in many pharmacies.
We are sending you our Guides to Skin and Home Remedies, with more details on dry-skin treatments. Anyone who would like copies, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (60 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. RS-128, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
Q.My friend's granddaughter just had a baby. She's not breast-feeding, and she is very uncomfortable with swollen, leaking breasts.
Her doctor told her to wear two sports bras and fill them with cabbage leaves! I've never heard of this. Is it an old wives' tale?
A. It probably is an old wives' tale, or maybe a midwives' tale. We first heard of this approach to easing the pain of breast engorgement from a reader: "When my baby was born two months ago, I had planned to breast-feed. I was unable to do so, and as a result my breasts became swollen and extremely painful.
"The lactation specialist at my OB/GYN office suggested that I apply raw cabbage leaves to my breasts, wear a form-fitting bra and replace the leaves throughout the day as they wilt. I didn't believe her, but I was so desperate for relief from the pain that I tried it anyway.
"After just one day, I had very little pain, throbbing or fever in my breasts, and within three days my breasts had returned to their natural state. I don't know what healing properties cabbage possesses, but it worked!"
The old wives were often right. Unfortunately, though, a recent review of studies of cabbage leaves for breast engorgement show that they didn't work any better than placebo. Taking a Chinese herbal medicine called Danzen did work, and so did a pineapple extract called bromelain/trypsin.
Q.. I am librarian at a retirement home for Catholic nuns. We have a variety of animals and animal lovers.
One of my most interesting clients is a dog lover par excellence. Recently she read in your column about a remedy for itchy spots on dogs. I believe the remedy was dietary, or perhaps some natural remedy. Our golden retriever itches! What is the remedy?
A. The remedy is 1 part Listerine, 1 part baby oil and 1 part water sprayed on the itchy spots. The herbal oils in Listerine might have some anti-fungal or anti-bacterial activity.
Chronic itching might be the result of an allergic reaction. Changing to a hypoallergenic dog food is sometimes helpful.
XIn their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 888 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10019, or e-mail them at pharmacy@mindspring.com or via their Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.org.
& copy; 2005 King Features Syndicate Inc.