Readers say liquid bandage helped remove their skin tags

Q. Do you know of any ointment, poultice or herb that will get rid of skin tags? I had a dermatologist examine me.
He told me this skin tag was not dangerous, but the cost of removing a small skin tag was beyond my budget. Insurance would not pay.
I have a larger skin tag on another part of my body, and I'm concerned that freezing it off might leave a scar.
A. We have heard from several readers about a completely unorthodox technique for getting rid of these small benign growths on the skin. A liquid bandage called New-Skin is applied repeatedly to the skin tag for a couple of weeks.
Here is one reader's testimonial: "I just wanted to thank the person who wrote in about using liquid bandage on skin tags. I had a small skin tag that came off in a couple of days. A rather large skin tag that bothered me a lot came off in about two weeks. I feel like my shoulder is pounds lighter."
This technique doesn't work for everyone, but we have heard from many readers who have had success with this low-tech approach.
Q. I would like to know the formula you once printed about using bitters for flatulence.
A. The Angostura bitters label suggests taking one to four teaspoonfuls after meals for flatulence. Some readers put it in club soda or 7Up to mask the bitter taste.
Q. My husband has difficulty with his daily bowel movement. We eat dark bread and yogurt every day. He drinks milk, but it does not seem to be helping the constipation.
He is bloated and feels uncomfortable. Any help would be appreciated.
A. The milk he is drinking might be part of the problem. Many people who are lactose-intolerant develop diarrhea, but some experience bloating alone.
Increasing fiber and fluid is a good first step. Brown bread may not have enough fiber to do the job.
Try "power pudding" instead: Mix 1 cup coarse bran, 1 cup applesauce and 3/4 cup prune juice. Refrigerate and then take one to two tablespoons daily and wash it down with lots of water.
We are sending you our Guide to Constipation with 10 tips to combat constipation and a dynamite pumpkin bran muffin recipe.
Q. You recently had a question from a person with arthritic fingers who can't use anti-inflammatory drugs because of an ulcer.
Many years ago, an old man panning gold in icy water told me of an arthritis cure. He'd had arthritis in his fingers so bad he could hardly move them. He started taking a teaspoon of cayenne a day in a small glass of tomato juice.
He said this remedy took a month to take effect and a month to wear off.
When I got an arthritis attack in my hip, I started taking cayenne. I found that 1/4 teaspoon a day in a tall glass of orange juice works for me.
A. We've heard of lots of arthritis remedies through the years, but we've never heard about swallowing cayenne. It is a time-honored ingredient in arthritis rubs, however.
In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of The Vindicator or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.
& copy; 2007 King Features Syndicate Inc.