Listerine worked to kill lice

Q. My daughter ended up with lice several weeks ago. She most likely picked them up from one of the girls at a sleepover.

We treated her with lice shampoo twice and did every-other-day comb-outs. I also vacuumed, cleaned, washed and dried all her bedding and clothing at high heat.

The first time I treated her, I combed out hundreds of nits and about a half-dozen bugs. A week later with the second shampoo, I combed out three bugs and maybe a dozen nits.

A week later, I did the Listerine treatment. I combed out one bug and probably about half a dozen nits. After another week of treating with Listerine, I have found no nits and no bugs. It really does seem to work.

A. There is increasing frustration with conventional lice shampoos. That’s because there are reports that lice may have developed resistance to common ingredients in over-the-counter treatments.

A relatively new prescription product called Ulesfia is a benzyl alcohol formulation that smothers the bugs. It is pricey, though, running between $45 and $75 a bottle. That is enough to treat one head of short hair. For long hair, you may need two or three bottles. The treatment needs to be repeated after a week.

A bottle of Listerine costs about $5. The alcohol and herbal oils in this mouthwash also appear to kill lice, although the Food and Drug Administration has not approved it for this use.

Q. I know your column is not official medical advice, but doesn’t it bother you at all to promote witchcraft like black pepper for bleeding? You haven’t provided one scintilla of solid evidence to support it. As a physician, I find some of your remedies make for entertaining reading, but it seems that professional integrity has drifted to the sidelines.

A. We understand your skepticism, since home remedies are rarely tested in a scientific manner. Nevertheless, most people can tell instantly whether a cut stops bleeding after applying ground black pepper.

We have received many stories from readers such as this one: “I cut a half-moon gouge in my index finger with my new knife. It bled like crazy until I remembered the black pepper treatment. I poured plenty on, and it stopped the pain and the bleeding. I have NO scarring.”

For those who prefer drugstore treatments, QuikClot Sport and QR Powder are available to stop bleeding. Anyone who appreciates home remedies will find many more in our book “Favorite Home Remedies” (online at www.peoplespharmacy.com). A serious cut that won’t stop bleeding requires medical attention.

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 website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Favorite Foods From The People’s Pharmacy: Mother Nature’s Medicine.”

2010 King Features Syndicate Inc.