People’s Pharmacy: Listerine mouthwash helps zap zits

Q. I have very sensitive skin that reacts badly to everything. I have used Listerine for years to clear up small blemishes. I apply a dab to the area at night, and usually by morning the spot is clear. It doesn’t irritate the surrounding skin, either. My husband has started using it for shaving bumps, too.

A. The herbal extracts and alcohol in Listerine that are supposed to “kill germs by millions on contact” may be useful in helping your blemishes heal. We have heard from other readers who have used Listerine in this way.

Q. A guest on your radio show mentioned an experimental use for a drug that had been used for inflammation and is now being looked at for diabetes prevention. It was “sawcelate” or something like that. What is the correct spelling, please?

A. The drug is salsalate. It is related to aspirin and fights pain and inflammation as aspirin does. It is far less irritating to the digestive tract, however.

Scientists at the Joslin Diabetes Center have found that salsalate can help people with diabetes and pre-diabetes lower their blood sugar and may be useful in preventing diabetes (Diabetes Care, February 2008). Like aspirin, salsalate has been used for more than a century. Unlike aspirin, however, it is available only by prescription.

Q. I’ve read that people, especially older folks, should be out in the sun for at least 10 minutes per day to get vitamin D. What if the person has had skin cancer? I am conscientious about sunscreen, but someone told me using sunscreen negates the beneficial effects of sun exposure for vitamin D.

A. Everyone needs vitamin D, and most of us don’t get enough, especially in winter. This vitamin is crucial for a healthy immune system as well as strong bones. Older people who get adequate vitamin D are far less susceptible to falls.

Vitamin D is found in a few foods such as oily fish and fortified milk, but the primary source is sunshine. Sunscreen can keep skin from making vitamin D, so a supplement of 1,000 to 2,000 International Units daily might be advisable for someone like you who has had skin cancer. This is quite a bit more than the 400 IU in multivitamins, but corresponds to the latest research.

Q. I am taking naproxen for pain in my lower back, hands and knees. It seems to do the trick for the pain, but I am having lots of flatulence. There is probably no connection, but I would like to know for sure if the naproxen is causing it. Also, are there any other complications of naproxen that I should be aware of?

A. Naproxen (available as Aleve over the counter and as Anaprox, Naprelan or Naprosyn by prescription) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Like ibuprofen and similar pain relievers, naproxen can cause flatulence. A surprising number of medications can contribute to gassiness.

NSAIDs like naproxen can cause digestive distress including ulcers, high blood pressure, fluid retention, dizziness, drowsiness, ringing in the ears, rashes and kidney damage. You may want to consider some natural approaches to easing pain and inflammation such as boswellia, turmeric or fish oil.

You can find out more about such approaches as well as a number of causes and treatments for flatulence in “Best Choices From The People’s Pharmacy.” It is available from your local library or bookseller, or online at www.peoplespharmacy.com.