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Mouthwash Turned Feet Blue

Q. When I needed treatment for toenail fungus, my doctor suggested I soak my toes in Listerine for 30 minutes a night for thirty days. I sent my husband to Costco for a giant jug of Listerine. He returned with the minty one.

It’s blue, but I figured that wouldn’t really make a difference. It did. My feet turned blue and no amount of scrubbing could take the color off. My husband laughed until he cried.

After switching to the regular (amber) Listerine, my toenail fungus did clear up, but the nails themselves were very dry.

A. The herbal oils in Listerine, such as thymol and eucalyptol, have antifungal activity. Many readers have found that it can help fight nail fungus. The alcohol in regular Listerine (26.9 percent) might be the culprit in drying your nails.

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About the Author
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist who has dedicated his career to making drug information understandable to consumers. His best-selling book, The People’s Pharmacy, was published in 1976 and led to a syndicated newspaper column, syndicated public radio show and web site. In 2006, Long Island University awarded him an honorary doctorate as “one of the country's leading drug experts for the consumer.”.
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