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Email a friendListerine to Fight Lice
Newspaper Columns, Pharmacy Q&A August 22, 2008
Q. Here in Hawaii, we call head lice "Ukus." We’ve had quite a problem with them this year and I have found the medication costly and ineffective. I’m glad you wrote about Listerine, because I never would have thought to use it. We tried it and it worked.
A. Many traditional lice treatments have lost effectiveness. The alcohol and other ingredients in Listerine may help kill lice. One mother described saturating the scalp with Listerine and covering the hair with a shower cap for two hours. She then combed out the dead lice.
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Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. Their syndicated radio show can be heard on public radio. In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.
© 2008 King Features Syndicate, Inc.