The skinny on ichthammol

DEAR DR. GOTT: Recently, you responded to a reader’s question regarding a drawing salve used by her entire family. The product resembled a Tootsie Roll. Your response was that she was likely looking for ichthammol and should request the product from her local pharmacy. Well, I asked my pharmacist for this but was told they no longer make it because they found it harmful. Now what?

DEAR READER: Once the article appeared in newspapers, my website was filled with responses from readers regarding this salve. One woman from North Carolina indicated her grandfather called it “grisly salve.” You would heat the end of the stick and apply the product to a bandage. And it is not made in that form anymore.
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