I have heard that duct tape works to get rid of warts. How do you use it, and how long does it take?

Research on duct tape was published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine in October. Parents were told to cover their children's warts with a piece of duct tape for six days. If it fell off, they were to replace it.

At the end of the six days, they removed the tape, soaked the wart in warm water and then filed it down with an emery board. The duct tape was replaced the next day, and the process was repeated for two months or until the wart disappeared.

In this study, 85 percent of the children treated with duct tape were cured. Most warts disappeared within the first month.

I've asked physicians and dermatologists about this problem, and they just shrug their shoulders. The ends of my fingernails get flaky and sort of fluff off, which makes the nails look unsightly.

I eat a good diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables and not too much meat, but no dairy products. I take 1,200 milligrams of calcium pills each day to compensate. Any suggestions about how to strengthen my nails?

Nail problems might signal systemic disease like psoriasis, but your doctors have ruled that out. Try adding a bit of zinc to your regimen, as another reader suggests:

"I asked my doctor about my fingernails, which were cracking, splitting and not growing. He inquired about my calcium intake, and when I told him how much I take, he said, 'You must need zinc.'

"I now take 25 milligrams of zinc twice a day. It has really helped my nails."

Check with your doctor to make sure this amount of zinc is safe for you. Your nails might also benefit from moisturizing treatments.

My doctor prescribed Zocor last year, and within a few months I started having weakness in my legs. I could hardly get up the stairs to my house. My arms also got very weak. I have an iron skillet I've used for decades, and I had to use both hands to pick it up.

What really alarmed me was forgetting names. I would see people I've known for a long time but fail to remember their names. I asked my doctor if I could go off Zocor, and now I am feeling stronger and remembering things much better.

The problem is, my cholesterol has gone back up. How else can I get it down without these side effects?

We've heard from others who experienced muscle weakness, pain or troubling memory problems while taking drugs like Zocor, Lipitor, Lescol or Pravachol. These "statin" drugs are extremely effective for lowering cholesterol, but some patients react badly. Other side effects might include nerve pain (neuropathy) and sexual dysfunction.

There are many ways to lower cholesterol and other risk factors for heart disease. New medicines like Tricor and WelChol should not cause the kind of side effects you experienced. Psyllium, fish oil and niacin are other options to discuss with your physician.

I'd like to respond to a letter from a mother whose teen-ager is taking Prozac for depression and Xanax for stress and insomnia. It's a shame that doctors are so quick to medicate kids. Has anyone suggested an aerobic exercise program of some sort?

As a runner, I have more trouble staying awake than falling asleep at night. Intense exercise can be wonderful in managing stress.

I wish this mother would encourage her child to try a more natural approach to his problems.

Vigorous exercise can be helpful in alleviating depression as well as insomnia, so your suggestion is certainly reasonable. Because depression can be so serious, however, the young man must consult his physician before discontinuing his medication.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 888 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10019, or e-mail them from their Web site, www.peoplespharmacy.org.

King Features Syndicate