Q: I just read your article about the ineffectiveness of phenylephrine as a nasal decongestant. There is an important distinction regarding phenylephrine products, though. Nasal sprays containing phenylephrine do work! You can find it under the brand name Neo-Synephrine.

Since I have elevated blood pressure as well as allergies, I use phenylephrine at a greatly reduced concentration. I take a 1-ounce bottle and dilute it with sterile saline to 10 to 12 ounces total. It still works, but there’s much less rebound congestion.

I don’t take oral forms of any decongestant as I don’t want to raise my blood pressure. This is why I would oppose any effort to ban phenylephrine from nasal spray or drops.

A: Thank you for pointing out the difference between phenylephrine (PE) tablets and nasal sprays. The Food and Drug Administration recently acknowledged that the oral version of this decongestant is poorly absorbed and is probably ineffective. There are over 250 PE-containing products on pharmacy shelves and Americans spend more than $1.7 billion on such cold and allergy pills.

The topical version of PE found in nasal sprays does not have to be absorbed through the stomach. It has direct vasoconstrictor action in the nose. When used for more than a few days, however, the problem of rebound congestion can be challenging.

Q: I am worried about my eyebrows. They started thinning at the outer edges, but now they are nearly gone. I have no clue what to do, and nothing I’ve tried has made them grow back. I feel self-conscious about this and would appreciate your advice. I am embarrassed to make a doctor appointment about my appearance.

A: You should make an appointment with your doctor. Ask to have your thyroid function tested. For reasons that remain somewhat mysterious, low thyroid hormones can sometimes make the outer third of the eyebrows disappear. Other symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue, puffy eyes, weight gain, dry skin, cold sensitivity and constipation.

Q: I worked for a general surgeon for many years, and we saw our share of “surgical ready” hemorrhoids. For those willing to hold off, we recommended a daily spoonful of blackstrap molasses for a few weeks. Most had great results. Only one patient asked how to apply it to the rectal area.

A: We have no idea why consuming blackstrap molasses might ease the pain of hemorrhoids, but we have heard from many readers that it can be helpful. One wrote:

“One of the side effects of the chemo I needed last year was hemorrhoids. My doctor told me that most of her patients suffered with them throughout the chemo treatments and that I would just have to endure.

“Instead, I tried blackstrap molasses and in just a few days, the hemorrhoids were gone! When I saw the doctor weeks later, she asked how I was surviving the hemorrhoids. She couldn’t believe they were gone!

“Before my appointment was over, she had the hospital pharmacist collect the specifics of my treatment. I told her I took 1 tablespoon twice a day. We both agreed there are enough side effects while going through chemotherapy that nobody should have to suffer with hemorrhoids too.”

The patient who asked how to apply it was not the only one to wonder about this. Using molasses this way would be incredibly messy and probably ineffective.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Send questions to them via www.peoplespharmacy.com.