Q. My 16-year-old son has had problems with acne for years. He kept asking me to buy Proactiv. I kept putting it off and telling him to try cheaper stuff.
Then I read your column about using milk of magnesia for acne. I printed the article (for proof for my son) and bought the MoM and cotton balls.
He has used it and his face is much better. He has even mentioned that MoM has helped a lot.
A. Proactiv contains benzoyl peroxide, a time-honored and FDA approved OTC acne treatment. Milk of magnesia (magnesium hydroxide) is an oral laxative that has not been approved for acne treatment. Nevertheless, many readers tell us that when applied topically to the face every night it helps clear blemishes.
