Q. I have regular bouts of hormonal acne on my chin, jawline and temples. I read that using MoM (milk of magnesia) on the skin will help get rid of current spots and prevent new ones from forming.
I decided to try this, and in just a couple of days my skin is glowing. The acne I had is almost entirely gone and my skin looks ever so much better.
I use a cotton ball to put MoM all over my face right after my shower and again at night. In the morning I leave it on for about 20 minutes. At bedtime I don’t rinse it off but let it dry and leave it on overnight. I wash it off in the shower the next morning.
A. Milk of magnesia (MoM) is thought of as a laxative, but you are not the first person to discover that topical use improves complexion. A letter published in the Archives of Dermatology (Jan. 1975) reported that applying MoM to the face helped clear acne. We wish that some dermatologist had studied this remedy, but no one seems to have done so.
We have heard that it can be helpful for rosacea and eczema as well as acne. One reader reported, “I am 78 years old and, believe it or not, I used MoM when I had acne problems as a teenager. That was about 65 years ago. I have been laughed at numerous times when I have recommended it to young people.”
One mother wrote:
“My daughter’s skin cleared up after she started using MoM, and I was convinced that it worked when her only occasional breakouts were all along the edges of where she applied it – her hairline and around her lips. She ran out of MoM while I was out of town and now we have proof – her forehead completely broke out before we got to the store for more!
“Her skin with MoM is so smooth that her friends ask her what she uses. They have all tried expensive over-the-counter treatments without the results she gets from MoM.”
You will find more acne remedies in our Guide to Skin Care and Treatment.
Should you wish to consider milk of magnesia (MoM) as a roll-on deodorant, you will want to view this video to learn how we came up with The People’s Pharmacy Aluminum-Free MoM Deodorant.
