Does Milk of Magnesia Work to Get Rid of Acne?

Milk of Magnesia is a hydroxide of magnesium.  People who have very oily skin can use it as a topical acne solution with limited success in treating small pimples and pustules.  It will only work well on mild cases of acne.  It removes excess oil from the skin’s surface when applied topically.  Milk of Magnesia also has some antibacterial properties that are beneficial in disinfecting and destroying certain types of bacteria on the skin and in the pores. 

People normally use a q-tip or cotton ball to apply Milk of Magnesia to individual infected pimples.  It should be allowed to dry and then washed off after about an hour.  This should be done several times throughout the day.  This is a very drying chemical substance and should not be applied all over the face.  It can cause extreme dryness and tightness of the skin. 

Milk of magnesia does not work well on severe cases of acne however.  People who have severe acne should be seen by a dermatologist to ensure they get the best treatment possible so as to prevent permanent scaring from acne.