Proactiv Solution Review

Quick View: My then 20-year-old son suddenly started breaking out. Never one to have any sort of acne problem before, he freaked. He tried Murad's system and it was OK but, like his Mom, an infomercial got to him. It was for the ProActiv line. He signed up on the ProActiv website and got his first kit, then many more even after he canceled. This site is crazy!

Our Experience with ProActiv.com
The first box of the system appeared on our doorstep about three weeks after ordering. My son tried it and gave it a fighting chance but it didn't do a great job on his skin. Later, we found out that was because he didn't have acne; he really had an infection called folliculitis that needed to be treated with long term, low doses of antibiotics. At any rate, he used his first kit and the next one came promptly. He was charged $39.95 plus $5.95 shipping and handling. At this point, he was ready to cancel so he went to the site and asked how to go about canceling his subscription (or whatever it was). He got no reply and, being a flighty 20 year old, forgot about it and used the ProActiv now and then and eventually just discontinued it as the doctor said he was "murdering" his skin using the chemicals on it.

Another kit came and he was charged. He wrote again, telling them to cancel his subscription effective immediately. Time passed. Another kit came and he was charged. I noticed these little unopened white boxes stacking up and told him he was throwing good money out and to cancel the stuff. He said he did at least twice. He called their toll free number, explained the situation, and asked to have the kits discontinued. They said they would but he was not eligible for a refund on any of the other kits even though he asked to be canceled and he did not open the boxes. Fine. Money spent for his laziness.

Then a kit appeared on the doorstep. Now I was mad! I was right there when he called and had his cancellation number. I called them myself and told them, in no uncertain terms, that my son wanted the kits stopped and that he could not use the products. They said he had to call himself. I put him on the phone and he went through the whole thing with them again. Another cancellation number was issued. Another kit came. Livid, I called and told them if another kit came, it would be considered a gift and I was going to dispute the charges on the last two kits. They would not talk to me because I wasn't the cardholder. My son got on the phone and said the same thing. A cancellation number was issued.

We immediately notified my son's credit card company and told them we needed to stop these people. They suggested canceling the card and getting a new one reissued. A pain for sure but anything to stop the charges. The credit card company did try to pursue refunds but the people at ProActiv vigorously denied any knowledge of my son wanting to cancel despite the cancellation numbers we provided. We ended up with six (!!) unopened kits that my son had to pay for. His card was canceled and another one issued. When ProActiv tried to send another kit and the charge would not go through, they emailed my son for the correct billing information. Unbelievable! I can't believe what a hassle it was to cancel this system especially after explaining that my son had an infection that was not treatable by the chemicals in ProActiv. Customer Service wasn't rude. They just agreed and then did nothing to cancel the kits.

My Viewpoint
I am totally disgusted with how this whole situation was handled and I caution everyone to be firm and take action immediately if you cancel your shipments and they keep coming. If you decide to join "the club", watch your credit card carefully and, when you want to cancel, make sure you call them, get a cancellation number, and a follow up email (which they promised but didn't send). If you find they are still shipping you kits after you cancel, call your credit card company right away for assistance. I give this site 2 stars. Everything is easy until you want to STOP. Then it all gets hard to the point of nearly impossible. Proceed with extreme caution.