Acne.org ProductsThe following side effects are expected to occur in the first few weeks of treatment, and resolve with continued use of clindamycin / benzoyl peroxide. Contact your doctor if these symptoms are severe and/or do not go away:
How Common (based on clinical studies)
| Dryness of skin | Up to 28% of all users |
| Redness and/or warmth in the area | Up to 8% of all users |
| Irritation at the application site | Up to 3% of all users |
| Itching | Up to 2% of all users |
| Skin peeling or scaling | Up to 2 % of all users |
| Skin darkening | Up to 1.4% of all users |
| Sunburn | Up to 1% of all users |
Clindamycin / Benzoyl peroxide may cause some side effects that are serious. If you experience any of the following uncommon side effects, get in touch with your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical treatment:
- A sudden appearance of swelling and rash (known as hives)
- Severe abdominal pain or cramps
- Irritation or swelling of the eye or eyelid
- Signs of fungal infection in the skin or nails such as discoloration, itching, or irritation
- Severe diarrhea
- Appearance of blood or mucus in stool
- Swelling of any parts of the face
Clindamycin / Benzoyl peroxide may also cause other side effects that are not mentioned here. Contact your doctor if you experience any other troublesome symptoms when using clindamycin / benzoyl peroxide.
References
- DailyMed.nlm.nih.gov. (2024) CLINDAMYCIN AND BENZOYL PEROXIDE gel. [online] Available at: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=76795d1b-e1f2-4d1d-b42a-f1d4448c63c0 [Accessed Nov. 2 2024]
- Heckmann N, Heidari KS, Jalali O, Weber AE, She R, Omid R, Vangsness CT, Rick Hatch GF 3rd. Cutibacterium acnes persists despite topical clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 28(12), 2279-83 (2019).
- Stein Gold L, Baldwin H, Kircik LH, Weiss JS, Pariser DM, Callender V, Lain E, Gold M, Beer K, Draelos Z, Sadick N, Pillai R, Bhatt V, Tanghetti EA. Efficacy and Safety of a Fixed-Dose Clindamycin Phosphate 1.2%, Benzoyl Peroxide 3.1%, and Adapalene 0.15% Gel for Moderate-to-Severe Acne: A Randomized Phase II Study of the First Triple-Combination Drug. Am J Clin Dermatol. 23(1), 93-04 (2022).
- McKeage K, Keating GM. Clindamycin/benzoyl peroxide gel (BenzaClin): a review of its use in the management of acne. Am J Clin Dermatol. 9(3), 193-04 (2008).
- Santos JB, Almeida OL, Silva LM, Barreto ER. Efficacy of topical combination of benzoyl peroxide 5% and clindamycin 1% for the treatment of progressive macular hypomelanosis: a randomized, doubleblind, placebo-controlled trial. An Bras Dermatol. 86(1), 50-4 (2011).