Topical Antibiotic
Reviews
3.6
669 Reviews
Topical Antibiotic
Efficacy
55%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
1
2
3
4
5
Note: Should never be used on its own and for a maximum of 3 months.
Topical Antibiotic
Side Effects
Low
Topical Antibiotic
Acne.org’s Real World Take
One of the less effective treatments out there. It should never be used on its own or for longer than 3 months and may lead to resistant strains of bacteria. It may provide a slight improvement in mild acne in some people.
Topical Antibiotic
How to Get It
Have a dermatologist? Make an appointment to get this medication. Don't have a dermatologist? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find one.
Read All About Clindamycin
Compare To Other Treatments
5
27.8%
4
32.4%
3
19%
2
13.9%
1
6.9%

Used Clindamycin? Rate It:

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June 16, 2017
At first skeptical, but it works!!
I am struggling with acne since 2013 until now. It is a combination of cystic acne and nodules and almost all of my breakouts are containing pus; which hurts af. Besides that, my acne is also triggered badly by stress and PMS. So last month, I was trying to use Tidact, another alternative for Clindamycin as it also contains 11.9mg of Clidamycin Phosphate. However, when I first bought it I wore it a few times and stopped because there is no effect whatsoever on my breakouts. I am desperate to find a quick solution. Within the past few weeks, my acne on jawlines and below the chin got worser and worser. I have tried almost everything. Honey, turmeric, lemon, sea salt water. You name it. But no avail. So I'm giving Tidact another shot and wore it continuously for 2 weeks; one time in the morning under my makeup and one time at night. And currently yeah, it works! The breakouts are starting to diminish and leaving only the red, flat acne scars! If you want to use this product, believe me; patience is the key. :) In one of the successful review, it takes 6 months to banish acne completely by using this product. It also works well with gentle facial cleansers such as Cetaphil. For the acne scars I am using Bio-Oil as it works well for me.
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May 10, 2017
The thing that changed my life, "temporarily".
Clinictop is a topical antibiotic which only contains Clindamycin Phosphate. I have moderate to severe acne which became Cystic a couple of months before I had started this treatment. I started using it and noticed improvements within days, my Acne was less aggressive and was fading away, I went from multiple pimples to only getting one or two in the 2-3 weeks of application. By a whole month my Acne had vanished completely, didn't even have a single pimple for 2 months straight. I did wonders and changed my life until it stopped working, why? Well, my fault. It's an antibiotic and Acne bacteria developed a resistance against it. I stopped using the cream for 2 weeks and only applied 2.5% Benzac. I now use Clinictop in the Afternoon as a middle ground between my Day and Night BP regime. Results so far look promising and hopefully BP will help stop the Bacteria developing a resistance against Clidamycin. I think it's best to use Clinctop for 1 month and then gradually start using BP as well. Bacteria takes 3-4 months to stop Clindamycin from working so it's best to have BP as an extra Bacteria killer. I used Clinctop twice a day and noticed joint pain after 3 months as I run a lot, I wasn't able to run as much as I used to but joint pain was a passable side-effect. Did not notice anything else. Another thing I changed was my diet with the application of Clinictop. It consisted of a good amount of Vitamin-A rich ingredients, note that I noticed zero changes in cutting down dairy, in fact I increased my dairy level in order to bulk-up with Whey intake. Cutting down dairy could help but not for me. Although there is a lot of debate on this subject but I think what you eat is highly essential to a clear face especially if you know what to avoid. I haven't eaten anything fried since the last 5 months and couldn't stress how much that helped me. Clinictop worked great for me and I'm sure it will continue to work BP now being in my regimen.
February 10, 2017
it works!!
Live in tropical climate country and this product is really suitable for me. Prescribed by my doctor.. and been using these since two months. all my acne are gone now! p.s. i'm using the small bottle(clindamycin lotion: clindamycin phosphate 1.2% ) not the tube.
December 31, 2016
Working For Me
So I have mild acne--whiteheads on my forehead and on my chin, and also a few cysts here and there on my chin. I had been using proactive for about 5 years, and it worked, but over the past few months or so the proactive just stopped working. I would get a new cyst weekly, and it would be so painful. I finally scheduled an appointment with the dermatologist and he prescribed clindamycin (the watery solution). The first week I used it, I got a terrible breakout. It's as if all the acne that was "dormant" suddenly erupted, and my face was full of cysts and acne and it was the absolute worst it had ever been. But then after about two weeks it started to get better. Right now, my face is more or less completely clear, the spots are clearing up, I don't have any cysts, and I'm even noticing that my hyperpigmentation is getting better (maybe that's because of my vitamin E pills, I don't know). So yeah, I've only been on clindamycin for about three weeks now but my face is finally back to normal for the time being. As the dermatologist told me, "It will get worse before it gets better. Expect to see results in 2-3 months."
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November 8, 2016
OILY-ER THAN BEFORE!!!!
This stuff does NOT work. I have oily prone skin and this actually has made it even worse!!!! I can't even wear makeup now because my makeup almost melts off my skin and it's disgusting. Even when I use this and go makeup free it STILL makes my skin oily and breakout even more. Ugh so frustrating :(
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October 10, 2016
Zindaclin works fast!
Hi folks! Just started using zindaclin, which was prescribed by my gp on Wednesday, and since then I have noticed that my spots have diminished considerably - there's only one left on my nose but I'm sure that'll go soon, too. However, I am still left with a lot of inflammation (I have inflammatory acne) but I hope that the gel will address that as well but I can't complain, as It is working so well on my skin, aside from the drying effect but I use a good moisturiser so it's not that bad. At this point, I am confident that it will control my acne and help reduce the inflammation in combination with lymecycline (also on prescription) but it's way too early to be commenting on the effect(s) of the latter as I've only been taking it for a few days. Anyway, zindaclin definitely works at getting rid of spots, and I highly recommend it to all those who have papules and pustules like me. Thumbs up!
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July 9, 2016
It works!
I recently started using this in combination with other things to combat moderate inflammatory acne after taking oral steroids for a medical condition. It has really helped the inflammation! I know this is a temporary fix, but hopefully my other treatments will kick in before this stops working (Tretinoin, Spironolactone, Finacea, Ortho-Cyclen). Highly recommend the Fougera Clindamycin Gel (non-comedogenic), but be careful of the Lotions, they often include pore clogging ingredients!
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July 6, 2016
Short Term Solution
Well, it is effective but if you stop using it then acne comes back with a bigger bang. I used it for an year and it made a difference but even if i skip one day, my skin breaks out. It is a short term solution. If you are in need of a really fast thing to act on your pimples, go for it, but don't skip a single day.
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June 19, 2016
Made my face greasy and waxy feeling, hated it
This is NOT for people who have oily skin. I saw absolutely NO improvement and every time i used it, my skin became greasy and waxy feeling. It was absolutely disgusting. It made my already oily skin even worse.
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June 3, 2016
Still new but not feeling it
My doctor prescribed this to me to use in the morning for my bacne. At the time my back was doing ok. It's only been three days and my back has honestly gotten worse. I'm supposed to use this in conjunction with Minocycline and a benzoyl peroxide wash and that I should give it at least 8 weeks to see results. I'm really hoping that this is a "its gonna get worse before it gets better" situation cause cystic pimples along the bra strap during summer are the biggest pain. Literally. :/
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Finding a Doctor

The right dermatologist can make a big difference to your patient experience and the success of your acne treatment plan. Here are the steps to find a dermatologist who is a good fit:

  1. Use the search feature on the American Academy of Dermatology website to look for board-certified dermatologists in your area, and filter the search results for doctors with a special interest in treating acne.
  2. Read online patient reviews of any dermatologists you are considering and ask people you know whether they have any experience with these dermatologists.
  3. Do your research and go to your first appointment with questions prepared.
  4. Listen to what your gut feeling tells you once you see a dermatologist in person. If you are not completely comfortable, try a different dermatologist.

Finding a Doctor

Only a select few plastic surgeons specialize in acne scar revision surgery. Be certain to find a provider who specializes in acne scar repair and who is passionate and experienced in this area.

Be sure to:

  • Look at before and after photos, the more the better, especially patients with similar scarring to your own.
  • Be realistic about results. Look for improvement, not a cure.

Questions to ask a potential scar revision specialist:

  • Are you board certified? Be certain that they are board certified.
  • How long have you been performing these procedures? Normally, the more experience the better, however, some younger surgeons may be more on top of the latest procedures.
  • Can I speak to some of your other patients? Ask for references for several patients who had similar scarring and speak to them about the process and their satisfaction with results.

Red flags:

  • Their story changes: As you discuss different treatment options, if they tend to change their mind easily, or agree with whatever you say, consider this a red flag. A confident, experienced surgeon will possess strong, unwavering opinions.
  • Your gut tells you "no": Trust your gut. If you just don't feel that the doctor is the right fit, trust that and move on. On the other hand, if you feel they are the perfect specialist for you, trust that feeling.