Topical Antibiotic
Efficacy
55%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
Note: Should never be used on its own and for a maximum of 3 months.
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.
Used Clindamycin? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
August 23, 2013
Works Great minus resistance
Cons:
Acne bacteria develops a resistance quickly
I used this gel for about 2 or 3 years. It took a few months to work at first, but it cleared my skin right up. However, it is VERY prone to bacterial resistance. The product slowly stopped working for me until it became completely useless. But just because it stopped working for me doesn't mean it will do that for everybody- it's worth a try if it's available to you.
June 28, 2013
Semi useful for a short period of time.
Pros:
Clears somewhat
Cons:
Drying
Antibiotic resistance
Clears acne somewhat until your skin gets resistant to the antibiotic. Not a long term solution.. and not a product that you should use alone and expect to get completely clear.
June 14, 2013
Works well in conjunction with another product.
Pros:
It works if used correctly
Cons:
Can't be a stand alone product
Drying
It works pretty well with a medicated cleanser and a topical product like benzoyl peroxide. You also need a moisturizer since it dries out the skin.
December 29, 2012
Pros:
Light
Inexpensive w/ insurance
Cons:
Pimples grew out of nowhere
So, I was prescribed by my doctor to try it out. It's caused my acne to grow worse than it has been in nearly 2 years in just 2 days. I suppose I'll wait a little longer to see if it gets any better
May 6, 2012
Pros:
Helps keep Candia under control
Cons:
It smells bad
Have to continue to use it a few times a day, kind of a pain!
I would use it again and again
April 6, 2012
Pros:
Works quickly to get a bad breakout under control
Cheap for a prescription
Easily available
Not harsh to skin
Cons:
Just a short-term fix
Stops working after a month or two
Engenders antibiotic resistance
Does nothing for clogged pores or scarring
This is an antibiotic, and like all antibiotics, the bacteria in your skin will become used to it. It will clear up pustules in a very short time, but you better have another treatment started, too, because this will stop working. I would recommend saving this for when you start something else like topical retinoids - this would do well to control the pustules that will come up at first, and by the time this stops working, the retinoid should be working well. After several years off it, it will work again because you will have a new spectrum of bacteria on your face, but I find that the "effective time period" shortens with each course of therapy. The first time I used it, it worked for about 6 months; the second time I used it (10 years later), it only worked 6 weeks.
March 27, 2012
Pros:
-some improvement in facial acne
-can be used with benzyl peroxide / oral antibiotics to improve effect
Cons:
-Used for a long time with only slight improvement in skin
-not good to wear under make up
I've used this for a long time, in combination with various other topical and oral treatments. Although I found, particularly at first, that it improved my skin but my spots never completely cleared up and after a few months the effect seemed to wear off. Of all the topical treatments I've used, this is definitely the only one that had any effect at all, so in mild acne i think it could be a good solution.
February 23, 2012
Pros:
Stopped new acne from forming.
Old acne went away.
Easy to apply.
Cons:
Acne comes back. (Maybe building a resistance to the Clindamycin?)
May not be a permanent solution.
I was prescribed Clindamycin Pledgets by my doctor during a yearly wellness visit. I told the doctor that I had seen a dermatologist and nothing had seemed to work. (I have had seasonal acne on and off since about age 10 and I'm 20 now'wondering why I still get it!) I began using the Clindamycin Pledgets right away after washing my face with a benzoyl-peroxide cleanser, and within about two days I noticed a difference. My skin was very clear until my fourth week of treatment when my face began to breakout, leading to a pre- Clindamycin look. Overall it may help control acne for people with certain types of skin, but the acne can come back.
January 1, 2012
Pros:
-easy to apply
-does not irritate skin
Cons:
-does not stop skin from further breakouts
-takes a while to work
I suffer from moderate acne and am currently on oral Minocycline and Topical clindamycin phosphate. This combination really worked. Clindamycin reduced the severity of my acne but it did not prevent further breakouts..
December 15, 2011
Pros:
Helps clean the oil off your skin for longer time.
Cons:
I am not sure this stuff ever did anything to end my acne.
Its an expensive Neutrogena.
Pros:
Cleared up skin perfectly
Has a nice texture