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
January 13, 2014
teen with moderate acne
Hey everybody . I had moderate acne and i wanted it to be gone so fast . So i went to my dermatologist soeto MD and he prescribed me some capsules (the cure ) clyndamicin lotion and an acne cream . I can tell it worked . I now how have mild acne acne
December 11, 2013
The only thing that has worked for me
Cons:
expensive if your insurance doesn't cover it
slight medicinal smell
must be used consistently and follow instructions
I am a 40+ woman who has suffered from acne since mid 20's. This is the only thing that ever truly cleared my skin. Over the counter products have helped, but finally a dermatologist prescribed for me the clindamycin 1% LOTION. I used it for about a year. No redness or side effects, and over time it stopped my skin from breaking out. I followed my derms instructions of just putting a VERY light (hardly any) but even coat all over my entire face 2x a day. She said put it on right after washing the skin, let it sit for a few minutes, and then put anything else you want on (it can go under moisturizer, under makeup, even under other acne products) At first I still used my other products but over time as those ran out and my skin was looking good, I stopped using everything but this. Now that it has been a year and my skin has basically cleared, my derm wants me to try to go off of it. I have been off for two months. My skin looked great for several weeks after stopping it, but now I see very small blemishes starting to come back and I kind of "feel" that under the surface "oh no" feeling on my skin. So I am going to go back to her and ask her to start me on it again. I'm not sure why she wanted me to try go off of it? This product for me does exactly one thing but it does it well. It does not do anything for skin texture and it does not get rid of past scars or discoloration. But it does prevent future breakouts and so if you use it consistently and follow directions (don't use too much, and don't skip applications) it does clear the skin over time.
November 9, 2013
Thank goodness for this!
Pros:
Clears inflammatory pimples
Feels cool and soothing to skin
No initial breakout
Cons:
P. Acne will eventually become resistant to it.
I suffered from inflammatory pimples and my primary care doctor suggested the Clindamycin gel. I've been on it for a month and have not had another pimple since then! I got a few papules, but I think they were unrelated to the medication, because it's not supposed to cause an initial breakout. I love the gel because although it was itchy for a couple days, when you get used to it, it feels so cool and soothing and dries so quickly and transparently.
November 5, 2013
Product used: Clindets (Clindamycin (1%) Topical Antibiotic Wipes)
Amazing
Pros:
Doesn't dry out skin
Easy to use
Improves appearance of scars
Cons:
Strong rubbing alcohol smell
This is by far the best product I have ever used. Though you might be frightened by its strong smell, trust me; it's totally worth it. It's a small disposable alcohol wipe, medicated with clindamycin. I've used this product on, and off and every time I use it I just love it more and more. After cleansing, I would apply the wipe twice a day, once in the morning, and again before bed. Sits well under makeup, and does not make skin flaky. The wipe also exfoliates skin, and when you're done applying it, you'll even see the gunk that came off your skin (especially if you wear a lot of makeup -- helps to remove residue even after you wash your face). It might burn a little bit the first time you use it, but your skin adapts. I haven't broken out with this product, and I've noticed a huge improvement on reducing acne, and acne scars.
October 24, 2013
Ehh...
Cons:
Smells
Sticky
Didn't work for me
I tried using this and it didn't change anything. It smells gross and it's sticky. it didn't make my skin worse or better.
September 27, 2013
Definatly worth it
Pros:
Works very quickly
Reduces size and reddness
No stinging
Cons:
Dry sour skin some
Needs exfoliating
Gets worse before it gets better
I started using it because I had not severe acne, but a lot of it. Unlike what is recommended I have dry skin so it was a little harder to stay hydrated. But it defiantly started to reduce redness, size, and the amount VERY quickly. It was strafe because I was used to feeling stinging or burning and it almost felt strange for it to work so well and not burn! One thing I didn't like was it did get worse before it got better, and I had to do a lot of exfoliating to remove dead skin. But u might not have that who knows:)
August 29, 2013
Helped me...for a few years
Pros:
Works Fast!
Fades Hyper-pigmentation left after acne
Prevents acne
Cons:
Bacteria Ressistance
Burning sensation at start of use
Expensive depending on your insurance
When i was about 11 or 12 years of age I had really bad acne in my T-zone at that point i had only tired proactive and the tea tree oil regime from The Body Shop which helped only a bit but did not get me clear. So when i went to my Dr she prescribed Clindamycin in the clindets form (which is like a wipe that gets rid of the bacteria that causes acne). I was around 13 or 14 when i started to use this prescription day and night with an over the counter Benzol Peroxide lotion. I swear it started working the first time i put it on, sure it did burn my eyes and my nose but i thought it was defiantly worth it cause I was clear within at least a month or two with maybe a couple pimples that would pop up when i forgot to apply it. Fortunately, due to this prescription i was clear throughout my whole high school years not having to wear makeup at all majority of the time which was a great feeling. But unfortunately, I got a bacteria resistance to this after 4 years of using it religiously and slowly my acne started to reappear but not as bad as it once had been (knock on wood). I do suggest trying this if you have the same kind of skin as mine : oily/ non-sensitive. But just remember this is NOT a cure! You're acne may come back after months or years of starting this.
August 29, 2013
THE BEST
Pros:
Fast
Easy to use
Cons:
Oily skin (only use at night )
I had terrible acne and it got rid of it FAST l put it on before i went to bed and in the morning my pimples were visibly smaller and in like 3 days they were gone <3 so i love love LOVE this
August 23, 2013
Works Great minus resistance
Pros:
Cleared up skin perfectly
Has a nice texture
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.
August 17, 2013
didn't work at all
Pros:
gets rid of the itchiness
anti bacterial
easy to apply
Cons:
expensive
not effective to everyone
slowly effective
i was using the liquid solution and applied it twice a day for more than a month along with erasul cleanser (sulfur soap). i would say i have just wasted my money with this product coz there was absolutely NO IMPROVEMENT AT ALL!!! true it is that you will need a lot of damn patience but man! its been hell of a month!!! my derm just told me to switch to erythromycin which i think is pretty much the same thing with it. so yeah overall it never cleared up my acne and it even made it worse. but it doesnt mean that it wont work for you just because it didnt work for my skin. just give it a try if by all means youre frustrated. the decision is yours after all.
Pros:
clears skin
prevents future breakouts