Clindamycin

I've been dealing with moderate to severe acne since I was 13 (22 now). I've gone through every over the counter (Natural/Sialic Acid/Benzoyl Peroxide/ect.) and treatment plan (Proactiv/Skin ID) and nothing seemed to work. If fact, the expensive treatment plans made my face WORSE over time. Finally last week I was fed up and went to see a dermatologist. She prescribed me Clindamycin Phosphate Gel 1%, Tretin-X and Minocycline. So far I've only been able to get the Clindamycin, I'm waiting on the others. But as of a 6 day regiment of Oxy 10% Benzoyl Peroxide wash, waiting 15 mins, and a thin application of Clindamycin morning and night, I've noticed a HUGE difference. Even on day one I noticed the swelling was down of all the acne on my face within 30 mins. As I said, I've only been on this regiment for 6 days and my acne isn't completely gone, but it's far less sever, and I've got a lot more treatment ahead. The only negative side effect I noticed was on day four I used a small amount of Aveeno Ultra-Calming Moisturizer and I had a mild flare up. It was gone by the morning though and unnoticeable after my morning wash. All-in-all I'd recommend anyone to ask their derm for this product. It's super effective and fast acting. The only thing I can argue is I have read about some people saying they used this treatment for a year+ and I can say, without a doubt, that's a bad idea. This product is a topical antibiotic and is not intended for prolonged use. So make sure you have a good treatment plan lined up with your derm to effectively fight off acne.

This Was Helpful

13 user(s) found this helpful

Report

michaelbrandon96

July 25, 2012

Pros:

gets rid of acne
makes large lesions smaller within a day
works really well!

Cons:

strong smell (like alcohol)
may sting

I've been using this along with retin-a and i feel that it works great, i could do without the strong alcohol smell but once you get past that it works magic!

This Was Helpful

13 user(s) found this helpful

Report

Mic

July 18, 2012

Pros:

Keeps cysts and pimples from forming
kills bacteria on skin
tightens pores
If using it in the topical solution form you can put it on under your makeup after you let it dry.

Cons:

If also tryed the lotion form that didn't seem to work for me as well. It has a creamy texture. I prefer the alcohol based solution.
It has a mediciney type of smell, but having no eruptions makes that downside minimal.

I've been using this product since my teens and now I'm my early 40's. It's the only thing that has worked for me. I had moderate acne in my teens: I.e. pustles, pimples and cysts. When I stopped using this product, the pimples and cysts would reappear doing my menstrual cycle. When restarting use of this product those problems were kept at bay.

This Was Helpful

13 user(s) found this helpful

Report

Rachel

April 13, 2012

Pros:

Gets rid of acne
Non-irritating

I originally took clindamycin as a pill but switched over to a topical product after it gave me severe nausea. I had taken it for about a month before I stopped, and by then my acne was pretty moderate. Mine is not a gel, its more of a sponge-liquid type, and I use it whenever I get a mild breakout. It works great to get the acne gone without irritating my sensitive skin. I'd probably try the pill first - you probably wont get a nauseated as I did, but it sure does clear up your acne real fast. However you take this product, its great

This Was Helpful

13 user(s) found this helpful

Report

Lidi

January 26, 2009

Pros:

Oil-free, matte finish, rosy cheeks after application

Cons:

You need patience with this product to see dramatic results

My dermatologist prescribed me Clindamycin Phosphate topical lotion (1%) after I complained about whiteheads/pimples around my mouth/chin area. I've been using this for about a month now, and I must say that I haven't had a single breakout since (knock on wood) :) The only slight problem is that I have some minimal scarring from past pimples and some red spots, but with time, I hope this lotion will do its job! I am very satisfied and love the fact that I use it twice a day without any drying! I apply it in the morning under my sunscreen, and it's not oily at all!

This Was Helpful

13 user(s) found this helpful

Report

Lala410

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."

This Was Helpful

12 user(s) found this helpful

Report

backne

August 5, 2014

Made my acne the worst it has ever been

My dermatologist prescribed Clindamycin lotion for my upper back and shoulders to be applied twice daily. I continued this regimen for 3 weeks before giving up on it. Had it simply done nothing, I would have been patient and waited longer to see if there would be results. However, my initially mild acne became increasingly worse every.single.day. The acne increased in number of pustules, frequency with which new pustules emerged, and the location of the pustules. They are now covering my ENTIRE back and sides, my shoulders spreading to half of my upper arms, the front and back of my neck, and even a few on my stomach. They are small, and mostly on the surface, yet still painful because there are so many. Some are a bit bigger and deeper in the skin than what was usual for my acne. It has been five days since I stopped using the Clindamycin lotion. The acne, unfortunately, has not yet receded. I started using an over-the-counter lotion with salicylic acid, which I used to use regularly. I'm going to try shower gel with salicylic acid as well (another product I used to use regularly). I am hoping that the damage from this product can be undone. Although my experience with Clindamycin was awful, that is not to say that the product is awful. It will depend on your skin and your acne needs. However, it is helpful to know that this kind of negative effect CAN happen and if it happens to you, you might want to consider talking to your prescribing doctor about stopping the medication sooner rather than later.

This Was Helpful

12 user(s) found this helpful

Report

djay

December 11, 2013

The only thing that has worked for me

Pros:

clears skin
prevents future breakouts

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.

This Was Helpful

12 user(s) found this helpful

Report

LoveClearXO

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.

This Was Helpful

12 user(s) found this helpful

Report

Jenna

January 4, 2013

Pros:

Started working on day 1! I have cystic acne... or I should say "had" cystic acne and some zits with puss on my face. The first time I applied this was at night and when I woke up in the morning, the zits had dramatically decreased. I have been on this medication a little over a month and my face is totally clear. I don't even feel any of the bumps underneath my face when I wash and that is a great feeling!!

Cons:

Smells like rubbing alcohol. I have to hold my breath when applying.
Dries out skin- My Dr. prescribed Lac Hydrin Five. Works wonders!

This is the best acne medication I have ever been on.

This Was Helpful

12 user(s) found this helpful

Report

1 … 6 7 8 9 10 … 36

Relevant Article(s):

Relevant Review(s):

Relevant Forum(s):

Prescription acne medications

Used Clindamycin? Rate It:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Relevant Article(s):

Relevant Review(s):

Relevant Forum(s):

Finding a Doctor

Finding a Doctor

Be sure to:

Questions to ask a potential scar revision specialist:

Red flags:

New Report

Close