Acne.org Products
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
October 4, 2009
Cons:
Takes a while to dry.
If you use too much, it can dry out your skin (use only a thin film!).
Can cause colitis (haven't experienced thi myselfs but it scares me a bit).
This stuff saved my skin after trying differin. Differin broke me out so badly I could not handle the IB it gave me, so I quit and tried clindamycin. Clindamycin took care of the awful cysts differin left me with and has helped heal my skin as well as get rid of the pimples. The good thing about this is that it heals acne with no scabbing and helps with irritation of the skin. I am of mixed race so I am naturally tan and my skin scars easily. I use this in conjunction with 2% hydroquinone and my scars have faded faster than ever. If I get a new pimple, it heals quickly and does not leave a scar. Surprisingly, it also gets rid of cysts and seems to help with the swelling/inflammation that cysts can cause. I use clindamycin twice a day, a thin film. In the mornings I wait for it to dry (about ten minutes) and then top off with an SPF moisturizer and makeup if needed.
February 17, 2009
Pros:
Several pros: 1) It's relatively cheap; 2) It doesn't burn, cause redness, or cause flakiness; 3) It works extremely well with consistent application; 4) It doesn't have to be partnered with other products -- use it by itself for max. effectiveness.
Cons:
A few hours after applying it in the morning, my face looks really greasy. So, I just make sure to take a morning trip to the bathroom where I wipe off the grease with some tissues.
This stuff is wonderful. I'm a 27 year old guy with extremely fair skin and mild but persistent acne that I have had since middle school. I have tried everything -- Retin-A, oral antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide (a variety of brands, including the regiment's), Differin, AHA, salicylic acid -- all of them. I have not tried isotretinoin because my acne is not severe enough to warrant it. Last year I tried a combo therapy of Retin-A at night, and Clindamycin in the morning. That worked reasonably well, but I still have occasional zits, which drove me nuts. I wanted to vanquish every single zit from my face. So about a week ago I started using Clindamycin by itself, with 3 applications daily -- morning, 4pm-ish, and before bed. It is working so well. My existing zits are fading, no new ones are forming, and my skin looks healthy and white again, not thinned and reddish as it was on Retin-A and AHA. I'll post an updated review in a few weeks, but so far, so good.
June 24, 2017
Didn't work for me
I have been struggling with acne on my face, back and chest for around 5 years (12 to 17) and this product was the first thing my doctor prescribed. This gave me an IB that lasted for about 3 weeks and then my skin returned to what it had been before I started. Nevertheless, I continued use until I found that my skin had become super sensitive to pretty much everything. I started getting pimples everywhere - in places I had never had them before. I finally stopped clindamycin after 3 months when my skin just kept on getting worse and worse.
April 30, 2016
Good but not great
Was on it for 9 months along with doxycycline and had somewhat clear skin for 4 months in-between.Works pretty well for cystic acne.
March 14, 2015
ineffective
This did absolutely nothing for me after 2 months. I ended up having to switch to another antibiotic.
February 4, 2015
Risky
i'm using the topical pads, which is similar to the topical gel. i've noticed, when used consistently it works amazing! nothing has ever cleared my skin before, and for the first time in a long time most of my pimples dried out (leaving the skin extremely dry).
BUT- huge downside. i got lazy and stopped rubbing the pads on my chin and my jawline; and i broke out worse then ever before in those places. i never broke out like this, cystic terrible acne that hurts. now i'm terrified to go off these pads.
September 4, 2014
works on smaller pimple
I tried to use this before I'm trying to get pregnant so Retinol is not my option. This can be too drying if I use it for longer than 2 days. I can only use it as spot treatment. And it works on smaller pimples. It does absolutely nothing on big cystic acne.
August 26, 2014
Product used: Clindets (Clindamycin (1%) Topical Antibiotic Wipes)
Best thing since sliced bread...
Seriously, I have battled moderate persistent acne since I was a teenager. Now that I've reached my thirties it wasn't getting any better until I tried these! Wow. Words cannot express how much I love these things!!! My acne is finally manageable and greatly improved. I can wear less makeup and feel confident. Who knew it could be this easy without an oral antibiotic?
September 2, 2012
Pros:
took down redness and swelling
affordable
Cons:
patience is key
I am seventeen, but since i was twelve i have struggled and always felt self conscious with myself and it was the worst feeling in the world. my doctor prescribe this to me along with birth control. i dont know what role the bc plays but i can tell my skin has improved. i use a moisturized body wash and after my skin is fully dry add the gel( day and night). it is not made to get rid of any current acne you have but used to help prevent anymore. i still get new ones but i think it is bc i get lazy when it comes to washing my face and that is essential. i still have two more months for my regimen to determine if i need to be put on a stronger medication or not,
November 14, 2011
Pros:
Nothing
Cons:
When I first started using this product it worked and got rid of my pimples quickly. However just when I thought I was done with acne 3 new pimples emerged I kept using it though hoping the acne would go away since that's what the dermatologist said. More and more pimples came and took longer than ever to go down. I sill have some of the pimples from a month ago!!!
This made my acne worse and the quality of my skin awful!!!
Pros:
Saw results in about a week, almost completely clears skin in about three to four weeks.
Goes on very smoothly, nice under makeup, does not sting or itch or burn, does not dry or irritate skin.