Safety
Some clindamycin is absorbed through the skin, and diarrhea, bloody diarrhea and colitis (including C. difficile colitis) have been reported; stop and call a clinician if significant diarrhea starts. Not for people with a history of regional enteritis, ulcerative colitis or antibiotic-associated colitis. Dryness, redness, burning and peeling are common, and using it alone for long periods can encourage resistant bacteria.
Legal status
Prescription only; FDA-approved. FDA-approved, used on-label and available as a generic. Compounded creams that include clindamycin are not FDA-approved.
What clindamycin (topical) is
Generic and brand-name (Cleocin T). It also comes in an approved fixed combination with tretinoin (clindamycin 1.2% and tretinoin 0.025% gel).
FDA-approved for acne vulgaris.
Dosing
Solution, gel or lotion, applied to the skin. Clindamycin 1% (10 mg per mL or per gram), a thin film twice a day on the affected area. Your clinician sets the dose for you.
How well it works
The Cleocin T label lists acne vulgaris as its approved use and reports side effects from 18 controlled studies of the solution, gel and lotion, but prints no efficacy percentages. Individual results vary.
Clindamycin (topical) cost
None of the online providers we compare publishes a monthly price for it. For a full breakdown, read How much does an online dermatologist cost?. For the steps, read How to get a tretinoin prescription online.