Clindamycin topical

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Clindamycin topical Overview

Reviewed: May 27, 2013
Updated: November 15, 2013

Topical clindamycin is a prescription medication used to treat acne. Clindamycin belongs to a group of drugs called lincosamide antibiotics, which slow or stop the growth of bacteria.

Topical clindamycin comes in topical foam, solution, lotion, gel, and medicated swab forms.  These dosage forms are applied to the skin with acne once or twice a day. 

Common side effects of topical clindamycin include dry, peeling, and irritated skin.

Uses of Clindamycin topical

Topical clindamycin is a prescription medication used to treat acne.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

 

Side Effects of Clindamycin topical

Serious side effects have been reported with clindamycin. See “Drug Precautions” section.

Common side effects of topical clindamycin include:

  • dry, peeling, or red skin
  • irritated, itchy, or burning skin
  • oily skin and new blemishes
  • headache

Common side effects of vaginal clindamycin include:

  • vaginal irritation, itching, burning, or swelling
  • vaginal discharge
  • burning or painful urination
  • nausea
  • stomach upset

This is not a complete list of clindamycin side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Clindamycin topical Interactions

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

  • neuromuscular blocking agents, such as doxacurium (Nuromax) and vecuronium (Norcuron)

This is not a complete list of clindamycin drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

 

Clindamycin topical Precautions

Serious side effects have been reported with clindamycin including:

  • Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea:  Clindamycin and other antibiotics can kill the “good” bacteria in the colon leading to a growth of C. difficile bacteria. C. difficile are “bad” bacteria that can cause diarrhea and other digestive problems.
  • Clindamycin can irritate the skin. Do not apply to eyes, mouth, lips, broken skin, or mucous membranes. If the medication gets on these areas, rinse thoroughly with cool water.

Do not take clindamycin if you:

  • are allergic to clindamycin (Cleocin), lincomycin (Lincocin), other lincosamide antibiotics, or other ingredient within this medication
  • have a history of digestive problems, such as enteritis (inflammation of the small intestine) or colitis (inflammation of the large intestine, or colon)

Clindamycin topical Food Interactions

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case clindamycin, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving clindamycin.

 

 

Inform MD

Before taking clindamycin, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

  • are allergic to clindamycin (Cleocin), lincomycin (Lincocin), other lincosamide antibiotics, or other ingredient within this medication
  • have a history of digestive problems, such as enteritis (inflammation of the small intestine) or colitis (inflammation of the large intestine, or colon)
  • are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

 

Clindamycin topical and Pregnancy

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Clindamycin falls into category B. Studies in animals have failed to demonstrate a risk to the unborn baby and there are no well-controlled studies in pregnant women.

It is not known if clindamycin will harm your unborn baby.

 

Clindamycin topical and Lactation

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

The active ingredient in clindamycin is excreted in human breast milk. The effect of clindamycin on the nursing infant is not known. Clindamycin can cause stomach upset and other effects in infants.

 

Clindamycin topical Usage

  • Take clindamycin exactly as prescribed for the full duration.
  • Topical clindamycin comes in topical foam, solution, lotion, gel, and medicated swab forms.
  • The foam and one brand of the gel (Clindagel) are applied to skin with acne once a day.
  • The other gels, lotions, solutions, and medicated swabs are used on the skin with acne twice a day.
  • Shake the lotion before each use.
  • Throw the swabs away after each use.
  • Do not apply to the eyes, mouth, lips, broken skin, or mucous membranes.  If the medication gets on these areas, rinse with cool water.
  • If you miss a dose of topical or vaginal clindamycin, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of clindamycin at the same time.
 

Clindamycin topical Dosage

Take clindamycin exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

For topical clindamycin:

  • The foam and one brand of gel (Clindagel) are applied once a day to the affected skin in a thin layer.
  • The other gels, lotions, solutions, and medicated swabs are applied twice a day to the affected skin in a thin layer.

Clindamycin topical Overdose

If you take too much clindamycin, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

 

 

Forms of Clindamycin topical

Clindamycin is available in:

  • 50 and 100 gram aerosol foams with 10 mg clindamycin per gram of foam (1% strength)
  • 30 and 60 mL topical solutions with 10 mg clindamycin per mL of solution (1% strength)
  • 30 and 60 gram topical gels with 10 mg clindamycin per gram of gel (1% strength)
  • 45 and 75 mL topical gels with 10 mg clindamycin per mL gel (1% strength)
  • 60 mL topical lotions with 10 mg clindamycin per mL of lotion (1% strength)
  • swabs with 1% clindamycin

Active ingredient: clindamycin

Inactive ingredients: varies by manufacturers and dosage forms

 

Other Requirements

Store clindamycin at room temperature. Do NOT refrigerate the reconstituted solution; when chilled, the solution may thicken and be difficult to pour.

The solution is stable for 2 weeks at room temperature.

Keep the foam away from open flames or extreme heat.

Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.

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