Prescription medication · Topical Antibiotic

clindamycin topical

Also sold as Cleocin T, Clindagel. Clindamycin topical is used to treat acne.

Data updated 2026-05-15

1
InteractionFew interactions
$0.76
Brand price (NADAC)

clindamycin topical (Cleocin T) is a prescription Topical Antibiotic. Clindamycin topical is used to treat acne.

Clindamycin topical (Cleocin T) is a medicine you put on your skin to treat acne. It helps to kill the bacteria that cause acne.

Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →

Drug Pricing (NADAC)

Brand Price

$0.76/unit

Generic Available

Yes (2 manufacturers)

Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective July 17, 2024. Compare all drug costs →

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What it does

Clindamycin topical is used to treat acne.

Common side effects

Burning, Itching, Dryness

Key warnings

Clindamycin, when taken orally or by injection, can cause severe diarrhea, including bloody diarrhea, and colitis.

The sections below are summarized in plain English from clindamycin topical's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.

How It Works

Clindamycin is an antibiotic. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria. This helps to reduce inflammation and clear up acne.

Serious Warnings

Clindamycin, when taken orally or by injection, can cause severe diarrhea, including bloody diarrhea, and colitis. While rare with the topical form, tell your doctor right away if you develop diarrhea while using this medicine.

Known Drug Interactions

minor clindamycin

Drug Interactions Clindamycin has been shown to have neuromuscular blocking properties that may enhance the action of other neuromuscular blocking agents.

Mechanism: Clindamycin can increase the effects of drugs used to relax muscles during surgery. This could make the muscle-relaxing effect stronger or last longer than intended.

This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.

Common Questions

Can I use this medicine if I am allergic to clindamycin or lincomycin?
No, you should not use this medicine if you are allergic to clindamycin or lincomycin.
Can I use this medicine if I have had bowel problems?
No, you should not use this medicine if you have a history of regional enteritis, ulcerative colitis, or antibiotic-associated colitis.
Is it okay to smoke while applying the topical solution?
No. Clindamycin Topical Solution is flammable, so avoid fire, flame, and smoking during and immediately following application.
Can I use other acne treatments with this medicine?
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using other acne treatments with clindamycin topical.
What should I do if I get this medicine in my eyes?
Rinse your eyes with water immediately and contact your doctor if you experience any irritation.
Can I use a bandage over the treated area?
It is best to avoid covering the treated area with a bandage unless your doctor tells you to.
How long will it take to see improvement in my acne?
It may take several weeks to see improvement. Continue using the medicine as directed by your doctor.
What if my skin becomes very irritated?
Contact your doctor if your skin becomes severely irritated, red, or swollen.
Can this medicine interact with other medications I am taking?
Clindamycin can enhance the action of neuromuscular blocking agents. Use with caution if you are taking such agents.
What other side effects are possible?
Other side effects that have been reported include abdominal pain, gastrointestinal disturbances, gram-negative folliculitis, and eye pain.
What are the common side effects of clindamycin topical?
The registry lists Burning, Itching, Dryness, Redness, Peeling among the most-reported FAERS reaction terms for clindamycin topical. These counts are not an individual symptom assessment.
Does clindamycin topical interact with other medications?
The registry has 1 documented interaction rows for clindamycin topical. Notable source-record pairings include clindamycin. These rows are not a complete medication review.
What drug class is clindamycin topical?
clindamycin topical belongs to the Topical Antibiotic drug class. It requires a prescription (Rx). Clindamycin topical is used to treat acne.
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for clindamycin topical?
The FDA label for clindamycin topical contains product-specific pregnancy or breastfeeding language. PlainMeds does not apply that source text to an individual.

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What the FDA Data Shows for clindamycin topical

The FDA label for clindamycin topical (sold under brand names such as Cleocin T, Clindagel) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Topical Antibiotic class. Clindamycin topical is used to treat acne. Official labeling lists 5 commonly reported side effects, including Burning, Itching, Dryness.

Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. Voluntary reports accumulate over the lifetime of a drug and reflect wide-ranging clinical use. The database also lists 1 documented drug interaction derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS.

Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.

Data Sources

Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).

FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.

Last updated: November 24, 2025

PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.

All federal data sources used on this page