Abstract
Topical clindamycin has been accepted as being effective, safe and well tolerated in the treatment of acne for decades. Topical clindamycin comes in various vehicles, including gel, lotion, solution and foam. Choosing the proper vehicle is dependent on patient preference, tolerability and application site. Widespread usage of topical antibiotics has led to a greater proportion of resistant strains of Propionibacterium acnes. As a result of the increasing resistance, clindamycin monotherapy is no longer considered a first-line acne treatment. Currently, combination treatment with benzoyl peroxide has helped to prevent antibiotic resistance. In addition, novel combinations, such as clindamycin phosphate 1.2% or tretinoin 0.025% gel, have been proven to be superior to clindamycin monotherapy in reducing acne lesion counts.