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Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical

Clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide topical is a combination antibiotic and acne gel used to treat acne vulgaris in people 12 years and older.

Brand names OnextonNeuacAcanya
Drug class Lincosamide Antibacterial
Rx Form 1
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Reviewed by Last reviewed Jul 10, 2026 Content updated Oct 2, 2026
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand

The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 32 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →

✓No current FDA shortage listed · checked Oct 6, 2026
Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical at a glance The quick version — the full detail is in the Patient Information Guide below.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
The Pharmacist’s Take By · Clinical pharmacist · Written

Clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide is a common first-choice prescription gel for acne vulgaris (everyday acne) in people 12 and older. It pairs an antibiotic that stops bacteria from making proteins with benzoyl peroxide, which kills bacteria and helps shed the top layer of skin; it has been on the market since about 2009 and is available generically. Most people tolerate it well, and the usual complaints are redness, scaling, itching, burning or stinging. The one serious risk is colitis (an inflamed bowel), because some clindamycin is absorbed through the skin, so stop it and call your doctor for significant or bloody diarrhea, even weeks after your last dose.

Clinical pearls

  • Use it once a day on clean, dry skin, then limit sun exposure and skip tanning beds and sun lamps entirely.
  • Do not use it if you have ever had ulcerative colitis, regional enteritis (Crohn’s disease) or antibiotic-associated colitis.
  • Avoid erythromycin products, which can work against clindamycin, and go easy on peeling or abrasive acne products that pile on irritation.
  • If diarrhea starts, skip opioid-type anti-diarrhea medicines such as diphenoxylate with atropine, which can make colitis worse.
How you get itPrescription only
Comes asTopical cream, ointment or gel
Earliest FDA record2009
Companies listing it with the FDA13
FDA label last updatedSep 30, 2020
FDA’s strongest warning (boxed)None on the label

Patient information guide A plain-language walkthrough of Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical, written from its FDA label.

What Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical is used for

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This combination gel is used for one condition.

  • Acne vulgaris, treated topically in people 12 years of age and older (Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel, 1.2%/3.75%).

How Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical works

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Clindamycin is a lincosamide antibiotic. It attaches to part of the bacterial protein-making machinery and stops bacteria from building proteins. Benzoyl peroxide is an oxidizing agent that kills bacteria and helps the skin shed.

Both ingredients have shown activity against Propionibacterium acnes, a bacterium linked to acne. Resistance to clindamycin has been documented, and it is often linked with resistance to erythromycin.

Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical dosage

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The gel is applied to the face once a day. Wash with mild soap, rinse with warm water and pat dry first, then use a pea-sized amount.

  • Keep it away from the eyes, mouth, moist linings and broken skin.
  • It is not for swallowing or for use in the eyes or vagina.
  • Use beyond 12 weeks has not been evaluated.

Follow your prescriber's and the label's directions.

Dosing details from the FDA-approved label

From the Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical prescribing information (“Dosage and Administration”). Doses are set by your prescriber for your product, condition, kidney function and age — never change a dose on your own.

  • Acne (topical use on the face)
    • Apply a pea-sized amount of Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel, 1.2%/2.5% to the face once daily
    • Wash face gently with a mild soap, rinse with warm water, and pat skin dry before applying; avoid the eyes, mouth, mucous membranes, or areas of broken skin; use beyond 12 weeks has not been evaluated; not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use
Read the label’s full dosing text

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Before applying Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel, 1.2%/2.5%, wash your face gently with a mild soap, rinse with warm water, and pat your skin dry. Apply a pea-sized amount of Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel, 1.2%/2.5% to the face once daily. Avoid the eyes, mouth, mucous membranes, or areas of broken skin. Use of Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel, 1.2%/2.5% beyond 12 weeks has not been evaluated. Concomitant topical acne therapy should be used with caution because a possible cumulative irritancy effect may occur, especially with the use of peeling, desquamating, or abrasive agents. Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel, 1.2%/2.5% is not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use. • Apply a pea-sized amount of Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel, 1.2%/2.5% to the face once daily. (2) • Not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use. (2)

Read the full Dosage and Administration section on DailyMed →

Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical side effects

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Most skin reactions are mild and local.

Common side effects

  • Burning sensation
  • Contact dermatitis (skin irritation or allergic skin reaction)
  • Itching
  • Rash
  • Redness and scaling of the skin
  • Stinging
  • Redness, scaling and stinging, which tended to peak around week 4 and improve by week 12

When to get medical help

  • Call your doctor and stop the gel if you have significant diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, or severe belly cramps. These can be signs of colitis (inflamed bowel), which can be severe and even fatal.
  • Get emergency help for signs of a serious allergic reaction. Anaphylaxis and allergic reactions leading to hospitalization have been reported.
  • Call your doctor if skin irritation or dermatitis keeps going. Treatment should be stopped if irritation persists.
  • Colitis symptoms can start up to several weeks after stopping an antibiotic like clindamycin.

Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical warnings and precautions

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  • Colitis: severe diarrhea, bloody diarrhea or bowel inflammation have been reported with clindamycin. Stop the gel if significant diarrhea occurs. Symptoms can start weeks after stopping an antibiotic.
  • Sun exposure: minimize sun, tanning beds and sun lamps after applying.
  • Other acne products: peeling or abrasive products can add to irritation. Your doctor may reduce use or pause treatment if irritation occurs.

Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical interactions

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A few medicines and products need care with this gel.

  • Erythromycin (topical or oral): avoid together, since lab studies show it can work against clindamycin.
  • Neuromuscular blocking agents: clindamycin may enhance their effect.
  • Other topical acne treatments: irritation can add up.
  • Opiate or diphenoxylate with atropine anti-diarrhea drugs: may worsen severe colitis.

Interactions listed in the FDA-approved label

From the Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical prescribing information (“Drug Interactions”): what the manufacturer studied or reported to the FDA.

  • Erythromycin-containing products (topical or oral): In vitro studies have shown antagonism between erythromycin and clindamycin; the clinical significance of this in vitro antagonism is not known. Should not be used in combination with topical or oral erythromycin-containing products due to its clindamycin component.
  • Neuromuscular blocking agents: Clindamycin has been shown to have neuromuscular blocking properties that may enhance the action of other neuromuscular blocking agents. Use with caution in patients receiving such agents.
  • Concomitant topical acne therapy (especially peeling, desquamating, or abrasive agents): A possible cumulative irritancy effect may occur. Use with caution.
Read the label’s full interactions text

7 DRUG INTERACTIONS • Avoid using Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel, 1.2%/2.5% in combination with topical or oral erythromycin-containing products because of its clindamycin component. (7.1) 7.1 Erythromycin Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel, 1.2%/2.5% should not be used in combination with topical or oral erythromycin-containing products due to its clindamycin component. In vitro studies have shown antagonism between erythromycin and clindamycin. The clinical significance of this in vitro antagonism is not known. 7.2 Neuromuscular Blocking Agents Clindamycin has been shown to have neuromuscular blocking properties that may enhance the action of other neuromuscular blocking agents. Therefore, Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel, 1.2%/2.5% should be used with caution in patients receiving such agents.

Read the full Drug Interactions section on DailyMed →

Not a complete list. The label covers the interactions the manufacturer studied or reported, and our own interaction database does not cover every medicine either. Bring your full medication list, including vitamins and herbal products, to your pharmacist.

Before taking Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical

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  • Do not use if you are allergic to clindamycin, lincomycin, benzoyl peroxide or any ingredient in the gel.
  • Do not use if you have a history of regional enteritis, ulcerative colitis or antibiotic-associated colitis.
  • Pregnancy: no data in pregnant women are available.
  • Breastfeeding: discuss with your doctor, and avoid your baby touching or swallowing gel on your chest.
  • Not evaluated in children under 12.
  • Not enough people 65 and older were studied to know if they respond differently.

How your body processes Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical

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Absorption of the 1.2%/3.75% gel into the body has not been evaluated. In a study of a similar gel with less benzoyl peroxide, about 75% of adults had measurable clindamycin in the blood, at very low levels. Levels were undetectable 24 hours after application.

Benzoyl peroxide is absorbed by the skin, where it is converted to benzoic acid.

How to store Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical

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Store in a refrigerator, 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F). Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) . Protect from freezing.

Written from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →

Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical: pharmacist answers to common questions

Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.

What is this gel for?

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It treats acne vulgaris, the common type of acne, in people 12 and older. It combines an antibiotic, clindamycin, with benzoyl peroxide, which kills bacteria and helps your skin shed.

How do I put it on?

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Wash your face gently with a mild soap, rinse with warm water and pat dry. Then apply a pea-sized amount to your face once a day. Keep it away from your eyes, mouth and broken skin, and don't swallow it. Follow your prescriber's directions.

What side effects should I expect?

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Mild skin reactions like burning, itching, rash, redness, scaling and stinging can happen. They tended to peak around week 4 and improve by week 12. If irritation sticks around, tell your doctor.

When should I call my doctor?

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Stop the gel and call right away if you get significant diarrhea, bloody diarrhea or bad belly cramps, since clindamycin can cause colitis. Also get emergency help for signs of a severe allergic reaction.

Can I use it with my other acne products?

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Be careful. Peeling, flaking or scrubbing products can add to irritation. Avoid using it with erythromycin products, whether on the skin or by mouth.

Is it safe in pregnancy or while breastfeeding?

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There are no data on this gel in pregnant women, so talk with your doctor before using it. Clindamycin has been found in breast milk in small amounts after oral and injected use. If you use it on your chest, keep your baby from swallowing it.

Is Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical available over the counter?

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No. Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical is a prescription medicine: every Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical product listed with the FDA is prescription only, so it is not sold over the counter. Your prescriber decides whether it is appropriate for you, and your pharmacist dispenses it.

When was Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical first available?

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The earliest FDA record we hold for Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical is from 2009: its first approval in Drugs@FDA or its earliest product listing in the NDC Directory, whichever is older. Many older medicines were in use before their first formal FDA approval, so this is the earliest date on record, not necessarily when Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical was first used.

Who makes Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical?

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13 companies currently list Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical products in the FDA's NDC Directory, including Bryant Ranch Prepack, Padagis Israel Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.. That count includes repackagers and distributors as well as manufacturers (companies that sell only the raw ingredient are not counted), so fewer companies actually make it; the label on your bottle names the one that supplied yours.

Answers drafted from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →

More about Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical on HelloPharmacist

Detailed data & references for Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical Forms & strengths, pricing, billing codes, manufacturers, safety reports and sourcing — the data behind the page. Most people can stop here. Each section below opens on a tap.

Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical forms and strengths (how it comes)

Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical is available in 1 form. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.

Need a version that does not list lactose, a gluten source, a dye or gelatin? Inactive ingredients differ by manufacturer: see Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical inactive ingredients by manufacturer.

Topical cream, ointment or gel

On the skin
Brands Acanya Neuac Onexton
How this form is used
What it may be used for
  • Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel, 1.2%/3.75% is used to treat acne vulgaris in people 12 years and older.
Important instructions
  • Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel is for use on the skin only, not by mouth, in the eyes, or in the vagina.
  • Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel is applied as a pea-sized amount to the face once daily after washing and drying the skin.
  • Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel use beyond 12 weeks has not been evaluated.
Available strengths 6 strengths
46 FDA-listed product records ⓘ

Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical on the U.S. market: products, makers and brands

How Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.

13 companies list 32 Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical product records with the FDA, mostly as topical cream, ointment or gel; the earliest marketing or approval year on record is 2009. Brand names on the directory include Onexton, Neuac, Acanya; the rest are generics.

1
Dose forms ⓘ
13
Labelers (makers, repackagers, distributors)
6
Brand names
32
FDA-listed product records ⓘ
2009
Earliest FDA record ⓘ

Also listed with the FDA, not a patient dose form: Kit (24) — bulk drug substance sold to compounders/manufacturers and multi-item kits. These aren’t counted in the dose-form total above.

Bryant Ranch Prepack19%
Padagis Israel Pharmaceuticals Ltd19%
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.13%
Encube Ethicals, Inc.9%
Bausch Health US, LLC6%
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA6%
Other makers28%

Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.

How widely Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical is used (Medicaid data)

A general measure of how commonly Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.

Think of this as a proxy for how widely Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.

299,589
Medicaid prescriptions filled (Q1–Q4 2025)
$13.3M gross Medicaid reimbursement (before mandatory rebates — net cost is lower)

How commonly is Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical prescribed? Of the 1,601 medications we measure, Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical ranks #324 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 80% of them.

Where Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical ranks among the drugs we measure · Q1–Q4 2025 · neighbors ±5

Utilization by Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical product

Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.

Other Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical products — combination packs and listings not yet matched to a specific clinical product (kept visible so every prescription is accounted for)

299,589 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 100% of Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical prescriptions shown $13.3M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $44 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 33 of 56 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity.

Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.

Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 33 of 56 listed Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical NDCs with Medicaid activity.

Compare Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical products

A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)

Showing 32 of 32 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 32 Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical NDCs →

Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical recall history

A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.

The FDA’s enforcement reports list no Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide recalls since July 2021.

✅No Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide recalls on record since July 2021

Source: FDA enforcement (recall) reports, via openFDA; our copy was last updated Sep 24, 2026.

💵 What Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical costs pharmacies (NADAC benchmark)

The national average invoice price pharmacies pay for the drug itself, from CMS's NADAC survey (data as of Sep 30, 2026). This is a supply-cost benchmark — not a retail price and not what you'd pay at the counter.

FormStrengthPharmacy acquisition benchmark
Gel · Topical 50; 10 mg/g; mg/g $0.501–$0.742 per gram NDC details & price history
Gel · Topical CLINDAMYCIN PHOSPHATE 10 mg/g; BENZOYL PEROXIDE 50 mg/g $0.501–$0.742 per gram NDC details & price history
Gel · Topical CLINDAMYCIN PHOSPHATE 10 mg/g; BENZOYL PEROXIDE 37.5 mg/g $13.87 per gram NDC details & price history
Gel · Topical 25; 10 mg/g; mg/g $0.819 per gram NDC details & price history
Gel · Topical BENZOYL PEROXIDE 25 mg/g; CLINDAMYCIN PHOSPHATE 10 mg/g $0.819 per gram NDC details & price history
Gel · Topical 37.5; 10 mg/g; mg/g $13.87 per gram NDC details & price history
Why show this? Your out-of-pocket cost depends on insurance, pharmacy markup, and discounts — but the acquisition benchmark tells you whether the medication itself is inexpensive or costly, which strengths cost more per dose, and whether a cash-price quote is in a reasonable range. Each row links to the NDC-level record with its full price history.

Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC), a survey of retail pharmacy invoice prices. Benchmarks shown are the range across package sizes of a representative product for each form and strength — other manufacturers' products may differ.

Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical brand names

Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical is sold under 3 brand names in the FDA directory — Onexton, Neuac, Acanya. A brand and its generic contain the same active ingredient; the brand name belongs to one company's product.

Onexton Neuac Acanya

Who makes Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical: manufacturers and labelers

13 companies list Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical products with the FDA. By number of product records, the largest are Bryant Ranch Prepack, Padagis Israel Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.. Labelers include manufacturers and repackagers; the product in your bottle depends on which one your pharmacy stocks.

Bryant Ranch Prepack 6 Padagis Israel Pharmaceuticals Ltd 6 Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc. 4 Encube Ethicals, Inc. 3 Bausch Health US, LLC 2 Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA 2 NorthStar RxLLC 2 Oceanside Pharmaceuticals 2 Mayne Pharma 1 Medimetriks Pharmaceuticals 1 Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. 1 Zydus Lifesciences Limited 1 Zydus Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. 1

Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical drug class (RxNorm)

Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical belongs to the Peroxides class.

Drug family (ATC) Peroxides

Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.

Sources for this Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical page

Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.

📄
FDA-filed drug labels (SPL) Uses, dosing, warnings & side effects from SPL records retrieved through openFDA; the linked representative set can be verified on DailyMed. ✓ Linked label effective Sep 30, 2020
🏭
Forms, brands & labelersAggregated from ingredient-matched FDA National Drug Code Directory product records for Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical.
📈
Real-world reportsThe FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), served through openFDA.
🚨
Recalls & shortagesopenFDA drug-enforcement reports and the FDA drug-shortage database.
🧾 Clinical label set — FDA-filed SPL labels retained for Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Topical after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching
Clinical labels in scope
32
Finished products in the current FDA directory
32
Companies listing them (makers, repackagers, distributors)
13
FDA labeler codes behind them ⓘ
17
Linked representative label ⓘ
Oceanside Pharmaceuticals
Linked label effective
Sep 30, 2020
Composite sections available
21
Linked SPL Set ID
edae294f-cc8b-4f94-8d90-4c764fda307b
Linked SPL Document ID
18705773-78c3-4eac-a1a7-f4ac6f667ef2
Open the linked representative label on DailyMed ↗

How this page is built

HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records and does not author the underlying clinical facts. The plain-language sections are written with AI from the FDA-approved label text and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Oceanside Pharmaceuticals is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates. This is general education, not medical advice: always talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own medicines. How we build and review drug pages →