Treclin Gel

Treclin is a prescription-only gel that combines two acne treatments: clindamycin 1%, an antibiotic, and tretinoin 0.025%, a retinoid (a form of vitamin A). Clindamycin reduces the bacteria linked to acne and calms inflammation. Tretinoin speeds up skin cell turnover, so pores are less likely to block with dead skin and oil. Together they treat blackheads, whiteheads and red, pus-filled spots. It’s applied once a day at bedtime. We supply it to adults aged 18 and over, after an online consultation with one of our prescribers.

Apply Treclin once a day at bedtime. Wash your whole face with a mild soap and pat it dry. Squeeze a pea-sized amount onto your fingertip, dot it onto your chin, cheeks, nose and forehead, then gently rub it over your entire face. Avoid your eyes, eyelids, lips, nostrils and any broken or eczema-affected skin. Don’t apply other creams, gels or cosmetics at the same time, and avoid medicated cleansers and scrubs that strongly dry the skin.

It can happen. Dry, red or flaky skin and a worsening of acne are listed as possible side effects, and irritation is most likely early in treatment. If your skin becomes very sore, use Treclin less often or stop for a short time, and contact us for advice.

Improvement may not show for several weeks after you start, so use it every night. Treclin shouldn’t be used for more than 12 weeks without a review. Your prescriber will check how it’s working at 12 weeks: if your skin is clear, you’ll usually carry on with a gel without an antibiotic, such as Differin, to keep it clear.

The most frequently reported side effects (up to 1 in 100 people in the product information) are dry, red or itchy skin, burning or stinging where it’s applied, sensitivity to sunlight, and worsening of acne. Irritation is most likely early in treatment. Bowel inflammation (colitis) has been reported with some other clindamycin skin products and is unlikely with Treclin, but stop using it and contact your GP if you get prolonged, severe or bloody diarrhoea or stomach cramps. Call 999 if your face, lips or throat swell or you have difficulty breathing.

Yes. Tretinoin makes your skin more sensitive to sunlight. While using Treclin, apply a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 every morning, wear protective clothing such as a hat when out in the sun, and avoid sunbeds entirely. If you get sunburnt, stop using Treclin until your skin has fully healed before restarting.

Treclin is not suitable for everyone. You should not use it if you have a known allergy to clindamycin, tretinoin, or lincomycin, or if you have a history of inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or antibiotic-associated colitis. It is also not suitable if you have a history of rosacea, acute eczema, perioral dermatitis, or skin cancer, or if your acne is the deep cystic or nodular type. Always let your clinician at Access Doctor know about your full medical history before starting Treclin.

No. Treclin must not be used if you’re pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding, because tretinoin is a retinoid. If you could get pregnant, use effective contraception while using Treclin and for 1 month after you stop. If you find out you’re pregnant, stop using it and contact your GP. We don’t supply acne treatment online during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

No. Treclin already contains an antibiotic, so it isn’t used with antibiotic tablets such as lymecycline, doxycycline, oxytetracycline or minocycline, or with another antibiotic gel or lotion. Using two antibiotics together makes it more likely that acne bacteria become resistant. If you need an antibiotic tablet, your prescriber will pair it with a gel without an antibiotic, such as Epiduo.

Treclin is a gel, although it’s often called Treclin cream. It comes as one strength (clindamycin 1% with tretinoin 0.025%) in a tube.

Yes, Treclin is prescription-only, so you can’t buy it over the counter. You can get it from Access Doctor after a short online consultation: you answer questions about your skin, health and previous treatments, a pharmacist prescriber checks it’s suitable for you, and if it’s approved we dispatch it from our UK pharmacy. We supply up to 12 weeks at a time, with a review before any further supply.