Treclin Gel

What is Treclin gel and what is it used for?

Treclin gel is an effective topical acne treatment that is normally used to treat moderate levels of acne. It works by promoting the growth of new skin cells and preventing the build-up of sebum, and is a prescription-only medicine that must be prescribed by a doctor or another healthcare professional.

It can be bought online through The Independent Pharmacy after simply completing our quick online consultation. Treclin gel is manufactured by Meda Pharmaceuticals and marketed by Mylan. It comes in 30g tubes and is a translucent yellow gel.

For more information on Treclin gel and acne treatment, see our guide to Treclin gel, or visit our acne FAQ.

How does Treclin gel work?

Treclin gel treats acne using the following two active ingredients:

• Clindamycin, is an antibiotic that attacks acne-causing bacteria that live on the skin.
• Tretinoin, is a retinoic acid that reduces the ability of skin cells to stick together, helping dead skin cells to shed instead of blocking hair follicles.

These two actions combine to help treat acne symptoms such as blackheads, whiteheads, pustules, papules and redness. Clindamycin and tretinoin are effective when used individually, but they become even more potent when used in tandem.

How long does Treclin gel take to work?

Like most topical acne treatments, Treclin gel normally takes a few weeks of continued use to build up an effect by killing bacteria and helping your skin to replace and remove dead skin cells. It is normally prescribed for a period of 10-12 weeks. It is important that you do not stop using Treclin as soon as your acne gets better, but continue using it for the entire course.

You can read more about Treclin results here, or if you’re looking to treat scars, read our acne scar treatment guide.

Treclin alternatives

Non-prescription alternatives to Treclin acne treatment gel include benzoyl peroxide gels such as Acnecide. Benzoyl peroxide is an effective acne treatment that is available over the counter in most pharmacies. It helps to kill the bacteria that cause acne, though it is not an antibiotic. Treclin gel should not be used in combination with benzoyl peroxide or any other treatment containing antibiotics.

Prescription alternatives to Treclin gel include:

• Topical antibiotics: Dalacin-T, Zineryt
• Retinoids: Differin
• Combinations: Duac gel, Epiduo
• Antibacterials: Skinoren

Sources

Treclin gel Patient Information Leaflet: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.5371.pdf

How to apply Treclin

Apply Treclin gel once daily at bedtime. Wash your face with mild soap and warm water. Pat it dry using a towel. Put a pea-sized amount on one fingertip. Dot the gel onto each area (the chin, cheeks, nose, and forehead), then gently rub it over your entire face.

Do not use Treclin gel for more than 3 months without careful evaluation or consulting with a doctor. It may take several weeks for results to become apparent.

If you miss a dose of Treclin, just wait for the next dose at the usual time. Never take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.

Does Treclin go out of date?

The shelf life of Treclin is stated on the outer box and refers to the last day of that month. After you first open the tube, Treclin expires within three months.

Treclin gel ingredients

Each gram of Treclin gel contains:

Active ingredients:

• 10 mg (1%) clindamycin (as clindamycin phosphate)
• 25 mg (0.025%) tretinoin

Inactive ingredients:

• purified water
• glycerol
• carbomers
• methyl parahydroxybenzoate (E218)
• propyl parahydroxybenzoate (E216)
• polysorbate 80
• disodium edetate
• citric acid, anhydrous
• butylhydroxytoluene (E321)
• trometamol

Treclin side effects

On occasion, Treclin gel can cause side effects. If you experience side effects that are particularly problematic, use Treclin less frequently or stop until the irritation goes away.

Side effects are most common during the first couple of weeks of using Treclin and are most likely to include dry skin, irritated skin (including stinging or burning) and peeling skin. These side effects tend to subside after a couple of weeks.

These minor side effects can include:

• Slight stinging or skin pain
• Skin irritation or tenderness
• Skin burning sensation
• Dry skin
• Itching

Rare side effects (1 in 10,000 people):

• Hypersensitivity
• Hypothyroidism
• Headache
• Eye irritation
• Gastroenteritis
• Nausea
• Dermatitis
• Herpes simplex
• Macular rash
• Skin bleeding
• Skin burning sensation
• Skin depigmentation
• Application site erosion or discolouration

Uncommon side effects (1 in 10,000 to 1 in 1,000 people):

• Acne
• Dry skin
• Erythema
• Seborrhoea
• Photosensitivity reaction
• Pruritus
• Rash
• Exfoliative rash
• Skin exfoliation
• Sunburn
• Burning

Ensure you read the Patient Information Leaflet thoroughly before starting Treclin gel. For more information regarding acne and other acne treatments, head to our acne treatment page.

Treclin warnings

Treclin gel should only be used on the skin. When applying Treclin gel, avoid getting it into your eyes, eyelids, lips, or nostrils.

You shouldn’t use Treclin if you:

• Have a history of hypersensitivity to clindamycin, tretinoin, lincomycin, or any of the excipients
• Have regional enteritis, ulcerative colitis, or a history of any antibiotic-associated colitis
• Have a personal or familial history of skin cancer, or are currently suffering from skin cancer
• Have a history of acute eczemas, rosacea and perioral dermatitis
• Have pustular and deep cystic nodular acne varieties (acne conglobata and acne fulminans)

Special warnings and precautions for use:

• Treclin is not for oral, ophthalmic, intranasal or intravaginal use
• Treclin is not recommended in treatment of mild acne vulgaris
• Contact with the mouth, eyes and mucous membranes and injured skin should be avoided
• In the event of accidental contact with the eyes, bathe with large amounts of water
• Antibiotic-associated colitis has been reported with the use of some other topical clindamycin products, but this is unlikely with Treclin as plasma levels have been determined and the percutaneous absorption of clindamycin is clinically negligible

Other precautions for Treclin use

• If you notice prolonged diarrhoea or suffer from abdominal cramps, treatment with Treclin should be discontinued immediately as the symptoms may indicate antibiotic-associated colitis.
• If severe irritation occurs, you should discontinue treatment temporarily or reduce the frequency of application.
• Treclin should not be applied at the same time as other topical treatments, including cosmetics, as there is a chance of incompatibility.
• Particular caution should be exercised in using keratolytic agents such as sulphur, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide or resorcinol and chemical abrasives.
• Do not use any cleansers or scrubbing solutions with strong drying effects. You should also avoid abrasive soaps and cosmetics (spices or lime can be used, but with caution).
• Photosensitivity may occur during treatment with Treclin Gel, so exposure to sunlight should be limited as much as possible, and appropriate sunscreen should be worn.
• Avoid using sun-lamps or sunbeds throughout treatment as this product should not be used on sunburnt skin.
• Long-term use of clindamycin may cause resistance and overgrowth of non-susceptible dermal bacteria or fungi, although this is rare.
• Cross-resistance may occur with other antibiotics such as lincomycin or erythromycin.
• Do not use it if you are allergic to any of the ingredients listed in the 'Ingredients' section.
• Tretinoin causes enhanced permeability for other topically-applied medicinal agents.

Treclin in pregnancy, breastfeeding and fertility

Treclin should be given to women of childbearing potential only if effective contraception is used during treatment and for 4 weeks after stopping treatment.

There is not a substantial amount of data regarding the use of Treclin in pregnant women.

A limited number of pregnancies exposed in the first trimester to clindamycin indicated no adverse effects of clindamycin on pregnancy or on the health of the foetus/new-born child.

Clindamycin has been shown to not be teratogenic in reproduction studies in rats and mice when applied via subcutaneous and oral methods.

Even so, Treclin should not be used by women who are pregnant, especially during the first trimester, or sexually active without using contraception.

There is not adequate data on the effects of tretinoin and clindamycin and the secretion of breast milk following the use of Treclin. It is advised that Treclin is not to be used by women who are breastfeeding.

Reproduction studies in rats and mice, using subcutaneous and oral doses of clindamycin, revealed no evidence of impaired fertility.

Orally administered tretinoin severely affects fertility. Available data regarding fertility after topical administration in humans are limited.

For more information, read our acne during pregnancy guide.