Duac Gel

Duac Gel (3% or 5%) is used in the treatment of mild to moderate acne, an inflammatory skin condition that causes spots. Duac acne gel is an effective ointment specifically used to help reduce acne outbreaks. It is one of the most popular choices for minimising spots and pimples, as it improves skin WITHOUT masking the issue.

Duac has been proven to help mild to moderate cases of acne including reducing blackheads, whiteheads and pimples.

Containing two active ingredients - clindamycin phosphate and benzoyl peroxide - Duac is classed as an antibiotic that fights the bacteria that causes spots.

Duac Gel (3% or 5%) is only recommended for use in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over. It is not recommended for use in children under the age of 12 as its safety has not been established for this group.

Duac gel provides various benefits for the user, the main advantages being:

• Reduces acne outbreaks that has already appeared
• Reduced likelihood of new outbreaks forming in the future
• Gives your skin the best opportunity to breathe and heal
• A cost-effective solution

Alongside these benefits, Duac gel for acne can be used when necessary, notably minimising the chance of your skin becoming reliant on the formula. Duac once daily is also applied directly onto the acne infection, meaning it works considerably faster than other medications for acne and reduces your risk of experiencing side effects considerably. In fact, some people notice improvements in as little as 48 hours.

Duac topical acne gel is really easy to use as it is applied directly to the affected area. For optimum effectiveness, you can follow these guidelines:

• Wash your hands before applying.
• Wash your skin (use a mild cleanser) and pat it dry before application.
• Wash your face and pat dry.
• Apply a thin layer of Duac Gel (3% or 5%) to the affected area(s) of skin once a day.
• For best results this gel should be applied at night and rubbed in gently.
• Wash your hands after applying the gel.
• All the gel should absorb easily. If not, you've applied too much.
• Always start with a small amount before applying extra if needed.
• Avoid the eyes, lips and broken skin.

If you use too much Duac gel, this can cause redness and dryness. This topical cream is clinically proven, so using the product excessively can have the obverse effect. Start by lowering the amount you use. If this persists, stopping using the gel and contact your doctor.

Duac gel has two active ingredients specifically designed to prevent spots - benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin. It can combat acne in two different ways making it highly effective at clearing up your skin in the long-run, although you may find your skin improving in as little as 48 hours. Both active ingredients in Duac have different ways of treating acne:

• Clindamycin is used to attack the specific bacteria that are causing the infection. It does this by stopping these bacteria from creating cell walls. Because of this, the bacteria cannot function properly to replicate and will start to die as the body's natural defences start to remove it.

This antibiotic can target many forms of bacteria that cause breakouts including the most common associated with acne; propionebacterium acnes. As clindamycin stops the bacteria from multiplying and overriding the sebaceous glands that clog up causing the spots, keeping inflammation under control and allowing your skin to breathe.

• Benzoyl peroxide belongs to a group of medications known as keratolytics. These medications work by breaking down the essential protein that forms part of the skin, keratin.

  By breaking this protein down, the top layer of skin cells will begin to shed, helping to eradicate whiteheads and blackheads (medically known as comedones) while also unblocking the sebaceous glands. Benzoyl also contains antibacterial agents, which work to kill off the bacteria on the skin.

At HealthExpress, we offer the standard dosage of Duac topical gel which is 3% / 5%. This equates to 30mg / 60mg.

For the 3% dosage, 1g of gel contains 10mg (1% w/w) of clindamycin as clindamycin phosphate and 30mg (3% w/w) of anhydrous benzoyl peroxide as hydrous benzoyl peroxide.

For the 5% dosage, 1g of gel contains 10mg (1% w/w) of clindamycin as clindamycin phosphate and 50mg (5% w/w) of anhydrous benzoyl peroxide as hydrous benzoyl peroxide. This medicine is available only by prescription from your doctor.

The doctor will be able to establish this during your consultation, even online. For acne treatment, we ask for a photo of the breakouts and can make the correct decision from there.

As Duac is applied to the skin, and not ingested, this means the chance of side effects is extremely slim and the vast majority of people don't experience any issues at all. Common side effects if any may include redness, peeling, burning and dry skin on and around the applied area, and skin pigmentation.

These are usually mild and will either lessen when your skin has become used to the medication or can reduce and disappear completely when applying less. The risk of these side effects can lessen when care is taken in careful use. It is recommended that you use sunscreen whilst using this treatment as well as applying creams with Vitamin E when the Duac gel is not in use.

If you experience any severe side effects, firstly lessen the amount of Duac you are applying to the spots. If any of these symptoms persist, stop using the gel and contact your doctor. He or she will be able to clarify the treatment is either fine to carry on using, can offer advice on how to use or offer an alternative better suited to your skin.

Duac is used to treat mild to moderate acne infections and may not be as effective in treating more severe acne.

As Duac is a gel treatment, this means it doesn't alter any hormonal balances in your body so is suitable for most people. However, it may not be prescribed in patients who:

• Have a history of enteritis, ulcerative colitis or antibiotic-associated colitis.
• Are allergic to any of the active ingredients in Duac
• Not to be ingested internally
• The solution should not touch your eyes, nostrils or mouth
• Benzoyl peroxide may increase the skin's sensitivity to sunlight, so ensure you limit the amount of time the skin is exposed to bright lights

You should not use Duac Gel if you are using products containing erythromycin (an antibiotic). There are a number of medication interactions all detailed in the patient leaflet, which should be read thoroughly before use.

If you are pregnant, you should always seek medical advice from your doctor before using this medicine. Although it is not thought to be harmful to use during pregnancy, it should be used with caution.

If you are breastfeeding, you should only use Duac Gel if considered essential by your doctor. Clindamycin phosphate passes into breast milk when taken by mouth, and the safety of Duac Gel has not been established. Do not apply the gel to areas where it could come into contact with a baby during a feed or touch baby's skin.

If you experience any bouts of diarrhoea, bloody stools or stomach pain straight after using this acne treatment, ensure you speak to your doctor immediately. When starting any new prescription medicine, you should inform your healthcare provider and state any other medication, family history of illness or current health complications that could potentially interact negatively with either clindamycin or benzoyl peroxide.

If you are taking Roaccutane or isotretinoin orally as an acne treatment, you should not use Duac Gel as this can increase the risk of peeling, irritation, and dryness of your skin.

Benzoyl peroxide can reduce the effectiveness of topical products containing tazarotene, isotretinoin, and tretinoin. If you are using any of these products you should not use Duac Gel at the same time, as irritation may also occur. If you need to use both products, apply them at different times (for example, one in the morning and the other at night).

Using other topical acne medicines at the same time as Duac Gel (such as soaps, cleansers, and medicated cosmetics) can increase the risk of skin irritation and peeling.

You should not use this medicine if you have very sensitive skin or skin prone to eczema.

Duac Gel should not be used for more than 12 weeks at a time.

You should always tell your doctor about any other medicines you are taking, or have recently taken, as there is a chance they could interact with Duac Gel.

Duac once daily topical acne gel is available to buy online here at HealthExpress by taking the free consultation. As well as answering the medical questions, we also ask that you provide us with a picture of your acne, so that our doctor can determine the severity of your condition. Your prescription will then be issued and sent to our UK pharmacy for next day delivery free of charge.

Duac Once Daily gel comes complete with the patient leaflet that should be read thoroughly before beginning.