Duac Gel
- Treats mild to moderate acne
- Visible improvements between 2 and 4 weeks
- Kills the bacteria responsible for spreading acne
prescription included
order before 2pm
and team of dispensers
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What is Duac?
Duac Once Daily Gel is a topical acne treatment for mild to moderate cases.
You can buy Duac Once Daily Gel from Medicine Direct after a simple and confidential online consultation with one of our certified doctors. After reviewing your symptoms and medical history, they will give you a prescription for this product if they believe it to be the most suitable one for you to use.
You can then order the gel from our UK registered pharmacy; place your order by 2pm and you will also receive next day delivery on your medication.
Duac Gel for acne
Duac Gel is an effective treatment for mild to moderate cases of acne. Generally, people who use this product to treat acne will start to notice initial results after using Duac once a day for between 2 and 4 weeks.
Most people who have a long history of suffering with acne, Duac has proven to be very effective. Your skin should have cleared up completely after using Duac for three months. After this period of time, you are normally advised to keep applying the gel to the skin to prevent the problem from coming back.
If you cannot take oral treatments, Duac Gel makes an excellent and effective alternative.
How does Duac work?
Duac Once Daily Gel is a topical antibiotic that contains two medicines, clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide. These active ingredients work together to kill the bacteria that is responsible for spreading acne.
Most people who use it will notice an improvement after between 2 and 4 weeks of using the gel once a day.
Clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide
Clindamycin is a medicine known as a macrolide antibiotic, and is one of the most common antibiotics prescribed for the treatment of acne. It works by stopping the bacteria in acne from reproducing.
Benzoyl peroxide removes blockages in the pores of your skin; it also has antibacterial properties. After clindamycin has stopped the bacteria from reproducing, benzoyl peroxide can then kill the bacteria, which reduces pimples and acne.
When used together, these two medicines can also help to treat existing whiteheads and blackheads.
Duac Gel for acne scars
Some people find that a secondary benefit of Duac is that it is able to lessen the appearance of acne scars on the skin. Acne scars are generally difficult to treat, but they do tend to fade over time.
To lessen the risk and severity of scarring, you should not pop or pick your spots.
Who can use Duac Gel?
Do not use this medicine if you are allergic to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin or any of the other ingredients contained in the gel (please refer to the Ingredients tab for full details).
Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before using this treatment if you have or have ever had any of the following gut conditions:
- Ulcerative colitis
- Regional enteritis
- Antibiotic-associated colitis
This treatment is not suitable for children who are under the age of 12.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are due to have surgery. Duac can affect certain general anaesthetics.
What alternatives are there to Duac?
Over the counter medicines may be enough to control your acne. Benzoyl peroxide is a common ingredient in pharmacy treatments for acne, so you may find that you do not need a prescription-only medication like Duac to control the problem.
Medicine Direct stocks various treatments for this skin condition.
Dosage and Directions
Always apply Duac Once Daily Gel as instructed by your doctor or pharmacist. Read the patient information leaflet thoroughly and speak to your doctor or pharmacist for guidance if you are still not sure.
Use Duac once a day in the evening.
The gel should be rubbed into the skin easily; if you cannot rub it into your skin, this means you are using too much.
Do not use this product for longer than 12 weeks at a time. Your doctor will advise you as to how long you should use this medication.
How to use Duac
- Remove any makeup you are wearing.
- Wash the affected area of skin well, then rinse with warm water and pat completely dry.
- Using your fingertips, apply a thin layer of gel to the whole of the affected area.
- Apply the gel to the whole area, not just to individual spots.
- Wash your hands after you have applied the gel.
If you find that you get skin dryness or peeling, you can use an oil-free, fragrance free, hypoallergenic moisturiser. Your doctor may advise you to use the product less frequently, or pause the treatment so your skin can adjust.
Is Duac an effective acne treatment?
Should I keep using my moisturiser?
Will using Duac cause dry skin?
How should I store Duac?
Can I still drink alcohol when using Duac?
How will Duac Gel benefit me?
Can I buy Duac over-the-counter?
If I use Duac will my skin dry out?
Is Duac once daily gel?
Is Duac safe during pregnancy?
How Is Duac applied?
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Side effects
Like all medicines, Duac Once Daily Gel comes with the risk of certain side effects, although not everyone gets them.
Common side effects of Duac include:
- Redness, peeling or dryness of the skin
- Headaches
- Burning, pain or sensitivity to sunlight
Some people may experience:
- Tingling
- Worsening of acne
- Red, itchy skin
- Rash
Speak to your doctor or pharmacist if any of these reactions bother you or do not go away.
Please refer to the Side Effects tab for rarer reactions.
Serious Side Effects
You should stop using this gel and seek medical attention if you suffer any of the following side effects of Duac:
- Severe or prolonged abdominal cramps or diarrhoea (including bloody diarrhoea)
- Inflammation of the intestine
In rare cases you may suffer a severe allergic reaction and require immediate treatment in hospital. Stop using the gel and call 999 or go to A&E straight away if:
- You develop a skin rash that may have red, itchy, swollen, blistered or peeling skin
- You are finding it difficult to breathe or speak
- You have swelling in your face, mouth, throat, tongue or lips
- You have tightness in your chest or throat
- You are wheezing
Always read the patient information leaflet for full details on side effects
Warnngs and Drug Interactions
Inform your doctor if you are already taking any of the following:
- Any other form of acne treatment
- Any medicated or 'abrasive' soaps or cleansers
- Soaps or cosmetics that have a strong drying effect
- Any products containing large amounts of astringents or alcohol
- Any products that contain tretinoin, isotretinoin or tazarotene
- Any medicines containing erythromycin
Do not use this treatment for more than 12 weeks at a time.
Using Duac at the same time as a product containing dapsone and sulfacetamide can cause temporary skin or facial hair discolouration.
If you suffer from severe skin irritation, stop using this treatment and speak to your doctor.
This medicine is for topical use only - keep it away from your eyes, lips, mouth and nostrils. If the treatment comes into contact with any of these areas, rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Do not use on infected or broken skin, cuts or sores.
This prescription medication can bleach fabrics; keep away from clothes and bed linen.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
There is only limited information available as to whether Duac Once Daily Gel is suitable to be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
For this reason, you should inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are currently pregnant, think you might be pregnant, are trying to get pregnant or are breastfeeding, before you start to use this gel.
Ingredients
Duac's active ingredients are: clindamycin phosphate, equivalent to clindamycin 1 % w/w (10 mg/g) and hydrous benzoyl peroxide, equivalent to anhydrous benzoyl peroxide 5 % w/w (50 mg/g).
Inactive ingredients also contained are: carbomer, dimeticone, disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate, disodium edetate, glycerol, silica, colloidal hydrated, poloxamer 182, purified water and sodium hydroxide.
This content has been written by James Nuttall and has been medically reviewed by our Superintendent Pharmacist Hussain Abdeh.
Hussain Abdeh
MPharm: 2211840
Pharmacist Independent Prescriber
How it works - get your medicine in 3 simple steps
- 1 Choose your treatment Select the treatment or medication you need and answer a few questions online regarding your condition.
- 2 Online consultation Our Independent Prescribers will review your questions and assess your suitability for the medication.
- 3 Receive your delivery Your medication is dispensed and delivered directly to you from our UK based Pharmacy.
