Table 1.
Examples of the Most Commonly Prescribed Topical Acne Treatments
| Molecule | Trademarks | Pharmaceutical Class | Side Effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benzoyl peroxide | Benzac® Clean Gel; Panoxyl® | Antimicrobial | Redness, desquamation, bleaches hair and clothes |
| Clindamycin | Dalacin-T®; Zindaclin® Treclin® (combined with tretinoin) | Antibiotic | Resistance overgrowth of Gram-negative bacteria, irritation, itching |
| Erythromycin | Eryacne® Zineryt® (combined with zinc acetate) | Antibiotic | Resistance and overgrowth of Gram-negative bacteria |
| Clindamycin + benzoyl peroxide | BenzaClin®; Duac® Acanya® | Antibiotic + Antimicrobial | Resistance, redness, desquamation |
| Erythromycin + benzoyl peroxide | BenzamycinTM | Antibiotic + Antimicrobial | Resistance, redness, desquamation |
| Dapsone | Aczone® | Antibiotic/anti-inflammatory | Dryness, erythema |
| Azelaic acid | Finacea® | Antimicrobial | Burning, stinging and tightness of the skin |
| Tretinoin | Avita®; Retin-A®, Ketrel® | Retinoid | Erythema, scaling, burning, flare |
| Terazotene | Zorac® | Retinoid | Erythema, scaling, burning, flare |
| Adapalene | Differin®, TactuoTM, EpiduoTM (combined with benzoyl peroxide) | Retinoid | Irritation, erythema, peeling, dryness |