Duac and Burning: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• December 20, 2014

For Acne "I was prescribed this cream by my doctor, and it's brilliant! I've seen a lot of comments saying that it burns and it made people's faces itchy, but not everyone has the same skin. Our skin will react in different ways. But I have to say, after the 1st time of using it, the blackheads on my nose got smaller. I would highly recommend this cream. However, it does leave my skin a bit dry and flaky, but on the instruction sheet, it says you can use a perfume-free moisturizer or stop using it for a couple of days."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 5, 2014

For Acne "I have had pretty bad skin for about four years now; usually just large whiteheads in my T-zone in particular, but they seem to scar awfully, and it was really starting to affect my confidence. I had tried everything, and nothing seemed to work, but then I went to my doctor, and he prescribed me Duac. I have never been so thankful! In around three months of use, my skin has almost completely cleared up, and my scars have faded so much! I have experienced no itchiness or burning on application; I'm not sure if this is because I moisturize before I put the product on, but I would recommend doing so."

• Acn...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 15, 2014

For Acne "Great product, but the side effects are awful! I've been using Duac for a week now, and literally all of my blackheads have disappeared. It's amazing! My spots have also shrunk in size a lot and have almost healed, and my scars are fading too. The only trouble I have had with Duac is that when I first put it on, it dried my skin out a lot and made it extremely flaky. Then, when I continued to use it, applying it on most of the area of my face, I woke up the next morning and both of my cheeks were burning, bright red, and really itchy. I stopped using it for a couple of days until the redness had gone and then applied a smaller amount, but still, the burning and itchy sensation has returned."

• Mel...
• February 9, 2014

For Acne "What an amazing product. I have struggled with acne for about 10 years (now 22). My entire T-zone has always had blackheads, which (although not good for the skin) I have been extracting almost every second day. It has made me extremely frustrated that no matter how much money I spend on keeping my skin healthy, it was always a temporary fix. I wanted an alternative to the pill as I was terrified of the side effects it came with. The doctor gave me Duac. I have been using this product every night (after I moisturize), and I am now on my fifth day - ALL OF MY BLACKHEADS ARE GONE. Don't ask me how! I have not had any peeling, dryness, redness, or burning. There is only a small tingling sensation when applied. This is a lifesaver of a product."

• Mis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 16, 2016

For Acne "I was given Duac and told my skin would be slightly dry, red, patchy, etc. The first few days - no effect. After day 3, my face went bright red, extremely dry and sore, with an intense burning and tingling sensation. After stopping for a few days and having to sleep with Vaseline on my face, I finally got back to my spotty normal skin, no dry patches, redness, etc. After a few days off Duac, I decided to try it again. I used it religiously every night before bed, and NO reactions! No dryness, redness, or burning! It has been 2 months of using Duac every night, and all of my spots have gone down and stayed away! Still no dryness, redness, or burning again. My advice: STICK AT IT. Maybe a few days rest here and there, but stick at it."

• Pan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2019

For Acne "If I could, I would give Duac a zero rating. Do not use if you have sensitive skin!! I only applied it twice on my acne, and it completely burned my skin. I had an extremely painful red rash on my face for 3 days. Now, on the 5th day after using it, my skin is extremely dry and scaly to the point I can't open my mouth properly or laugh because I'm scared it's gonna split and get infected. It is the worst experience ever. In agony with my face for 5 days. Hoping it will get better soon."

• Pri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 14, 2019

For Acne "I started using Duac gel about a week ago. On the good side, I have actually seen some improvements on my forehead, however, I had to stop using it as it has really badly irritated my skin. It’s red, blotchy, dry, flaky, itchy, burning, and rough. At first, this started on my chin but has now spread all over my face and is extremely uncomfortable."

• Hei...
• May 12, 2019

For Acne "I have used Duac for my acne constantly for 7 years and found it to be brilliant. I suffer with cystic acne and found that this kept breakouts to a minimum. I did suffer with the dryness and burning others mentioned, but my skin quickly got used to this, and I enjoyed virtually blemish-free skin. However, at the start of this year, I kept getting thick, scaly, dried skin down the sides of my face, which would itch and burn. Then I developed the worst acne I have ever had on my cheeks. After doing lots of research, I realized that I have developed a tolerance to the clindamycin ingredient in Duac, my skin has become resistant to antibiotics. I also have very oily skin on the sides of my face, this I have also never experienced, and a very large shiny patch on the left side too. In all honesty, I am surprised that I was allowed to use it for so long. I never did ask how long can I use Duac, but they should have stopped giving it to me. I will give my skin a break for a couple of weeks and then try Epiduo. Has anyone else experienced this?"

• Mid...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 6, 2019

For Acne "I used Duac for 3 nights, and although my acne has greatly reduced, I have huge red patches that feel like burns on my face. I only applied it to the spots, but the soreness and redness have spread out. My skin is too sensitive to even dry my face with a towel. I have been advised to moisturize as much as possible, which I have been doing for the last 3 days, but have seen little improvement - fingers crossed!"

• Sia...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 25, 2018

For Acne "I have previously done a review on this before, saying how good it was, which I still think it is. However, I’m not sure if the advantages cancel out the negatives of having a lot of redness often in blotches, the burning sensation, and itchiness. This gel really does do the job of clearing the skin, which is amazing, but you do have to put up with the side effects."

• Chl...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 5, 2015

For Acne "At first, I hated this cream. I suffered from really bad redness (people thought I was sunburned). Then came the peeling face and irritation, burning feeling, it was awful. However, after using it frequently now for a few months, the effects have all disappeared, and now applying this cream is just a part of my bedtime routine. However, I would recommend starting the treatment when you have free time off work or school, whatever, because the first few days you can have irritated skin, redness, and it's not exactly pretty. Overall, I have grown to love this cream, as I've already noticed my acne clearing, which has given me the confidence to go without makeup because I think that just makes my acne worse. I highly recommend a good moisturizer."

• Jac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 26, 2020

For Acne "I have used Duac for 2 months. I have previously used Epiduo and experienced bad burning, but that was not the case for Duac! The drug had minimal effect for the first month, but it is now noticeably clearing my acne. Side effects were very minimal, and I am now less depressed and have fewer pimples. I do still have a few pimples. However, I am very pleased with the results so far."

• Lac...
• January 13, 2014

For Acne "I have been using it for about 2 weeks now. It works a little, but it takes a long time. I have noticed my acne scars going away. However, it makes my face red, and it burns really bad! So much that most of the time, I'll go and wash it off with freezing cold water."

• Kit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 9, 2019

For Acne "In my 40s, I have always had a breakout now and then, particularly along my jawline and upper back, nothing major - a few long-lasting under-the-skin bumps. Been using Duac 3% for 3 weeks. Amazed at how clear my skin is, but wow, after 9 days of using the cream, my skin flared up, red, itchy, burning sensation. I may have been applying too much cream! Stopped using it to allow my skin to settle. After 4 days, I restarted with a very thinly applied layer, a tiny amount. My skin still itches after application, but I am determined to ride it through to see the results. Applied it along my jawline at night and woke up with severe itchiness - I am not sure if I am allergic or if this is normal until the skin gets used to it, so I will persevere as aesthetically I am happy, but the aftereffects normally come on during the night, which means lack of sleep, not so great. Is it normal to itch so badly with this cream?"

• msn...
• May 24, 2009

For Acne "I've been using this for almost 2 months now, and it helped clear my face. It also regulates the skin's sebum production, hence reducing oiliness. Side effects are peeling, redness, increased sun sensitivity, burning, and itching. I recommend to first-time users to put a very small amount on parts affected. Patience is the key. For a week or two, your face will really adjust to it, but it works. My face even has a pinkish glow to it now, and I feel more confident."

• Anonymous
• February 6, 2009

For Acne "I used to use this cream before and never got any side effects, so I came back on it, and guess what? Got all the side effects possible. It is red and burning. Only came off for a few months. Anyone using this cream for the first time, please do a skin test on your arm because putting it straight on your skin and having a reaction to it is really painful."

• Ham...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 3, 2018

For Acne "I used this cream for 3 nights, and for the past 72 hours, my face has been red, extremely dry, very tight, and I’ve had a painful burning sensation, and my face can’t seem to cool down whatsoever. For the dryness, I tried a very small amount of moisturizer on an area of my face, and it just burned and stung more :("

• sun...
• January 2, 2015

For Acne "I had lots of comedones and just plain old acne. The creams my doctor prescribed were no longer working, and I went to the dermatologist. He prescribed Duac in the morning and Retin-A 0.1% at night. He told me Duac kills current breakouts and prevents them. Within three days, my acne was already drying up and going away. My face was pretty dry and burned for the first week, so it took a while to get used to the medicine. It's been about two months now, and my skin is pimple-free, and now my acne scars/redness are still fading. I'm very happy with this medicine, although it is quite pricey ($70 with insurance for me). The dermatologist also recommended the VaniCream gentle cleansing bar to wash my face with, and it's great and gentle!"

• Jes...
• January 21, 2014

For Acne "I've only been using this for 4 days so far. I put it all over my face because it says to use on the 'area' that is spot-prone, and all of my face gets spotty, though not at the same time. I have pretty sensitive skin anyway, but this stuff burns! And my face is red raw for the next 3 or 4 hours. I put it on in the evening, and by morning, I'm no longer red and stinging. It has also made me extremely dry and flaky and tight-skinned, which is to be expected, but I can't bear it, so I put on moisturizer almost immediately afterwards, which may be slowing down the process. It hasn't helped my acne yet, but I'm hoping with a little patience and pain tolerance it will do the job!"

• Han...
• September 16, 2017

For Acne "Be warned. This product is a strong chemical and should not be applied all over 'the affected area' that has healthy skin with a couple of blocked pores/comedones, but ONLY ON SPOTS. I've burned my skin with this product. Trying to recover this dry, patchy, red mess has caused new breakouts. I also got 3 new breakouts after the first application. After the second, they got smaller in size (for that, it gets a better rate than 1). After the 3rd, I looked like I've been attacked. I've stopped using it and won't continue due to a bad reaction. My skin is at an all-time low, and I would have been better off without it."

• Att...
• February 26, 2017

For Acne "Was prescribed this just a week ago and was told to use it twice a day after washing my face for my acne. I did this, but it has left my face all dry, itchy, patchy, and some parts of my face look like it's been burned. I've stopped using it now, and I won't be ever using this again. It slightly worked on calming down my acne spots, but this cream has made my face look a thousand times worse."

• Hap...
• April 22, 2021

For Acne "I had rosacea and seborrheic dermatitis on my entire face. It was red and flaky with little bumps everywhere apart from under my eyes. I was prescribed Duac with doxycycline and steroid cream. The first couple of days the texture of my skin improved, and it was less angry. I felt Duac was slightly burning though, but I pushed on. After a week or so of use, this changed, and I started waking up with swelling around my eyes. I decided I had to stop use as my skin was also left so dry and stinging during the day that I couldn’t even stand water on it. Continued on for a bit with my other meds, and my face was completely clear for over 6 months. My issues returned recently, so I started Duac again with doxy and Celestone. I wash off Duac after an hour, then use Celestone. I have some redness and drying, but it’s bearable. Clearing up nicely so far, only mild swelling on day 2. Tip: 50+ sunscreen during the day."

• All...
• January 13, 2016

For Acne "So I was prescribed Duac on Monday, the 11th, by my doctor after trying three different types of treatment, which didn't really work! I know it's early days, but I have seen slight improvement already! I have had no side effects at all, no burning sensation, no flaking skin, it doesn't make my makeup go cakey either! I absolutely love this so far!"

• pip...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 17, 2018

For Acne "Duac cleared my skin! I suffered with mild acne, so I cannot say what it will do for more severe acne, but in my opinion, it's worth trying. Duac is the only thing I’ve found that clears my closed comedones and whiteheads and gets rid of blackheads. Lots of people give Duac a bad name due to the side effects, but if you persevere through them, you will most likely see great results! I did suffer from the side effects fairly badly, I had a rash/burn on my cheeks and chin, had dry skin all over, and also got a rash on my neck despite not applying Duac to it. My advice with Duac is to slowly incorporate it into your skin care routine to allow your skin to adapt to it. Also, use a very hydrating moisturizer (even if you have oily skin) twice a day. Oh, and don’t put it on any clear areas of skin, or you’ll have unnecessary dryness and irritation."

• blu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 31, 2021

For Acne "I have been told by many people that they can see a difference in my skin and how much less I’m breaking out, which is amazing! However, much like everyone else here, I am suffering from burns and dry, itchy skin. It has come to the point that even using moisturizer hurts for me to use. I’m hoping it goes down soon, and I think I’m gonna have to take a break for a few days."