Duac and Dryness: What Users Say

• smi...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 2, 2014

For Acne "All I can say is wow! Fantastic product. I've had acne for about 20 years. I'm 34, and nothing worked for me. At my age and still spotty, it's very depressing. Then my doctor told me about Duac. I used it for about a week, and my face went a bit dry, so I gave it a couple of days and started again. Now my face is completely clear, and my scars have faded! If you have acne, then this is amazing! I've never been so happy with my skin, and I'm getting married soon, and over the moon that my face will be clear for that."

• 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."

• Lou...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 24, 2014

For Acne "Been suffering from mild to moderate acne for about a year. At 30 years old and having never really suffered as a teenager, I've found it quite distressing and upsetting. Ten days ago, I gave up on over-the-counter creams and went to the doctor. He prescribed me Duac 5%, and WOW is all I can say. This is a miracle product. After just 3 days, I saw a noticeable improvement in my skin and actually woke up every day excited to look in the mirror to see how much better it was! I'm now on day 10, and my skin is almost clear. Highly recommend this, only advice - invest in a good moisturizer. Can be quite drying but does exactly what you want it to and FAST."

• 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."

• Han...
• April 16, 2017

For Acne "Using Duac once daily (10 mg + 50 mg gel) cream. At age 44, I started to get acne. Reading previous reviews, I was cautious about this cream, but the results are great. You have to use this sparingly - no matter how tempting it is to put loads on if your skin is bad. It took a week before my skin cleared up. In the evening, I spread a tiny amount on the T-zone area, and it's enough to keep spots away. If my skin starts looking red or dry, I will skip a night of not putting the cream on that area. Yes, my skin will look a little shiny the next day from the oils, but I don't get spots, and it allows my skin to recover. I would recommend you exfoliate once a week to remove dead, dry skin too. I will continue to use this cream until my skin calms down."

• Tay...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 9, 2015

For Acne "I'm 15 and have been using this for just under a month. The first week it made my face really red, dry, and itchy, but I just used some moisturizer an hour after I put it on, or just put up with it. Now, after a few weeks, it does not burn or anything, pimples have cleared up so much! I have not even been consistent in using it as it is the holidays, but lately I have been and they are already clearing up! I have pimples all over my face, my forehead and temple have pretty much cleared, just waiting on the chin. Along with a good cleanser, this stuff is amazing!"

• iam...
• March 13, 2017

For Acne "I had acne for 5 years, saw many doctors, and they all said nothing would help me and I would have acne for the rest of my life. I tried many creams, nothing worked. Then a dermatologist prescribed Duac, and after about 3 weeks, my skin was 100% clear. She told me to use a very thin layer at night and to use a heavy moisturizer in the morning to protect my skin. She also told me to stay out of the sun at the time as your skin becomes thinner and more sensitive. Yes, in the beginning, my skin was red and dry, but that goes away after a few days. That's how you know it's working. It's definitely worth a few days of irritated skin knowing you'll have perfect skin after. Duac saved my skin. I'm forever grateful!!"

• Iri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 20, 2014

For Acne "I always had clear skin. Then, when I turned 19, my skin broke out mostly all over my chin, so many tiny 'under skin' bumps and then big cystic red acne that wouldn't develop a head and took a long time to heal. After three months of my skin (chin) being completely destroyed with acne, my doctor prescribed Duac. Within a week, my skin was completely clear. I did have dryness, so I made sure I washed my face with a gentle soap and an exfoliating brush in the morning and moisturized, then I did the same at night before applying only a pea-sized amount of Duac to ONLY my chin, where most of my spots appeared! It works amazing, but I would ensure I moisturized A LOT with this product and only use the prescribed amount once a day."

• Eli...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 17, 2018

For Acne "I was prescribed this medication on the NHS. I don't have really bad acne but wasn't happy with my skin. I'm 22 and I'd never had particularly bad skin, so it was a bit of a surprise when my skin started acting up. I really wanted to write a review as I'd read loads of the reviews on here and found them really helpful. During the first week of using this product, I found it super irritating, itchy, and my skin was so dry it felt like leather. All I can say is, please persevere if you're experiencing these symptoms. While it was so uncomfortable, I'm now 4 weeks in, experiencing none of these symptoms, and my skin is clear. I've got my confidence back!"

• 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."

• sus...
• May 20, 2017

For Acne "Honestly, when I set out to try this, I wasn't too sure what to expect. My skin was awful, and the horrid acne I had was so painful and built up that I couldn't properly cover it with makeup anymore. I went on a combination of Duac gel and an antibiotic two months ago. Today, I only have one spot. I began to notice a difference in my skin the day after I first applied it. My skin had dried out immensely, and the spots seemed to be going down. I was so happy. For the first three or so weeks of using Duac, my skin was a rollercoaster. At first, my face was getting so dry that by the morning, I was putting on a hefty layer of E45 cream under my makeup. Now, I don't use any. My skin no longer needs it. It's changed the oiliness of my skin."

• 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."

• Jon...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2015

For Acne "I got prescribed this a few months ago, and I saw a difference within a week or so UNTIL I noticed how dry and flaky my skin was getting. I couldn't bear it any longer as I was itching, itching, and itching. HOWEVER, I was back to my doctors and got prescribed the same stuff, only this time I am going to give it time and hope for the best results."

• 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?"

• des...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 17, 2017

For Acne "My oldest son had horrible acne in high school. He is blonde and fair-skinned and had horrible red bumps all over his face. After 3-4 years of trying everything over the counter and 2-3 trips to the dermatologist, the pediatrician finally gave my youngest son a sample of Duac, and my older son used it, and it worked wonders. His face finally cleared up. His skin is very sensitive, and I don't remember a lot of drying as others have mentioned. But he put it just on the pimples and not all over his face, though he had so much acne it pretty much was all over his face and his back. I wish I had found this sooner! One over-the-counter 'University Medical Acne med for rosacea' actually worked, but they stopped making it soon after we discovered."

• Lar...
• May 15, 2016

For Acne "I have been using Duac gel for 9 days now, and my advice to anyone would be to persevere. I have very sensitive skin, so I was expecting some sort of reaction to the gel. After day 3, my skin was so red and sore. I moisturized throughout the day, and this has really helped the patches of dry skin. On day 4, I only applied the gel for an hour, and the next night didn't apply it to the worst area. Now on day 9, the redness has completely gone, and my skin looks better than it has in years. I am so happy that I didn't give up on day 3, and that is mainly because of the reviews below. There is a chance that it will be painful that first week, but don't give up! I will provide another review once I have used it for 2 months - can't wait to see the changes!"

• Wes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 7, 2019

For Acne "I've been on this for 3 weeks now, and unfortunately have seen no change in my skin whatsoever except that the acne seems to be getting worse. I have had no redness or dryness at all from using it-just more acne. I am 23 and had clear skin my whole life until I was 22 when I started to get hormonal cystic acne. Duac doesn't seem to be effective against this kind of acne."

• Sam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 1, 2020

For Acne "I have had acne around the chin and jaw area for a few years. Really started to get me down. Tried Duac, and just a few days in, I saw that the redness was reduced. I've now been using it for about 1 month, and it has gotten rid of all of the big spots I had under the skin and has even helped with the scarring. I still have a few small spots at the surface, but it has improved a lot. I did get some dryness at the start, but this was solved with a very gentle and light moisturizer and was not a problem for me. I will continue using this, as I am happy with the results and hoping I will see more improvement as I continue. I would recommend it for anyone struggling with acne, it hasn’t completely gotten rid of all my spots but has reduced them dramatically."

• Abb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 1, 2015

For Acne "This stuff is a miracle! I haven't really got bad acne but am always getting blemishes. The doctor prescribed me with Duac, and after the first few days, my spots had cleared up already. No redness or irritation whatsoever. I would highly recommend giving Duac a go and also to use moisturizer with Duac as it dries your skin."

• Jen...
• August 19, 2016

For Acne "I went to my dermatologist after suffering throughout my teenage years with acne. They prescribed me Duac gel. The first few days of using it, my skin was fine, apart from a few red, patchy areas of skin. In my second week of using it, I was in constant pain. My face was inflamed, swollen, incredibly dry, and unbearably sore. I decided to stop using it and allowed my skin to recover from my traumatic ordeal, I had honestly never felt worse about myself. I then decided to give it another go, but this time using it for an hour a day, every other day. Once I felt my skin had acclimatized, I did an hour every day. Now I can apply it overnight without any redness or dryness. My skin has cleared up so much, but I recommend acclimatizing your skin."

• Sar...
• April 10, 2017

For Acne "At 35 years old, I thought I was over 'teenage acne,' and my recent issues were hormonal. Over the past few years, I've used every face wash possible! I go on holiday in 2 weeks and had the worst breakout ever! I didn't want to go on holiday looking like a child's dot-to-dot book, so I visited my doctor, who gave me this gel. I've used it for only 3 nights, and the spots are already 5 times better than they were! The red blotches from previous spots are also pretty much vanished. Yes, it's left my face dry and a bit tight, so make sure you use a good quality moisturizer once you've washed the gel off your face in the morning. I'd recommend reapplying moisturizer a couple of times throughout the day. Looking forward to seeing the full results!"

• jek...
• April 12, 2016

For Acne "I've only been using Duac for 5 days, but my skin is already so much clearer. I'm experiencing the dryness and peeling, but I can count the number of new spots I've had since using it on one hand. Usually, when I get up in the morning, I can expect to see at least 3 new spots on various parts of my face, so it's a huge improvement for me. I was put on it because I obsessively pick at my skin (which is linked with my anxiety), and so the more blemishes I have, the more I damage my face. So far, Duac is really helping me to leave my face alone, and I hope it will continue this way. If anyone has a similar problem, I would recommend at least giving it a try."

• Mal...
• July 26, 2019

For Acne "I used Duac on my forehead. I had acne all over my face, but specifically used Duac on my forehead, where I had lots of small spots. After using it for 3 months, my forehead was so clear I was shocked. Duac made my face a bit dry, but it didn’t bother me. I realized that Duac had an expiry of 3 months. I didn’t want to stop using it, as I was so dependent on the gel. It literally cleared my forehead spots up. I was so dependent I used it after the expiry date (I don’t suggest), but anyways I knew I had to stop, so I did, and my forehead was okay. A week later, my forehead had small spots again! It’s so annoying because I was so patient with Duac, and now it feels like a waste of time, but in a sense, it wasn’t because it genuinely made my forehead clear. My GP prescribed me a new fresh Duac gel, and she said I can use it consistently, so when it runs out, she’ll order me more. Let’s see what happens, hopefully, it clears my forehead again and I wasn’t just lucky the first time."

• Swa...
• June 5, 2015

For Acne "I've been using Duac cream for 2 years now, and honestly, it's the best thing I've ever had. I didn't really have acne, just dark patches on my face, and it has cleared them up so well, better than other facial products. The only annoying thing is my face gets very dry, and when I put makeup on, my face cracks, but I just over-moisturize. Definitely recommend Duac cream though, gave me so much more confidence."

• 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 :("