What is Ziana gel?
Ziana gel is a skin treatment that combines clindamycin, an antibiotic, with tretinoin, a retinoid. It’s most often prescribed for conditions like acne, but doctors may also recommend it for folliculitis.
Folliculitis is an inflammation that affects the hair follicles that’s often caused by an infection. The inflammation leads to red bumps, pustules, and irritation. By treating both the bacterial cause and the clogged pores that can fuel inflammation, Ziana gel helps reduce flare-ups, clear active spots, and prevent new ones from forming.[1][2]
How does Ziana gel work for folliculitis?
Ziana combines two active ingredients that work in different ways:
- Clindamycin makes it harder for bacteria to grow on your skin, particularly Staphylococcus aureus (a common trigger of folliculitis.[1][3] It also helps calm inflammation in the skin.
- Tretinoin speeds up the turnover of skin cells, which stops follicles from getting blocked with dead skin and oil. This makes it harder for bacteria to grow and spread and helps clear existing bumps.[2]
Together, these actions work to tackle the root cause of folliculitis, while easing the physical symptoms, making Ziana effective for inflammatory skin conditions linked to hair follicles.
Will I get side effects using Ziana gel?
Like all medications, Ziana gel can cause side effects, but not everyone gets them. The most common are redness, dryness, peeling, itching, or burning where you’ve applied it. These are often quite mild and can improve as your skin adjusts to treatment.[1]
Ziana gel can also increase your sensitivity to the sun, so you have a higher risk of getting sunburned. Make sure to use sun protection while using Ziana gel.
What doses of Ziana gel are there?
Ziana comes in a single fixed-strength gel that contains 1.2% clindamycin phosphate and 0.025% tretinoin. Clindamycin and tretinoin are also often available as separate treatments, where you might see different strengths than Ziana gel.
Treated trusted source:
- Armillei, M.K., et al. (2024). Scientific Rationale and Clinical Basis for Clindamycin Use in the Treatment of Dermatologic Disease. Antibiotics, 13(3), pp.270–270.
- Motamedi, M., et al. (2021). A Clinician’s Guide to Topical Retinoids. Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, 26(1), p.120347542110350.
- Winters, R.D. and Mitchell, M. (2023). Folliculitis. PubMed.
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