What is the recommended dose of Clindamycin (Clindamycin) for the treatment of folliculitis?

From the Guidelines

For the treatment of folliculitis, clindamycin should be prescribed at a dose of 300 mg orally 2 times a day for 7 days. This recommendation is based on the guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as outlined in the 1993 sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines 1.

Key Considerations

• The dose and duration of treatment may need to be adjusted based on the severity of the infection and the patient's clinical response.
• Clindamycin works by inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis, effectively targeting the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria that commonly cause folliculitis.
• Possible side effects include gastrointestinal disturbances with oral therapy.
• Patients should complete the full course of treatment even if symptoms improve quickly to ensure complete eradication of the infection.
• If symptoms worsen or don't improve after a few days of treatment, patients should consult their healthcare provider as bacterial resistance or alternative diagnoses may need to be considered.

From the FDA Drug Label

Adults: Serious infections – 150 to 300 mg every 6 hours. More severe infections – 300 to 450 mg every 6 hours Pediatric Patients (for children who are able to swallow capsules): Serious infections – 8 to 16 mg/kg/day (4 to 8 mg/lb/day) divided into three or four equal doses. More severe infections – 16 to 20 mg/kg/day (8 to 10 mg/lb/day) divided into three or four equal doses.

The dose of Clindamycin for folliculitis is not explicitly stated in the label. However, based on the dosage for serious infections, the dose can be:

• For adults: 150 to 300 mg every 6 hours for serious infections, which may be applicable to folliculitis.
• For pediatric patients: 8 to 16 mg/kg/day divided into three or four equal doses for serious infections, which may be applicable to folliculitis. 2

From the Research

Clindamycin Dose for Folliculitis

• The studies provided do not directly mention the dose of clindamycin for folliculitis, but one study 3 mentions the use of benzoyl peroxide 5%/clindamycin 1% gel for the treatment of pseudofolliculitis barbae, which is a related condition.
• In this study, the clindamycin concentration was 1% and it was applied twice daily for 10 weeks.
• Another study 4 discusses the use of systemic antibacterials, including clindamycin, for the treatment of acne, but does not provide specific dosing information for folliculitis.
• A systematic review of interventions for bacterial folliculitis and boils 5 does not mention clindamycin as a treatment option, but it does discuss the use of various oral antibiotics, including cefadroxil, flucloxacillin, azithromycin, and cefaclor.

Key Findings

• The use of benzoyl peroxide 5%/clindamycin 1% gel was found to be effective in reducing lesion counts in patients with pseudofolliculitis barbae 3.
• The study found that the treatment was well tolerated and that the treatment differences were more pronounced in the subpopulation of black patients.
• The other studies provided do not offer specific guidance on the use of clindamycin for folliculitis, but they do discuss the importance of considering factors such as efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and the potential for resistance when selecting an antibacterial agent 4.