What is Veltin, and how does it work?
Veltin Gel is prescription medicine used on the skin to treat acne in people 12 years and older.
It is not known if Veltin Gel is safe and effective in children younger than 12 years.
Do not use Veltin Gel if you have:
- Crohn's disease
- ulcerative colitis
- had inflammation of the colon (colitis) with past antibiotic use
Talk to your doctor if you are not sure if you have one of these conditions.
What are the side effects of Veltin?
Veltin Gel may cause serious side effects, including:
- Inflammation of the colon (colitis). Clindamycin, one of the ingredients in Veltin Gel, can cause severe colitis that may lead to death. Stop taking Veltin Gel and call your doctor if you develop severe watery diarrhea, or bloody diarrhea.
- Sunburn. Veltin Gel may cause your skin to become sunburned more easily. If your face is sunburned, do not use Veltin Gel until your sunburn is completely healed. Tretinoin, one of the medicines in Veltin Gel, makes your skin more sensitive to sunlight. See "What should I avoid while using Veltin Gel?"
Common side effects of Veltin Gel include:
- Skin irritation. Veltin Gel may cause skin irritation such as dryness, peeling, burning, or itching.
Talk to your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
These are not all the side effects with Veltin Gel. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What is the dosage for Veltin?
Veltin Gel should be applied once daily in the evening, gently rubbing the medication to lightly cover the entire affected area. Approximately a pea-sized amount will be needed for each application. Avoid the eyes, lips, and mucous membranes.
Veltin Gel is not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use.
What drugs interact with Veltin?
Erythromycin
- Veltin Gel should not be used in combination with erythromycin-containing products due to possible antagonism to the clindamycin component.
- In vitro studies have shown antagonism between these 2 antimicrobials. The clinical significance of this in vitro antagonism is not known.
Neuromuscular Blocking Agents
- Clindamycin has been shown to have neuromuscular blocking properties that may enhance the action of other neuromuscular blocking agents.
- Therefore, Veltin Gel should be used with caution in patients receiving such agents.
Is Veltin safe to use while pregnant or breastfeeding?
- There are no well-controlled studies in pregnant women treated with Veltin Gel.
- Veltin Gel should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. It is not known whether clindamycin is excreted in human milk following use of Veltin Gel.
- However, orally and parenterally administered clindamycin has been reported to appear in breast milk.
- Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
- It is not known whether tretinoin is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk, caution should be exercised when Veltin Gel is administered to a nursing woman.