Acne treatment
Acne treatments, including topical antibiotics, retinoids or anti-androgen preparations (creams, gels, and lotions), as well as oral antibiotic capsules, available to buy online from Dr Fox.
Read medical information and answer medical questions to buy treatment online.
Selecting medication
All medicine supplied is UK licensed.
Prices
| Acne treatment | Quantity | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Zineryt (generic erythromycin in solution) | 30mls | £16.00 |
| Zineryt (generic erythromycin in solution) | 90mls (1 x 90mls) | £29.00 |
| Differin cream (adapalene 0.1%) | 45 grams | £22.00 |
| Differin cream (adapalene 0.1%) | 90 grams (2 x 45 grams) | £39.00 |
| Differin gel (adapalene 0.1%) | 45 grams | £22.00 |
| Differin gel (adapalene 0.1%) | 90 grams (2 x 45 grams) | £39.00 |
| Duac gel (benzoyl peroxide 3% and clindamycin 1%) | 30 grams | £17.95 |
| Duac gel (benzoyl peroxide 3% and clindamycin 1%) | 60 grams (1 x 60 grams) | £34.10 |
| Epiduo gel (benzoyl peroxide 2.5% and adapalene 0.1%) | 60gm | £36.00 |
| Epiduo gel (benzoyl peroxide 2.5% and adapalene 0.1%) | 2 x 60gm | £68.00 |
| Epiduo gel (benzoyl peroxide 2.5% and adapalene 0.1%) | 3 x 60gm | £99.00 |
| Lymecycline 408mg | 28 capsules | £13.80 |
| Lymecycline 408mg | 84 capsules | £31.00 |
| Winlevi cream (1% clascoterone) | 1 tube x 60g | £30.99 |
| Winlevi cream (1% clascoterone) | 2 tubes x 60g | £59.48 |
Price match guarantee
Prescription issued online - small prescription fee per order.
Compare prices: Dr Fox prices are 25%-50% lower cost than other online clinics.
Prescription fees
Dr Fox supplies medicine on prescription and charges a small prescription fee based on the order value of each prescription.
Prescriptions are issued by our doctors online and sent electronically to our pharmacy.
| Order value | Prescription fee |
|---|---|
| up to £10 | £1.00 |
| up to £20 | £2.00 |
| up to £40 | £3.00 |
| over £40 | £4.00 |
If you have your own private or NHS paper prescription please post to our pharmacy (details).
Dr Fox prices are 25%–50% lower than other UK online clinics.
| Treatment | Dr Fox* | Pharmacy2U | Superdrug | Lloyds Online Doctor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duac 60gm | £34.10 | £50.00 | n/a | £55.00 |
| Differin cream 45gm | £22.00 | £35.00 | £27.50 | £33.00 |
| Lymecycline 408mg x 84 | £31.00 | £45.00 | n/a | n/a |
| Winlevi 10mg/g 1% cream | £30.99 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| UK delivery | £2.90 | £3.45 | included | included |
Delivery charges
UK delivery only: £2.90 per consultation via Royal Mail Tracked 24 (1-3 working days with tracking).
Parcel forwarding services are not permitted. Use only UK home or work delivery address.
Returns and refunds - unwanted items can be returned within 14 working days for a full refund.
Medical information
Written and reviewed by a team of doctors. Dr Fox is regulated by the CQC & GPhC.
Acne is common, and can feel upsetting, but is usually treatable.
Many people get acne at some stage, often starting in the teenage years and lasting around 4 to 5 years. However, adults can also develop acne, and sometimes it continues for longer. It usually affects the face, but it can also appear on the chest, back or other areas.
Acne is often triggered by hormonal changes especially at puberty. Oil-producing glands in the skin become more active and when oily secretions mix with dead skin cells pores can become blocked.
This leads to blackheads and whiteheads. Bacteria that naturally live on the skin can then grow inside the blocked pores, causing redness, pustules, and sometimes painful cysts.
Most acne is mild to moderate. Severe acne with pustules, nodules, and scarring needs to be assessed with a doctor face-to-face, who may also refer you to a skin specialist.
Acne is not the same as rosacea, which sometimes appears similar, although there are no blackheads with rosacea.
Acne can be treated with non-prescription skin preparations (creams, gels, and solutions) bought from chemists/pharmacies or with prescription treatments including those outlined below.
Some medications can cause or make acne worse and you should speak with your usual doctor if taking any of these and you have acne.
Acne treatment from Dr Fox
Dr Fox does NOT supply medicines for under 18s or 60 years and over.
Dr Fox is able to supply a range of prescription-only topical preparations (Differin, Zineryt, Duac, Epiduo and Winlevi) and antibiotic capsules (lymecycline) for the treatment of acne. Some acne treatments are not available from Dr Fox and these include isotretinoin (Roaccutane) and specialist contraceptive pills such as Dianette.
Treatment is usually stepwise, starting with lower strength topical preparations applied to the skin, moving on to combination topical preparations.
Dr Fox acne treatment plan
If your acne is severe or you are unsure of your diagnosis, see a doctor for advice before you start treatment.
Start at the step closest to your acne type. Try each step for 8 weeks before moving to the next step if acne is not improving. Apply skin treatments to all the affected skin, not just the spots.
Step 1: Mild acne
Start with non-prescription benzoyl peroxide topical preparations bought from chemists/pharmacies without a prescription. Apply every night. (Topical benzoyl peroxide is not available from Dr Fox.)
Step 2: Mainly blackheads
Apply Differin every night.
Step 3: Blackheads and whiteheads
Stop other treatments and choose one of the following options:
- Option A: Apply Epiduo every night.
- Option B: Apply Duac every night.
- Option C: Apply Zineryt solution twice daily.
- Option D: Apply Winlevi twice daily.
If after 8 weeks your chosen treatment has not worked or you have had side effects choose another Step 3 treatment.
Step 4: Blackheads, whiteheads, inflammation, infection, pustules, and cysts
Add lymecycline capsules in the mornings and continue to use Benzoyl peroxide, Differin, Epiduo or Winlevi (but not Duac or Zineryt).
Step 5: Active scarring (especially in skin of colour), severe distress
Consult your own GP without delaying. Further options include contraceptive pills (for women) and referral to a specialist dermatologist to consider Roaccutane (isotretinoin) capsule treatment.
When to stop treatment
Acne treatment should be tried for up to 8 weeks and then stopped if there is no improvement. You can try an alternative product from the Dr Fox treatment plan but if 2 different full courses have been tried and failed, then you need to arrange a review with your GP.
If acne is improving, antibiotic gels, lotions and capsules should be used for 12 weeks. Exceptionally then can be continued for a further 12 weeks if acne has improved but not fully resolved but then a break should be taken from antibiotic treatment for at least 3 months. Oral antibiotics should also be used with a topical product such as benzoyl peroxide or Epiduo to prevent resistance to the antibiotics.
It is recommended to use Winlevi for up to 12 weeks.
Differin and Epiduo can be used long term if needed.
Ordering online
You will need to complete a short medical questionnaire before ordering.
Sometimes different topical preparations contain the same active ingredients. Some topical preparations contain two active ingredients. You should not usually use more than one prescribed topical treatment at the same time, without discussing this with a doctor.
- Differin - retinoid
- Epiduo - retinoid with peeling agent (benzoyl peroxide)
- Zineryt - antibiotic
- Duac - antibiotic with peeling agent (benzoyl peroxide)
Differin, Epiduo and Winlevi can be used with oral antibiotics eg lymecycline.
Zineryt and Duac can NOT be used at the same time as oral antibiotic treatment for acne.
Multiple ordering
After the consultation you can choose your order option, although it is not possible to order more than one item per consultation. This is for medical reasons as above.
If more than one item is required, a separate questionnaire must be completed for each item. Send a message to the doctor from your account with the reason for your order request to be reviewed.
If the doctors approve more than one item, email info@doctorfox.co.uk or message from your account and we will refund additional postage and consultation fees.
Declined orders are automatically refunded.
Diagnosis of acne
It is important that people obtaining treatment online for acne are sure of their diagnosis. There are other causes of spots and rashes apart from acne. These other skin problems might require investigations, and might not respond to acne treatment. If you are unsure or your acne does not respond to treatment then arrange an appointment to discuss this with your usual GP.
Treatments available from Dr Fox for acne
See the manufacturer's 'patient information leaflet' for each product below for full details, including how to use, side effects and cautions.
Differin - topical retinoid
Retinoids are good at unplugging blocked pores. They can cause irritation particularly at the start of treatment. Irritation can be reduced by starting treatment on alternate days, and building up to once a day use.
Differin comes as a gel or a cream containing the retinoid, adapalene. It is applied to the skin once daily, usually at night.
Epiduo - combination topical treatment
It can cause irritation particularly at the start of treatment. Irritation can be reduced by starting treatment on alternate days, and building up to once daily use.
Epiduo is a gel containing the retinoid adapalene combined with peeling agent benzoyl peroxide, 2.5%. It is applied once daily.
Zineryt & Duac - topical antibiotics for acne
Zineryt contains the antibiotic erythromycin in solution. It is usually applied twice daily.
Zineryt Patient Leaflet
Please note: pharmacists are required to pre-mix Zineryt before posting, and once mixed the solution has an 8-week shelf life.
Duac is a gel which contains the antibiotic clindamycin combined with peeling agent benzoyl peroxide. It is applied once daily, usually at night.
Duac Gel 3% Patient Leaflet
Winlevi®
WINLEVI® is a cream that contains a medication called clascoterone. It is thought to work by blocking androgens in your skin from making too much oil (sebum) which helps reduce inflammation and treat acne. It is applied twice daily and the recommended use is for 12 weeks but can be used longer if needed and acne is improving with use.
Winlevi®® patient information leafletLymecycline 408mg - antibiotic capsules for acne
Lymecycline 408mg capsules contain a tetracycline-type antibiotic which also has anti-inflammatory effects. The dose used to treat acne is usually one capsule daily. A non-antibiotic topical treatment, Differin, Epiduo, or benzoyl peroxide should be continued whilst taking lymecycline. It should be taken daily for 3 months and in exceptional cases continued for a maximum of 6 months followed by a break of at least 3 months.
Lymecycline should NOT be taken whilst using Zineryt or Duac (topical antibiotics).
Acne treatments compared
| Product | Form | How many times a day? | Dr Fox treatment plan | Type of treatment | Active ingredient(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Differin | Gel/cream | Once | Step 2 | Retinoid | Adapalene |
| Epiduo | Gel | Once | Step 3 | Retinoid and peeling agent | Adapalene, benzoyl peroxide |
| Duac | Gel | Once | Step 3 | Antibiotic and peeling agent | Clindamycin, benzoyl peroxide |
| Zineryt | Lotion | Twice | Step 3 | Antibiotic | Erythromycin, zinc |
| Winlevi | Cream | Twice | Step 3 | Anti-androgen | Clascoterone |
| Lymecycline | Capsules | Once | Step 4 | Antibiotic | Lymecycline |
What else can help improve acne?
- Avoid oil based cosmetics and remove makeup at night.
- Use a neutral or slightly acid skin cleanser twice daily, but do not clean skin excessively.
- Do not pick and scratch spots as it leads to scarring.
- UV light can help, preferably sunlight filtered through window glass.
- Some people find improvement by following a low-glycaemic diet.
- Increasing the consumption of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, olive oil, garlic.
- Decreasing the consumption of high-glycaemic index foods such as sugar, biscuits, cakes, ice creams, and bottled drinks.
- Stop smoking.
- Avoid humid conditions, e.g saunas, tropical holidays, hot steamy environments.
Antibiotic guardianship
To combat antibiotic resistance please:
- Only use antibiotics when needed
- Never share antibiotics
- Always complete course as instructed
- Take unused medicine to local pharmacy for disposal
Buy treatment
Dr Fox supplies acne treatment on prescription - you are required to answer a short medical questionnaire before your order can be completed.
Authored 31 October 2013 by Dr B. Babor
NHS GP & dermatology specialist. MB ChB Dundee University 1996. GMC no. 4336464
Reviewed by Dr C. Pugh, Dr J. Tweedie
Last reviewed 29 September 2025
Last updated 13 January 2026
Editorial policy
References
- NICE, 2023, Acne vulgaris, accessed 29 September 2025
- PCDS, 2025, Acne vulgaris, accessed 29 September 2025
- BAD, 2023, Acne patient information leaflet, accessed 29 September 2025
- questions
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IMPORTANT
Dr Fox does not supply acne treatment to those aged 60 years or over.
It is not possible to order more than one item per consultation. This is for medical reasons.
If more than one item is required, a separate consultation must be completed for each item.
If more than one item has been ordered, you should message the doctors to explain why.
If the doctors approve more than one item on separate consultations, email info@doctorfox.co.uk or send message from your account and we will refund additional postage and consultation fees. Declined items are automatically refunded.
Zineryt supplied premixed.
Answer medical questions to order(acne)
Honest & accurate responses are necessary for safe medical assessment
The order process
Choose medication, register, and pay
Dr Fox issues prescription online
Pharmacy team post medication direct
