Cream
Acne Cream
Triple-action topical for acne: antibiotic (clindamycin + erythromycin) and antifungal (ketoconazole). Covers bacterial and fungal acne.
Starting at $101/mo
AcnePost-inflammatoryRedness
Clarity Cream
RxPrescription onlyApplied to the skin · Once a day · Acne · Post-inflammatory · Redness
Starting at $109/mo
Clarity: targets acne redness and post-inflammatory marks through niacinamide and calming botanicals. Reduces inflammation, speeds healing.
Choose your plan
Real prices from our pharmacy. Longer plans cost less per month and are billed up front. Pause or cancel anytime.
- Niacinamide reduces redness and sebum
- Calming botanicals speed skin healing
- Use alongside acne treatments for faster clearance
Every plan includes
- Personalized, physician-guided plan
- Monthly, 3-month and 6-month plans
- Dispensed by a US-licensed compounding pharmacy
- Unlimited protocol adjustments and messaging
- Ongoing support and check-ins
- Pause or cancel anytime
- Reviewed by our in-house physicians
- Physician-guided care
- Ongoing, expert support
- 100% online
- Free, discreet shipping
What is Clarity?
(anti-inflammatory acne-care blend)
Clarity focuses on reducing the inflammatory component of acne and accelerating healing of post-inflammatory marks. Niacinamide decreases redness and regulates oil; calming botanicals (aloe, centella asiatica) speed skin repair. Use alongside acne cream or tretinoin to amplify results.
- How it is taken
- Applied to the skin
- How often
- Once a day
- Form
- Acne · Post-inflammatory · Redness
Complementary
treatment to reduce acne redness and post-inflammatory marks
Reduces healing time; does not replace primary acne treatment. Best combined with salicylic acid or tretinoin.
How it works,
week by week.
Week 1
Start with acne cream or low-dose tretinoin. Mild irritation and initial breakout may occur (normal; hang on).
Week 2–4
If using doxycycline, bacteria count decreases. Topical treatment continues; acne begins to flatten.
Week 4–8
New comedones form less frequently. Redness fades. Results become visible.
Month 2–3+
Acne significantly improved. Reduce oral antibiotic if prescribed. Continue topical treatment indefinitely at lower frequency for maintenance.
What you may notice,
and when.
Initial breakout possible
normal with tretinoin; usually resolves by week 4
Patience required
acne improvement takes 4-8 weeks minimum
Steady improvement
new spots form less often; existing marks fade
Sun protection essential
tretinoin and doxycycline increase photosensitivity
Individual results vary. Benefits reflect what Zepym Health members commonly report to their physician at check-ins; they are not the results of a clinical trial.
Safety first:
what to know before you start.
Important safety information and common side effects
Topical acne treatments are generally well tolerated; salicylic acid and tretinoin can cause dryness, peeling, and irritation, especially at first. Tretinoin is absolutely contraindicated in pregnancy. Doxycycline is an antibiotic; inform your physician of other medications or allergies, and avoid dairy and calcium supplements (they reduce absorption). Doxycycline increases sun sensitivity, so daily SPF 30+ is essential. Tell your physician about any isotretinoin use history (Accutane). Stop and seek care for severe irritation, signs of allergic reaction, or persistent worsening of acne.
The research behind
skin brighteners.
These creams mix several actives. Azelaic acid, niacinamide, tranexamic acid, vitamin C and hydroquinone have the most human data for dark spots; the rest have little or none.
- Azelaic acidMASI -1.23 vs hydroquinone
Meta-analysis of six randomized trials with 673 people with melasma: azelaic acid lowered the melasma severity score more than hydroquinone (mean difference -1.23, 95% CI -2.05 to -0.40). The trials used 20% azelaic acid; the creams here contain 10%.
Albzea et al., Cureus 2023;15(7):e41796 - Niacinamidereduced spots vs vehicle
A moisturizer with 5% niacinamide was tested in 18 women with hyperpigmentation in a paired design. After 4 weeks, hyperpigmentation fell and skin lightness rose compared with vehicle. The 35–68% figure is from a laboratory model, not a skin result.
Hakozaki et al., Br J Dermatol 2002;147(1):20-31 - Tranexamic acid22 studies, 1,280 patients
A 2024 meta-analysis found tranexamic acid significantly reduced melasma severity, with oral use showing the largest drop; studies were highly heterogeneous. A 2019 systematic review rated it a strong recommendation.
Calacattawi et al., J Dermatolog Treat 2024; Austin et al., J Drugs Dermatol 2019
What the studies found
- Azelaic acid lowered the melasma severity score more than hydroquinone in pooled trials (mean difference -1.23 MASI; Albzea et al., Cureus 2023).
- In a paired study of 18 women, 5% niacinamide lightened hyperpigmentation vs vehicle after 4 weeks (Hakozaki et al., Br J Dermatol 2002).
- Tranexamic acid significantly reduced melasma severity across 22 studies with 1,280 patients (Calacattawi et al., J Dermatolog Treat 2024).
- A six-month trial of 5% vitamin C cream showed clinically apparent improvement in photoaged skin vs vehicle (Humbert et al., Exp Dermatol 2003).
Each cream's actives are at the strength on its label. Trial results are for the single active at the strength studied, not for the mixture. The hydroquinone creams (brightening cream and ClearTone) are prescription drugs; compounded versions were not studied.
What this does not say
- Vitamin C has a six-month double-blind trial of 5% vitamin C cream against vehicle in photoaged neck and arm skin, which reported clinically apparent improvement and a smoother skin relief (Humbert et al., Exp Dermatol 2003). It is not a melasma trial.
- We found no melasma outcome trial for hyaluronic acid, caffeine, dexpanthenol, vitamin E or resveratrol in these creams; they hydrate or support.
- Clindamycin, erythromycin and ketoconazole in the acne creams have evidence in acne, not in brightening.
- Hydroquinone carries a theoretical risk of ochronosis with long use.
The research
behind it.
Niacinamide and botanical extracts reduce inflammatory cytokines and support skin barrier repair, accelerating recovery from acne.
This is an adjunct to primary acne treatment, not a stand-alone cure. Most people use it with acne cream or tretinoin.
Getting started
takes a few minutes.
- 1
Connect with a physician
Answer a few questions online and a US-licensed physician reviews your health, history and goals to make sure treatment is right for you. 100% online. No in-person visit required.
- 2
Get your discreet shipment
If approved, your treatment is compounded by a US-licensed, LegitScript-certified pharmacy, inspected for quality, and shipped discreetly to your door.
- 3
Receive continuous support
Start with one goal, then keep building over time. Unlimited physician messaging, easy refills and dose adjustments, all from the Zepym Health app.
Frequently asked questions
Contact supportHow do I use Clarity Cream?
Applied to the skin, once a day, at bedtime. The starting prescription is 1 to 2 pumps each time. Your physician sets your own dose and it is printed on your label.
What exactly is in it?
Azelaic Acid 10%, Niacinamide 4%, Clindamycin 2%, Tretinoin 0.1%.
How much arrives in each shipment?
1 tube at the starting strength, shipped to your door from a licensed US pharmacy.
Do I need Clarity if I use acne cream or tretinoin?
Not essential, but it accelerates healing and reduces residual redness. If you scar easily or want to minimize marks, it is a worthwhile addition. Your physician recommends based on your acne severity.
Can I use all four treatments together?
No. Typical layering: salicylic acid or tretinoin topically, plus doxycycline orally if moderate/severe, plus Clarity for healing. You don't need all four. Your physician chooses a layered plan based on acne severity.
When do I know if a treatment is working?
Give topical treatments 4 weeks and oral antibiotics 8 weeks before deciding if they work. Acne cycles naturally; don't switch treatments too quickly. If no improvement after 8 weeks, your physician will adjust.
What if I develop antibiotic resistance?
Doxycycline courses are typically 3-6 months, then stopped to minimize resistance risk. Continuing topical treatment (tretinoin or salicylic acid) maintains results and prevents relapse.
Can I use acne treatments if I'm using other topicals?
Space them: tretinoin at night, vitamin C or niacinamide in morning. Avoid mixing tretinoin with benzoyl peroxide or retinol. Your physician advises on layering safely.
Clarity cream educational content reviewed by our physician
Scott Nass, MD Doctor of Medicine, board-certified in Family Medicine
Charles R. Drew University and David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Family Medicine residency at Ventura County Medical Center.
More options
in this area.
Cream
Acne Cream with Tretinoin
Acne treatment combining antibiotics (clindamycin/erythromycin/ketoconazole) with tretinoin for faster clearance and post-acne healing.
Starting at $101/mo
Cream
Brightening Cream
Stronger prescription cream for stubborn melasma and dark spots: hydroquinone 6% with tretinoin, hydrocortisone, kojic acid and vitamins C and E. A short course, usually up to 8 weeks.
Starting at $109/mo
Cream
ClearTone Cream
Brightening and anti-inflammatory cream combining azelaic acid, hydroquinone, kojic acid, tranexamic acid, and niacinamide. For post-acne hyperpigmentation.
Starting at $109/mo
References
- 1.Tretinoin in acne: efficacy, retinization, and long-term maintenance. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol, 2017
- 2.Doxycycline in moderate acne: antibiotic and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Antibiotics, 2019
Prescription products require an online evaluation with a licensed medical professional who will determine if a prescription is appropriate. Products are compounded by a licensed pharmacy. The FDA has not reviewed or approved compounded products for any use for safety, efficacy, or quality. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved brand-name products.