Question: I had a bad case of acne on my chin. I have been given Clindamycin cream to heal it. Can you tell me what this does to the pimple? Will my acne scars be permanent?
Pimples are infected oil glands in the skin. Clindamycin is an antibiotic that is designed to kill the bacteria that infect the pimples, and thereby cure them. If you are finding it successful, then continue the treatment. If your pimples are still bad, you should see your doctor about using other preparations on the skin, and antibiotics or anti-acne drugs by mouth to keep the condition under control.
Acne scars are often a deep red colour when the pimple initially subsides, but after a period of months or years, they gradually fade to a pale pink or dead white colour. These scars are unfortunately permanent, as are scars on any other part of the body. Once you have grown out of your acne, and no further skin infections are occurring, you can see a dermatologist or plastic surgeon to have one of a number of procedures performed to make the scars less obvious. Dermabrasion, in which the lumps and bumps on your face are reduced, is quite successful if the scarring is widespread.

Question: I have been taking antibiotics, including Vibra-Tabs, Minomycin and Mysteclin, for acne for many years. These keep the acne under some control, but it never completely clears up. If I stop them, the acne flares up terribly. I am worried that the antibiotics may cause my bouts of depression, and can they cause a low sperm count?
Acne can be controlled by antibiotics and other medications, but it cannot be cured. You are not going to have a ‘peaches and cream’ complexion, but there should only be a few pimples present that are not easily noticed by other people.
If your acne is controlled by antibiotics such as those you mention, be grateful, because some victims have to use far more potent medications. The antibiotics may be combined with skin preparations if necessary. I am not aware of these drugs causing depression or a low sperm count, and you should be reassured on these points.
If you are having problems with periods of depression, whether associated with your acne, other problems, or no specific problem, I urge you to discuss it further with your general practitioner, as the depression may also need to be treated to make you a far happier and more confident person.