Azelaic Acid

What Is Azelaic Acid?

When you think of acne treatments, azelaic acid might not be the first ingredient to come to mind—or, let’s be honest, even the fifth ingredient—but it should be. Whether you use it as a cream, gel, or foam cleanser, this treatment may banish bacteria and reduce redness brought on by different skin conditions.

Azelaic acid is a favorite of dermatologists for its gentleness and versatility (it helps with way more than just acne breakouts), this skin care ingredient deserves a little more respect and recognition than it gets in the beauty world. To thoroughly explain the full range of benefits of using this overachieving skincare ingredient, we turned to the pros.

How to Use It

Whether you’re using an OTC formula or a prescription, Gerstner suggests applying a thin layer of the product to clean, dry skin twice a day, morning and night. For someone with sensitive skin, she recommends using it once every other day.

For any type of azelaic acid product you use (foam, gel, or cream), apply it to your face and neck using a pea- or marble-size amount spread evenly over the area after you finished cleansing.

To help the azelaic acid absorb and perform even more effectively, Fusco recommends applying your AHA (like glycolic or lactic acid), BHA (salicylic acid), or retinol first to open up the skin and accept the azelaic acid more readily. Then, follow with a hydrating moisturizer and a sunsreen with SPF of at least 30 in the morning.

Azelaic acid is a multifunctional skincare ingredient that tackles a multitude of concerns related to breakouts and inflammation:

• Gently Exfoliates: It goes deep within the pores and removes dead skin cells that cause dull skin tone and clogged pores.
• Fights acne: It has antibacterial properties, and according to Fusco, it’s reported to be bactericidal to P. acnes, which leads to acne.
• Reduces inflammation: Azelaic acid soothes irritation and helps to improve red bumps caused by inflammation.
• Evens skin tone: It inhibits tyrosinase, which is an enzyme that leads to hyperpigmentation. It’s effective on post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from acne breakouts and can affect melasma as well.
• Treats rosacea: Azelaic acid could help with pore-clogging, inflammation, and secondary infections caused by rosacea: “It’s a less irritating option, which is why we use it for rosacea because the skin tends to be very sensitive,” Gerstner says.