Acne.org Products
Topical Antibacterial
Acne.org’s Real World Take
At prescription strengths (15 - 20%) studies show it should help reduce mild-to-moderate acne by a significant and noticeable amount after 3 months or so of treatment, so that’s not too shabby. However, it is unlikely to completely clear the skin on its own.
Topical Antibacterial
How to Get It
Azelaic acid is available in 15% - 20% by prescription. Have a dermatologist? Make an appointment to get this medication. Don't have a dermatologist? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find one. Azelaic acid is also available over-the-counter in strengths 10% and lower. Here are some places you can find it online.
Used Azelaic Acid? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
April 24, 2009
Product used: Azelex (Azelaic Acid (20%) Cream)
Cons:
Absolutely none she says sumtimes it itches just a little but is gone after a few minutes and thats only happened a couple of times.
My daughters face is soooo clear shes thirteen and i was spending so much money trying to get her skin clear again. She uses Korres White Tea cleanser from Sephora and Azelex cream in the morning and night. Her face started clearing after a week of using the azelex cream before this she had used proactiv, clearogen, cosmedicine, ddf, erythromycin and nothing worked at all. This is truly a Miracle Cream!
August 31, 2008
Product used: Skinoren (Azelaic Acid (20%) Cream)
Pros:
I never break out anymore! Now i just have to let it treat the scars etc!
Cons:
It is drying, and does cause some redness, burning, and itching in the beginning but it goes away!
I usually break out ALL THE TIME and i used to have a skin routine consisting of cleansing, toning, and moisturizing every single day and i would be in the bathroom for 45 minutes just so a pimple wouldn't pop on my face! Now i've been using skinoren on its own for just 2 weeks and I haven't broken out AT ALL! Sure, no major improvements in the scars, but that comes later! Im just glad I don't get any kind of blemishes anymore.
April 7, 2008
Product used: Azelex (Azelaic Acid (20%) Cream)
Pros:
Essentially cleared up the disaster that Retin-A Micro made of my face. Within 5 days, my scars lightened, I have not developed any new acne, and the old acne is disappearing. What would I do without it?
Cons:
Itchiness, but I hear it goes away. And well worth it, if you ask me.
Finacea 15% is a miracle drug.
December 31, 2007
Product used: Skinoren (Azelaic Acid (20%) Cream)
Pros:
I've used Skinoren for about 3 months now. It's great at preventing inflammation from picking and popping. It has reduced the amount of pimples I get. I also use St. Eves Apricot Scrub to because Skinoren prepares your skin to regenerate by peeling.
Cons:
It says on the package to not use for more than 6 months...why?
Try it! I Am an African American female with mild-moderate acne.
March 31, 2007
Product used: Azelex (Azelaic Acid (20%) Cream)
Pros:
Reduces spots and marks left from spots
Cons:
A bit of stinging a little dryness
I've been using AcneDerm (20% azelaic acid)cream for about 2 months ($15 NZD). Dermatologists use this not only for acne, but for the dark marks left behind on the skin, called post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This is what I've mainly been using the cream for. The good news for those out there who have these marks are that they naturally fade over time, although it can take many months. Azelaic acid helps fade the marks more quickly without bleaching the normal skin around them. I've found it really useful and am very pleased with the results. Other people on this forum haven't got on with it. The important things to remember about any acne medication, is 1.) give it a good run, any product usually takes weeks to work. 2.) if one thing doesn't work for you GO BACK TO YOUR DOCTOR!! There are loads of different products out there and people respond very differently to them, for no apparent reason, so you must persevere untill you find the thing that works for YOU. DON"T GIVE UP!
January 22, 2007
Product used: Azelex (Azelaic Acid (20%) Cream)
Pros:
works well, on acne and scarring. way less painful/unpleasant/drying than other acne treatments. it's also not nearly as intensive a treatment as a retinoid (no liver effects, no photosensitivity).
Cons:
a little itching and burning when you first apply the product. it goes away after a couple of weeks, and you can minimize the effects by only applying the cream to completely dry skin.
this is a great product for me. i have very sensitive skin and have tried lots of treatments. many people on this forum seem to dislike the product based on reports of discomfort, but really any medication for acne will have some side effects, and this one is far less disruptive than others. i think the cream is probably better for dry skin than oily. also, as some mentioned, it does leave a white-ish film if you put a lot on, so maybe more suited to pale complexions if you're putting it on in the morning. i use mine at night.
December 7, 2016
Product used: Finacea (Azelaic Acid (15%) Gel)
A Saviour for Me
I accidentally discovered Finacea after finally realising that my constant and worsening "breakouts" were actually pustular Rosacea, and reading up about the condition and treatments online (including here, thank you!). In Australia it is pharmacy medication but needs no prescription, and sells for only AUS$25, so I thought I would give it a try. I was a bit disappointed for the first few weeks as new pustules kept forming - some really nasty - but I persisted having read it can take 4-8 weeks to impact. Patience was rewarded. 8 weeks on and my skin is finally really settling down for the first time in years and almost blemish free. Pustules are few and much smaller and settle down faster. Most scaring is gone. I find a small amount of tingling but no major reactions. An absolute wonder!!!!
May 11, 2013
Product used: Finacea (Azelaic Acid (15%) Gel)
Pros:
less drying and irritating than Benzoyl peroxide
Cons:
Not as effective as Benzoyl Peroxide
I'm sensitive to Benzoyl Peroxide and so it was great to find an alternative active component - Azelaic Acid. I used this for a few months and it was much less irritating on my skin than the Epiduo that I had been using. However, I found it to be slightly less effective in controlling acne - although I've read other people say you need to use it for several months to get the full effect.
July 8, 2012
Product used: Azelex (Azelaic Acid (20%) Cream)
Pros:
Goes on smooth and clear
Makes skin feel soft
Kinda moisturizing
Cons:
Didn't help at all
Kinda made skin a little more oily
I used this for a month and it didn't help at all. It didn't make things worse but it didn't help them either. But that doesn't mean it won't work for you what I learned is everyone is different and will respond differently so you just gotta keep trying and see what works for you.
November 23, 2011
Product used: Finacea (Azelaic Acid (15%) Gel)
Pros:
-Dries out pimples more quickly than any topical I've ever used before
-Inexpensive under my insurance plan
-Doesn't sting
Cons:
-None
I dab a pea-sized amount on pimples as soon as I see the beginning of one and it works to visibly reduce them overnight.
Pros:
Clears acne and helps with oily skin it is also so moisturizing that my daughter doesn't need to use a moisturizer with it and her skin is extremely sensitive and very very dry to the point that i had spent a fortune at sephora in moisturizers.