Azelaic acid benefits for skin care

Azelaic acid basics

Azelaic acid is a natural dicarboxylic acid with antibacterial, acne-dissolving, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory effects. It is well known among acne sufferers. Of course, many rosacea sufferers are also familiar.

Azelaic acid is an organic compound with a molecular formula of C9H16O4, which appears as white to slightly yellow monoclinic prisms, needle-like crystals or powder. Used as plasticizer, and used in alkyd resin, paint and chemical synthesis. In the standard state, pure azelaic acid is in the form of a white powder. Azelaic acid occurs naturally in grains such as wheat, rye, and barley. Azelaic acid is a precursor to chemicals such as polymers and plasticizers, and it is also a component of topical anti-acne medications and certain hair and skin conditioners. Azelaic acid is irritating to the skin, eyes, mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract, and is harmful if inhaled or ingested. Harmful to the environment and can cause pollution to water bodies and air.

Azelaic acid can be used to treat mild to moderate comedogenic and inflammatory acne. Azelaic acid kills acne bacteria that infect pores and also reduces the production of keratin, a natural substance that promotes the growth of acne bacteria. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, azelaic acid can also be used as a topical remedy for rosacea. It treats the bumps and swelling caused by rosacea. Azelaic acid works by inhibiting the activity of an overactive protease that converts cathelicidin to the antimicrobial peptide LL-37, which significantly reduces the number of comedones, papules and pustules in patients with mild to moderate acne.

Azelaic acid can also be used to treat skin pigmentation, including melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, especially for those with darker skin tones. As a tyrosinase inhibitor, azelaic acid can inhibit the synthesis of melanin, and is also recommended as a substitute for hydroquinone. In reducing pigmentation and reducing the size of melasma lesions, 20% of this product is comparable to 4 % hydroquinone ointment was comparable and significantly better than 2% hydroquinone ointment.

In industry, azelaic acid is mainly used for the production of dioctyl azelaic acid plasticizer, and can also be used as a raw material for the production of spices, lubricating oils, oils, and polyamide resins.

Because azelaic acid has antibacterial properties, it can be used as a food preservative. Use in mouthwash is beneficial to the prevention and treatment of dental caries, and use in soap can avoid cracking on the surface of the soap body. It has good permeability to the skin, and can be used in cream cosmetics to increase the absorption function of the skin. Has a variety of medicinal properties and is available in dermatological plaster. Has skin lightening and whitening properties. Similar to the hair loss drugs finasteride and dutasteride, azelaic acid is also a potent 5α reductase inhibitor, and azelaic acid or its zinc salt is used in hair care products in combination with vitamin B6. Treatment of male hormonal pattern baldness in which the male endocrine is more vigorous and stimulates hair growth at the same time.

The role of azelaic acid serum

Commonly used for acne vulgaris, rosacea (rosacea), perioral dermatitis, and has a certain effect on post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (such as acne marks) and chloasma, and can also be used for seborrheic dermatitis with rosacea.

Azelaic acid can also be used in the treatment of rosacea. Likewise, there is a place for maintenance therapy in both acute papulopustular and stable phases. Azelaic acid gel at a concentration of 15% is the only PDA approved for the treatment of rosacea. dosage form. Also reduces erythema, usually within a few weeks, with better results seen after 12-15 weeks. The effect is similar to that of topical metronidazole, and a few studies suggest that azelaic acid is superior to metronidazole.

20% azelaic acid cream was effective for both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne vulgaris, and its efficacy in the treatment of mild to moderate acne was comparable to 0.05% tretinoin cream, 5% benzoyl peroxide gel, 1% Clindamycin gel or 2% erythromycin ointment is equivalent.

As a non-antibiotic topical acne drug, azelaic acid can be used for a long time without developing drug resistance, and it is a class B drug during pregnancy, which is relatively safe.

Azelaic acid is well tolerated, but some patients may experience irritation, such as erythema, burning, scaling and itching, most of which are temporary.

Azelaic acid has antioxidant, antibacterial, antikeratotic and depigmentation properties. The effect is still relatively comprehensive.

It can be applied to many skin diseases, such as acne vulgaris, rosacea, perioral dermatitis, and keratosis pilaris.

Of course there are many pigmented diseases. The most common chloasma, and we often have acne scars, it also has a certain effect.

1. Azelaic acid is effective for acne vulgaris and inflammatory papules

Azelaic acid for acne vulgaris, it is effective for acne vulgaris pimples and inflammatory papules.

In terms of acne and inflammatory papules, its effect is equivalent to 005% tretinoin cream and benzoyl peroxide gel, which is quite good.

Not good for large nodular cysts. Not only is it bad, all the external medicines are not good, and the oral medicine must be considered.

2. Azelaic acid is also effective for erythema, papules and pustules of rosacea

Azelaic acid has a non-specific anti-inflammatory effect, so it is also effective for erythema, papules, and pustules of rosacea.

Both it and metronidazole gel are the preferred topical drugs in rosacea, each with their own pros and cons. For example, the effect of azelaic acid is slightly stronger than that of metronidazole gel, but metronidazole gel is relatively milder than azelaic acid.

3. Azelaic acid is also effective for perioral dermatitis

Perioral dermatitis is actually now considered a special type of rosacea, and our rosacea tends to grow on the cheeks, nose, and the middle of the face.

Perioral dermatitis mainly grows in the circle around the mouth, but its basic performance is similar. It is also a basic feature of redness, inflammatory papules and pustules.

So its medication principle is the same as our rosacea.

4. Azelaic acid can also be used for keratinization of the hair circumference

Azelaic acid has an anti-keratinization effect, so it can also be used for keratinization of the hair circumference.

Everyone is actually familiar with keratosis pilaris, because 10% -20% of us have keratosis pilaris, which is what we call "chicken skin". It is also effective with azelaic acid, despite its strength. It may not be as good as tretinoin, tazarotene, but it is milder and less irritating, so each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Of course, if you can tolerate tretinoin and tazarotene, I think tretinoin or tazarotene should be the first choice.

5. The main function of azelaic acid is also a freckle

In the manual of azelaic acid, it mentioned that its main function is also a freckle-removing effect, mainly because it can inhibit the tyrosinase of melanocytes, reduce the synthesis of melanin, and prevent post-inflammatory pigmentation. Pigmented diseases such as brown spots are effective.

Of course, the effect is there, but it is not as good as imagined, because we have post-inflammatory pigmentation melasma, and its pigment is not only in the basal layer of the epidermis, but also part of the dermis, it can only inhibit The synthesis of melanocytes in the epidermis has nothing to do with the melanin in the dermis.

No drug can do anything to the melanin in the dermis. We have to wait until our body slowly removes it naturally. If it can't be removed, we finally use a laser to break it up, and then let our body remove it again. Therefore, it has a therapeutic effect on hyperpigmentation of inflammation and melasma.

Azelaic acid instructions

Once in the morning and once in the evening, clean the face properly first, and then apply the ointment to the skin lesions.

There will be significant improvement after about 4 weeks, and for best results, the drug should be used continuously for several months.

If skin irritation occurs, use less or less frequently to once a day until irritation subsides. Treatment can be suspended for a few days if necessary.

Azelaic acid precautions for use

Azelaic acid is no problem for most people, but there are very few irritating reactions. For safety, it is best to apply a small area first, apply a small piece, and apply it continuously for 3-5 days. Make sure if it is not irritating and allergic , and then use it in a large area on all the parts that need to be painted, you need to pay attention.

The good thing is that even if there is an irritant response, most of them are transient. For example, it can be tolerated after a period of time.

How does azelaic acid build tolerance?

If you can't tolerate it directly, you can gradually build up tolerance as follows:

Apply at night for 5 minutes before going to bed, and apply for a week after washing off;

This is no problem, then apply it for another 10 minutes, wash off and apply for a week;

Apply for 20 minutes, wash off and apply for a week;

Apply for 30 minutes, wash off and apply for a week;

Finally you can spend the night.

If there is no problem overnight, you can consider applying twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.

In this way, an optimal effect can be achieved. Because of this ointment, it is also required to be applied twice a day.