Azelaic acid (pronounced “az-uh-LAY-ik”) is a naturally occurring dicarboxylic acid that’s present in wheat, rye, and barley. It’s also produced by the Malassezia furfur yeast, which is a typical commensal organism on the pores and skin. Azelaic acid has been proven to have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and comedolytic (comedone-reducing) properties, making it an efficient therapy for a wide range of pores and skin situations, together with zits, rosacea, and hyperpigmentation.
Azelaic acid works by inhibiting the expansion of micro organism and fungi, lowering irritation, and selling cell turnover. It’s also thought to intervene with the manufacturing of melanin, the pigment that offers pores and skin its colour, which can assist to lighten darkish spots and hyperpigmentation. Azelaic acid is mostly well-tolerated, with the most typical unwanted side effects being delicate pores and skin irritation and dryness.