Azelaic acid: for an even, clear-looking complexion

Dark spots, small pimples, red areas: sometimes everything comes together. Azelaic acid can contribute to an even-looking complexion and cares for skin that is prone to blemishes. For this you need a little patience and sun protection every day.

The key points in brief

• Azelaic acid can contribute to an even-looking complexion and a clear-looking skin.
• You apply it in a thin layer in the evening.
• During the day, sun protection belongs to it, with the cosmelan 2 Cream SPF 50 or higher.
• Plan in weeks: the two studies below ran for 8 and 24 weeks.

What does azelaic acid do in the skin?

Azelaic acid is an acid that is also found in grains, for example in wheat and rye.

For the complexion: in the laboratory, it slows down an enzyme called tyrosinase. This is the helper the skin uses to form brown pigment. You can imagine it as a tap for colour that it turns down a little.

For the pores: it counteracts excessive keratinisation of the skin. Keratinisation means that old cells build up and can clog the pores.

For calm in the skin: in the laboratory, it slowed down bacteria and messenger substances that can trigger irritation.

Some products do not contain the acid itself, but a derivative: Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate. It is not the same. Results from studies on the acid do not automatically apply to it.

Who is it suitable for?

Azelaic acid suits you if dark spots on your face bother you and you would like an even complexion.

It also suits skin that is prone to blemishes or redness.

Have you had a professional cosmelan treatment? Then the cosmelan 2 Cream is intended for the time afterwards.

Who is it less suitable for?

If your skin is currently irritated or injured, wait. This is what mesoestetic writes for the cosmelan 2 Cream.

Without a prior cosmelan treatment, the cosmelan 2 Cream is not the right choice.

Without daily sun protection, the cosmelan 2 Cream does not suit you: mesoestetic prescribes at least SPF 50 throughout the entire use and afterwards.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: please consult your doctor.

If your skin worries you, a dermatologist is the right way to go.

How to use it

1. Cleanse your face in the evening and let the skin dry.
2. Apply a thin layer. Thick layers can dry out the skin strongly, mesoestetic writes.
3. Avoid the eyes and mucous membranes and wash your hands afterwards.
4. How often you use the cosmelan 2 Cream is stated in the plan for your cosmelan treatment.
5. In the morning, sun protection with SPF 50 or higher follows.

The steps follow the cosmelan 2 Cream. For products with the derivative, the instructions on the respective packaging apply.

Good to combine, better not together

Good together:

• Vitamin C and niacinamide: the cosmelan 2 Cream already contains both.
• Sun protection in the morning: it is an integral part of the cosmelan 2 Cream.

Better not together:

• Glycolic acid at the same time as the cosmelan 2 Cream: mesoestetic advises against this.

What you can expect

In the first weeks, the skin can tingle, itch or burn slightly. For the cosmelan 2 Cream, mesoestetic describes this as normal.

In a study, people with a darker skin type and dark spots on the face used a cream with 20 percent azelaic acid for 24 weeks. A second group used a cream without the active ingredient. With azelaic acid, the spots were lighter afterwards, measured with a colour measuring device. With azelaic acid, there was somewhat more burning and stinging.

Both results apply only to the cream from this study.

In a second study, 23 people with skin prone to blemishes used a mixture for 8 weeks. It contained 10 percent azelaic acid and 0.1 percent retinal, a form of vitamin A. One half of the face received the mixture, the other one without active ingredients, both stirred into a cream shortly beforehand.

On the side with the active ingredients, the researchers measured smoother skin and less redness. 65 percent reported visible changes within 4 weeks. This too applies only to this mixture.

In our shop

You can find all products in our Azelaic acid collection. Azelaic acid itself appears in the ingredient list of this cream:

• cosmelan 2 Cream from mesoestetic: cream for the evening with azelaic acid, kojic acid, vitamin C and niacinamide, for the time after a cosmelan treatment.

These products contain only the derivative Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, not the acid itself:

• Retinol + Blemish Complex from ZO Skin Health: serum for the evening with retinol and salicylic acid, for skin that is prone to blemishes and ageing at the same time.
• Mesoprotech Melan 130 Pigment Control from mesoestetic: sun protection for the morning, developed for skin with dark spots.

Frequently asked questions

What are the benefits of azelaic acid?

It can contribute to an even-looking complexion and cares for skin prone to blemishes or redness.

Can I use vitamin C and azelaic acid together?

Yes. The cosmelan 2 Cream contains both in the same cream. Vitamin C appears there as Ascorbic Acid and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate in the ingredient list.

What should you not combine with azelaic acid?

For the cosmelan 2 Cream, mesoestetic writes: "Do not use at the same time as glycolic acid products." For other products, the instructions on the respective packaging apply.

Is azelaic acid safe during pregnancy?

Please consult your doctor. For the cosmelan 2 Cream, mesoestetic writes: "Do not use during pregnancy or breastfeeding."

Sources

1. Feng X, Shang J, Gu Z, Gong J, Chen Y, Liu Y (2024): Azelaic Acid: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology 17:2359-2371. DOI 10.2147/CCID.S485237, PMID 39464747.
2. Schulte BC, Wu W, Rosen T (2015): Azelaic Acid: Evidence-based Update on Mechanism of Action and Clinical Application. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology 14(9):964-968. PMID 26355614.
3. Lowe NJ, Rizk D, Grimes P, Billips M, Pincus S (1998): Azelaic acid 20% cream in the treatment of facial hyperpigmentation in darker-skinned patients. Clinical Therapeutics 20(5):945-959. DOI 10.1016/s0149-2918(98)80076-3, PMID 9829446.
4. Gaudicheau C, Ahlström M, Gillbro JM, Åkerström U (2026): Efficacy and safety of a novel anhydrous 0.1% retinal and 10% azelaic acid concentrate for blemish-prone skin: An eight-week randomized prospective split-face, vehicle-controlled study. International Journal of Cosmetic Science, online ahead of print. DOI 10.1111/ics.70131, PMID 42572367.