Can i use finacea with benzoyl peroxide

Some over-the-counter products contain smaller amounts. The acid also has some side effects, such as skin burning, dryness, and peeling. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about using azelaic acid for acne. Azelaic acid can be used in gel, foam, or cream form.

All forms have the same basic instructions for use:. Some people use azelaic to treat acne scarring in addition to active outbreaks. Azelaic acid encourages cell turnover, which is a way to reduce how severe scarring appears.

More research is needed to understand who this treatment works best for and how effective it can be. Azelaic acid is also used for other skin conditions, such as hyperpigmentation, rosacea, and skin lightening. After a breakout, inflammation can result in hyperpigmentation on some areas of your skin.

Azelaic acid stops discolored skin cells from populating. A pilot study from showed azelaic acid can treat acne while evening out hyperpigmentation triggered by acne. Further research on skin of color has also shown that azelaic acid is safe and beneficial for this use. Using azelaic acid for skin lightening in patchy or blotchy areas of your skin due to melanin has been found effective, according to an older study.

Azelaic acid can reduce inflammation, making it an effective treatment for symptoms of rosacea. Clinical studies demonstrate that azelaic acid gel can continually improve the appearance of swelling and visible blood vessels caused by rosacea.

Since it can thin your skin, your skin is more sensitive and prone to sun damage. Since it works slowly, azelaic acid is often prescribed along with other forms of acne treatment. So how do they do it? We called on four experts from around the country—and with a variety of concerns—to find out.

It wasn't until her late thirties that Dr. Barba developed melasma, a form of hormonally linked hyperpigmentation common after pregnancy and in women with darker skin tones. She remembers the moment with grim clarity: "I was outside at a conference, seeking shade and not finding it," she says.

Barba uses sun protection along with spot-fading ingredients. Her A. I rinse with this since I tend to be a little oily, but it's still mild. Her P. They have arbutin, licorice, green tea, vitamin C—all the great natural spot faders. You get great sun protection, and the combination is magic—patients come in and want my skin. Her off-limits treatment: "I'll never take a laser to my face to treat issues like wrinkles—in Latin skin like mine, the heat can cause post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and worsen my melasma.

Instead I use a very gentle in-office micro-needling pen [ dermapenworld. Then I follow it with an in-office mask with skin-healing amino acids and vitamin C. Chi, the director of dermatology resident education at OliveView-UCLA Hospital, laughs ruefully when asked about her skin history: "There are still white spots on the carpet of my childhood room from benzoyl peroxide—reminders of my early skin drama!

Chi's skin was prone to irritation and breakouts, and in an effort to curb them, she layered on intense anti-acne products and routinely went for "calming" facials—always returning with burning, itchy skin. It wasn't until she started studying dermatology that she realized her supposed acne was rosacea a chronic skin condition that causes redness and swelling. She pared back her routine radically and things cleared up. With sensitive skin, she explains, you have to be very Zen: "It's about balance and simplicity.

Select is editorially independent. Our editors selected these deals and items because we think you will enjoy them at these prices. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn a commission. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time. However, according to Rachel Maiman , MD, a cosmetic and general dermatologist at Marmur Medical in New York, azelaic acid is quite beneficial for your skin and increasingly popular but an often "overlooked" and "under-the-radar" skin care ingredient.

So what exactly is this emerging skin care ingredient? Azelaic acid is a compound found in wheat, rye and barley that can help treat acne and rosacea because it soothes inflammation, according to Joshua Zeichner , MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Azelaic acid treats sunspots and melasma because it blocks the production of "abnormal pigmentation," he says. However, Maiman says azelaic acid is "typically the lab-engineered form that is used in skin care products, owing to its being more stable and effective. While lower-grade options that are available over-the-counter OTC can work, she typically recommends combining azelaic acid with other ingredients because she finds it is "much more effective than when used alone.

Who should use azelaic acid? Best azelaic acid products. Zeichner says azelaic acid "takes several weeks to do its job, so don't give up after a few applications. She notes that, if you have acne, to resist the urge to pick breakouts because that can cause hyperpigmentation.

Downie says if you have sun damage or if you smoke, you can still use azelaic acid — she recommends you stop smoking because alongside countless health risks it can negatively impact your skin. When I say no smoking, I mean no smoking, no vaping and no smoking weed," she says. To learn more about how azelaic acid benefits skin, we consulted six dermatologists across the country for their expert advice.

The medical experts answer common questions including: How often can you use azelaic acid? Does azelaic acid lighten skin? Plus, we got recommendations to help you shop the best azelaic acid products of , as recommended by the dermatologists we consulted and our own research. If you are using azelaic acid, you definitely should be religious about applying sunscreen.