So you grabbed this azelaic acid serum everyone’s been talking about, slapped it on your face, and now two weeks later you’re staring in the mirror wondering why you look like you’re going through puberty again. Does azelaic acid cause purging? Yeah, it can, but here’s what nobody tells you: it’s actually way less likely to wreck your face than most other active ingredients. I’m going to explain exactly what’s happening under your skin right now, why some breakouts are actually a good sign, how to tell if you’re purging or if your skin just hates this product, and what you can do to get through it without wanting to hide in your house for a month.
What Even Is Azelaic Acid?
Azelaic acid is this dicarboxylic acid that naturally shows up in grains like wheat and barley. Sounds boring, but here’s why it’s cool: it does like four different jobs at once. It kills acne-causing bacteria, calms down inflammation, fades dark spots by messing with melanin production, and speeds up how fast your dead skin cells shed off. Most skincare products only do one or two of these things.
You can get lower concentration versions (around 10%) without a prescription, or your dermatology provider can hook you up with the stronger ones at 15-20%. Paula’s Choice makes a popular 10% one that a lot of people start with.The big difference between azelaic acid and something like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide is that it’s way gentler. If you have sensitive skin or your face freaks out easily, this is usually a safer bet. It still gets results, just without being as harsh.
Purging VS Breaking Out: Why They’re Not The Same
This is where everyone gets confused and panics. Skin purging and a bad reaction look similar at first, but they’re completely different. When you use something that speeds up skin cell turnover (like azelaic acid, glycolic acid, or salicylic acid), your skin basically hits fast-forward on its natural cycle. Normally it takes about 28 days for new cells to form at the bottom, travel up, and shed off. These active ingredients cut that time way down.All those little clogs and baby pimples that were forming under your skin’s surface? They’re getting pushed up and out faster than they normally would. That’s what a skin purge is. It’s not new acne. It’s acne that was already on its way, just showing up earlier than expected.
Here’s how you know if you’re purging: the breakouts happen where you normally get acne anyway. If you usually break out on your chin and forehead, that’s where you’ll purge. They’re not popping up in random new areas. Also, purging starts pretty fast after you first start using a new product – usually within a couple weeks. And these pimples come to a head quicker and heal faster than your regular breakouts do. An allergic reaction or bad response looks different. You’ll see redness, itching, burning, or breakouts in places where you never normally have problems. That’s your skin telling you to stop using it.
Why Azelaic Acid Usually Doesn’t Cause A Crazy Purge
Here’s the part that should make you feel better: azelaic acid is actually one of the milder active ingredients when it comes to purging. If you’ve ever used glycolic acid or strong salicylic acid, you know those can absolutely wreck your face. Azelaic acid is way more chill. It has keratolytic properties, which just means it helps loosen up dead skin cells so they shed easier. But it’s not nearly as aggressive as alpha hydroxy acids or beta hydroxy acids. Those are like taking a pressure washer to your face. Azelaic acid is more like a gentle sweep.
This matters a lot if you have acne-prone skin that’s also sensitive or dealing with other skin conditions like perioral dermatitis. The anti-inflammatory properties mean that even when you do break out, there’s less redness and irritation than usual. Salicylic acid dives deep into your hair follicles and yanks out all the excess oil and junk in there. Azelaic acid works more on the surface of your skin. It’s multitasking-killing bacteria, fading post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, evening out skin tone. -but it’s not destroying your skin barrier to do it.
What Purging Actually Feels Like
If you’re gonna purge from azelaic acid, it usually happens in the first two to six weeks. How long depends on how fast your skin naturally turns over and what concentration you’re using. During the purging period, you’ll probably see more acne breakouts than normal, but they’ll be in your usual problem spots. If your chin’s always a disaster, that’s where you’ll purge. These aren’t those deep angry pimples that camp out on your face forever. They usually come up faster and clear up quicker than your normal breakouts.
You might also get some dryness or light flaking because your dead skin cells are bailing faster. If you already have dry skin, you’ll notice this more than someone with oily skin. Totally norma – just means you gotta be nicer to your skin barrier. Here’s how you know you’re purging and not having a bad reaction: your other skin concerns are actually getting better. Maybe you’ve got some new pimples, but your dark spots are fading, your skin texture is smoother, and your uneven skin tone is evening out. That’s the azelaic acid doing its job. You’re just in the awkward phase.
How To Make Purging Shorter
You probably can’t avoid purging completely if your skin’s gonna do it, but you can make it way less miserable.
- Start slow. Don’t slap it on every single day right away. Use a thin layer every other night for the first week or two, then work up to nightly once your skin adjusts. Going too hard too fast makes the temporary increase in breakouts way worse.
- Keep everything else simple. Don’t also start using vitamin c, retinol, or other chemical exfoliants at the same time. That’s just asking for trouble. Stick with a gentle cleanser, your azelaic acid, and a basic moisturizer. That’s it. Your skin barrier needs support right now, not a million different active ingredients beating it up.
- Do a patch test first. I know it’s boring and you want results yesterday, but put a little on your jawline or behind your ear and wait 24 hours. If you have sensitive skin or different skin types that react easily, this saves you from a full-face disaster.
- Don’t over-exfoliate. You might think more exfoliation equals faster results, but you’ll just piss off your skin and make everything worse. The benefits of azelaic acid come from using it consistently over weeks and months, not from going crazy with it.
- Don’t pick at the purge pimples. I know they’re right there and it’s so tempting, but picking causes more post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and makes them take longer to heal. Just leave them alone.
How To Support Your Skin During A Purge
Your skin barrier’s working overtime right now, so you gotta support it.
- Use a gentle cleanser, not something with a million active ingredients or harsh sulfates. Your skin doesn’t need more exfoliation on top of what the azelaic acid’s already doing.
- Moisturize like crazy. Even if you have oily skin, your skin barrier needs moisture to repair itself and handle the increased cell turnover. Look for something with ceramides or hyaluronic acid.
- Wear sunscreen every single day. Non-negotiable. Azelaic acid makes your skin more sensitive to UV damage, and sun exposure makes post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation worse. Plus, if you’re dealing with dark spots, sun exposure will make them stick around way longer.
- Don’t use hot water on your face. Lukewarm water’s way better because hot water strips your skin barrier and makes dryness worse.
- Skip the physical exfoliants like scrubs. You’re already chemically exfoliating with the azelaic acid. Adding physical exfoliation on top’s just gonna cause more irritation.
When Purging Becomes A Problem
Some purging is normal. But there’s a point where you gotta stop and reassess:
- If it’s been eight weeks and you’re still breaking out with zero improvement, that’s not purging anymore. Your skin might just hate this product, or the concentration might be too strong.
- If you’re getting breakouts in completely new areas where you’ve never had acne before (like you normally break out on your forehead but now your cheeks are covered) that’s not purging. That’s a bad reaction.
- If your skin is red, burning, itching like crazy, or you’re seeing hives or rashes, stop using it immediately. That’s an allergic reaction. Wash it off, use a gentle cleanser, and maybe talk to a dermatology provider.
- If the breakouts are way worse than anything you’ve dealt with before, or they’re not healing at all, something’s wrong. Real purging should be manageable, not a complete nightmare.
Mixing Azelaic Acid With Other Products
This is where people screw up a lot. You can use azelaic acid with other skincare products, but you gotta be smart about it:
- Don’t use it with other strong exfoliants like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, or benzoyl peroxide at first. Once your skin adjusts after a few weeks, maybe you can use them on alternating nights, but starting everything together is just asking for your face to revolt.
- You can usually use it with a gentle cleanser and moisturizer no problem. Actually, you should be using those because azelaic acid can dry you out.
- Wanna add vitamin c, retinol or prescription acne treatments? Wait until after the purging period’s over. One new ingredient at a time, or you won’t know what’s helping and what’s making it worse.
- Some people can handle using azelaic acid in the morning and a different active ingredient at night, but that’s after their skin’s adjusted. Don’t try that in the first month unless you want a disaster.
Related: Azelaic Acid VS Retinol: Which One Is Right For You?
What Happens After Purging
So you made it through the purging period. What now? Most people see major improvement after about 8-12 weeks of using it consistently.
- Your acne breakouts should be less frequent and less severe.
- Dark spots and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation fade.
- Your skin texture gets smoother.
- Uneven skin tone evens out.
- The anti-inflammatory properties keep working, so even when you do get a pimple, it’s less angry and heals faster.
- The acne-causing bacteria stays under control, so you’re not constantly dealing with new breakouts.
- For some skin conditions like perioral dermatitis or rosacea, azelaic acid becomes a long-term maintenance thing.
You might use it a few times a week forever to keep your skin calm and clear. The key is using it consistently. You can’t use it for three weeks, see results, stop, and expect those results to stick around. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
What Are The Best Skin Care Products With Azelaic Acid Picks
Here are the best azelaic acid products to treat any skin conditions you may have:
- Blemicalm Azelaic Acid 15% Clarifying Serum£26.00): Loaded with 15% Azelaic acid and colloidal oatmeal, it helps treat acne, soothe irritations, and lighten dark spots. Available at Facetheory
- Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster ($36.00): It includes a touch of Salicylic Acid to unclog pores too. Available at Cult Beauty, Paula’s Choice, and SpaceNK
- The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% ($12.20): A simple, no-frills formula that just works without breaking the bank. Available at Beauty Bay, Cult Beauty, The Ordinary, and Ulta
When Azelaic Acid Might Not Be Right For You
Okay so azelaic acid’s pretty chill compared to most actives, but sometimes it just doesn’t work.
- Like maybe you’ve been using it religiously for three months and your skin still looks like crap. Or maybe it’s actually worse now. That really sucks but honestly some people’s skin just doesn’t respond to certain ingredients. It happens.
- Or maybe what’s going on with your skin is bigger than what some cream can fix. If you’ve got an actual condition going on, azelaic acid might help a tiny bit but you probably need to see a dermatology provider and get the real prescription stuff.
- And look, if your skin loses it over basically everything, even the gentle 10% version might be too much. Some people just have really touchy skin and gotta stick with super boring basic products.
- Also if you’re pregnant or nursing, check with your doctor first. Azelaic acid should be fine but better safe than sorry when there’s a baby in the picture.
The Bottom Line
So does azelaic acid cause purging? Yeah it can. But it’s usually not as brutal as other actives and it doesn’t last forever. Maybe 2-6 weeks of extra breakouts, then things calm down and actually get better. If you’re breaking out where you normally break out in those first couple weeks, that’s purging. Push through. But if you’re breaking out in weird new spots, or your face is angry and red, or it’s been two whole months and nothing’s improved? Stop. Your skin hates it. Keep everything else in your routine boring and simple, go slow with the azelaic acid, don’t pick at the breakouts no matter how tempting, and just wait. The temporary acne is annoying but having clearer skin with faded dark spots is worth it. And hey, maybe you won’t even purge. Some lucky people just start seeing results without the ugly phase. If that’s you, awesome. Either way, if you’ve got acne plus dark spots or weird skin tone, azelaic acid’s a pretty good option.
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
