SPF 30 or higher, water resistant, and broad-spectrum. The American Academy of Dermatology adds that a tinted sunscreen with iron oxide also helps protect against dark spots.

What to look for

AAD dermatologists recommend a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher that is water resistant and gives broad-spectrum coverage against UVA and UVB rays.

Why tinted can help

A tinted sunscreen with iron oxide also protects skin from visible light, which helps prevent dark spots.

When to stop

Stop a product and see a board-certified dermatologist if you get burning, swelling, blistering, hives, or symptoms that get worse. Get urgent help for trouble breathing or swelling of the face or lips.

Source

Reviewed September 23, 2026. General education, not diagnosis or personal medical advice.

What Is Azelaic Acid, and Is 10% Enough When 15% Needs a Prescription?

November 7, 2026

Azelaic acid comes in 10% over the counter and 15% and 20% by prescription. The percentages are not a ladder, and the higher strengths are for different conditions, not just stronger acne.

Azelaic acid is the quiet one in the skincare aisle. It does not have retinol's reputation or vitamin C's marketing, but dermatologists have prescribed it for decades, and the 10% versions on drugstore shelves have made it the ingredient people reach for when everything else irritates their skin.

The confusion is the percentages. Over-the-counter products are usually 10%, prescription gels are 15%, and prescription creams are 20%. That looks like a ladder, and shoppers assume 20% is twice as good as 10%. It is not a ladder. The strengths are for different conditions, and the 10% version does most of what most people buy it for.

What it does

Azelaic acid is a dicarboxylic acid that occurs naturally in grains, and it works three ways at once. It is antibacterial against the bacteria involved in acne, it normalizes cell turnover so pores clog less, and it inhibits tyrosinase, the enzyme that makes melanin, which is why it helps with post-inflammatory marks and melasma.

The pigment effect is the one people underestimate. Unlike hydroquinone, which lightens broadly, azelaic acid acts more strongly on overactive melanocytes, the cells producing excess pigment, which is why dermatologists use it for melasma and for the dark marks acne leaves behind, especially on deeper skin tones where those marks last longest.

10% versus 15% versus 20%

The 10% over-the-counter versions are cosmetic products, and they are enough for mild acne, general redness, and fading post-inflammatory marks over eight to twelve weeks. They are also the gentlest way in, with the least stinging and the lowest chance of irritation.

The 15% gel is the prescription strength studied for rosacea, and the 20% cream is the prescription strength studied for acne. The jump from 10% to 15% is not about more of the same effect; it is about a formulation and a concentration that were tested for a specific diagnosis, with the irritation and the monitoring that come with a prescription product.

How to use it

Apply it once or twice a day on clean skin, before moisturizer, and expect mild stinging for the first week. That stinging usually fades, and it is not a sign the product is too strong, unless it persists or the skin turns red and flaky.

Do not stack it with a strong exfoliant on the same night in the first month. Azelaic acid is gentle as actives go, but a retinoid plus an acid plus azelaic acid is still three actives, and the skin does not care that one of them is mild. Give it eight to twelve weeks before judging the pigment effect, because melanin fades slowly and the change is gradual.

Frequently asked questions

What does azelaic acid do?

It is antibacterial against acne bacteria, it normalizes cell turnover so pores clog less, and it inhibits tyrosinase, the enzyme that makes melanin, which helps with post-inflammatory marks and melasma. It is the pigment effect that most people underestimate.

Is 10% azelaic acid enough, or do I need 15%?

For mild acne, redness, and fading dark marks, 10% is usually enough over eight to twelve weeks. The 15% gel is the prescription strength studied for rosacea, and the 20% cream is the prescription strength studied for acne, so the higher strengths are for specific diagnoses, not just stronger versions.

Does azelaic acid help with dark marks after acne?

Yes, and it is particularly useful on deeper skin tones, where post-inflammatory marks last longest. It acts more strongly on overactive melanocytes, so it targets the excess pigment rather than lightening the skin broadly.

Will azelaic acid sting?

Mild stinging in the first week is common and usually fades. If it persists, or the skin turns red and flaky, drop to once a day or pause and restart more slowly. Do not stack it with a strong exfoliant on the same night in the first month.

What SPF should you use every day?