Azelaic acid helps fight skin pigmentation in 2 different ways:
1. As an anti-inflammatory ingredient
Inflammation is the root cause of pigmentation. When the skin gets inflammed, it starts producing more melanin.
Melanin is a pigment in the skin. It protects the skin from inflammation. When skin is inflammed, it produces more melanin as a defence mechanism because melanin can protect it.
However, the problem is that some of the melanin produced is excess.
Once a certain amount of melanin has been produced in the skin, any additional melanin produced cannot offer further protection. It simply accumulates in the skin and does not offer any extra benefits.
The skin is unaware that excess melanin offers no benefits, so it continues producing melanin as long as the skin is inflammed.
Melanin is dark in colour. Excess melanin imparts its colour to the skin. The excess melanin is usually in lumps / concentrated amounts. These lumps give an intense colour to the part of the skin where the melanin is. This part of the skin, which has a darker colour than the rest, is hyperpigmentation.
Azelaic acid helps reduce skin inflammation. As the inflammation subsides, the overproduction of melanin, which is the root cause of hyperpigmentation, is also controlled, leading to a more balanced and healthier complexion.
The inflammation we discuss here is not from severe cuts, bruises, or burns.
The inflammation we discuss here occurs daily, mainly from the Sun’s UV rays, environmental irritants, and some minor rough skin experiences.
This kind of inflammation is not always visible. Skin is inflammed almost daily—some are visible, and most are not. Hence, regularly including ingredients like azelaic acid in skin care routines keeps this inflammation in check.
2. As a tyrosinase inhibitor
Tyrosinase is an enzyme found in the skin. This enzyme helps produce melanin, which cannot be made without its help.
When skin gets inflammed, this enzyme gets hyper and starts overworking, producing excess melanin.
Excess melanin, as we learned in the previous paragraph, is useless to the skin. The only thing it does is cause hyperpigmentation.
Azelaic acid reduces melanin production by inhibiting the activity of the tyrosinase enzyme.
When excess melanin production is reduced or completely stopped, it leads to a decrease or absence of hyperpigmentation.
Are we reducing the melanin needed to protect the skin by inhibiting the tyrosinase enzyme through azelaic acid? Since melanin protects the skin, aren’t we reducing its protection?
No!
Melanin can offer protective services only up to a certain amount; after that, all melanin is excess. When skin is inflammed, a lot of the melanin it produces because of the hyperactivity of tyrosinase is excess.
By using tyrosinase inhibitors, we are not reducing melanin production. We are only trying to reduce EXCESS melanin production, which is the problem.
Concentration of azelaic acid
Azelaic acid addresses pigmentation only if used at high concentrations, around 15 and 20%. At this high concentration, in many countries, it can only be purchased with a prescription.
Studies show that if used at 20%, it is as effective for pigmentation as 4% hydroquinone. Hydroquinone is the gold standard in treating pigmentation. However, the drawback of hydroquinone is its side effects. 4% hydroquinone will have many side effects on the skin.
Azelaic acid and acne
Azelaic acid helps address post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Hyperpigmentation caused by inflammation usually becomes visible after the inflammation has died down, hence the name post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Acne and other skin breakouts can also cause post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Azelaic acid helps reduce this hyperpigmentation by addressing the inflammation and interfering with the tyrosinase enzyme (as explained in the first 2 sections of this post).
Azelaic acid and 2 Pathways
Azelaic acid addresses pigmentation by targeting two pathways of pigmentation.
One is by attacking inflammation, which leads to pigmentation. The second is by attacking pigment production.
Azelaic acid addresses pigmentation through two distinct pathways, making it a good ingredient for combating pigmentation.
The best way to reduce pigmentation is to use ingredients that address the multiple pathways of causes of pigmentation.
An important reminder that one ingredient cannot address pigmentation. We must use more than one pigment-addressing ingredient to tackle pigmentation issues.
