Can you use adapalene with azelaic acid?

Pick an active. See what it goes with, and what to keep apart.

  1. 1Pick
  2. 2Answer
  3. 3Your weeks
Your active: Retinol
Most searched pairs

Retinol + Vitamin CThe answer

  1. ✓Pick
  2. 2Answer
  3. 3Your weeks

See my first weeks
Why

Sources, opened and read

    Retinol + Vitamin CYour first weeks

    1. ✓Pick
    2. ✓Answer
    3. 3Your weeks
    Copy my planCheck my whole routine →
    Your plan is set. Next question:

    Is it working on your skin?

    A plan on paper can’t tell you. MySkincare scans your face in 3 photos and keeps every scan, so you can look back week after week.

    1Today2 3 4 5 

    Every scan stays in your history.

    Start my first scan

    Everything in this tool, in full

    AnswerYes, at different times: azelaic acid in the morning, adapalene at night.

    Adapalene and azelaic acid both treat acne but can both sting while skin adjusts. There is no chemical clash; the question is just how to keep two irritating actives from piling up at once.

    Lab reportAd × Az · reviewed November 8, 2026
    VerdictSplit morning and nightSpace out
    WhyBoth can irritate at first: azelaic acid may burn or sting, and the adapalene label warns irritation is more likely with more than one acne medicine. One in the morning and one at night is gentler.
    MorningAzelaic acid, let it dry SPF 30+
    NightThin layer of adapalene moisturizer without acids
    StartStart adapalene once any azelaic acid stinging has settled.
    Both at onceLayering both can raise redness, itching, dryness or burning. If that happens, use only one for a while.

    What each one does

    Adapalene

    What adapalene does

    A retinoid sold without a prescription for acne (Differin 0.1%). Used once a day; dryness and redness are common at first.

    Usual over-the-counter strength: 0.1%

    Azelaic acid

    What azelaic acid does

    Used for acne, redness and dark spots. It may itch, burn or sting in the first weeks, so people usually start once a day.

    Usual over-the-counter strength: 10%

    Split morning and night

    Both of these can irritate at the start. Azelaic acid may cause burning, stinging or tingling, mostly in the first few weeks; on the 15% gel label it was reported by about 29% of trial users. The over-the-counter adapalene label, for its part, suggests you may want to delay starting adapalene until irritation from other products has gone away.

    Putting one in the morning (azelaic acid, let it dry, then SPF) and one at night (a thin layer of adapalene) keeps the two from stacking on the same skin at the same moment.

    SourcesFDA label (DailyMed): adapalene gel 0.1%, OTC Drug Facts and leaflet (Dec. 2022)FDA label: azelaic acid gel 15% for rosacea (2021)

    What each one does

    Adapalene is the non-prescription retinoid for acne, the first retinoid the FDA cleared over the counter; like other retinoids it is used at night. See the adapalene guide. Azelaic acid unclogs pores, works on acne bacteria, and can fade the dark marks a breakout leaves behind; it also blocks the pigment enzyme tyrosinase, and the FDA has approved a 15% gel for rosacea and a 20% cream for acne. The two aim at overlapping problems rather than clashing.

    SourcesUS FDA news release: adapalene 0.1% gel approved for over-the-counter acne treatmentAmerican Academy of Dermatology: Retinoid or retinol? (updated May 2021)American Academy of Dermatology: Acne diagnosis and treatment (updated June 2024)Petrovici et al., Pharmaceuticals, 2025 (review of azelaic acid)

    What to expect, and when

    Give the pair a couple of months before judging it:

    • Adapalene can make acne look worse before it improves; irritation is most likely in the first weeks and usually eases after about four weeks. Allow up to three months for results.
    • Azelaic acid usually shows some improvement after about a month, with the most benefit after around six months of steady use.
    • If redness, itching, dryness or burning builds up, drop back to one product for a while and keep to a plain moisturizer with no added acids.

    SourcesFDA label (DailyMed): adapalene gel 0.1%, OTC Drug Facts and leaflet (Dec. 2022)DermNet: Azelaic acid (2022)

    MySkincare

    One face scan. Your whole routine, sorted.

    This page answered your question. MySkincare starts from your own skin, and the products you already use.

    1. 1
      Scan your face3 photos: front, left profile, right profile.
    2. 2
      See your skin scoreFree6 zones scored separately: forehead, eye area, T-zone, both cheeks, chin.
    3. 3
      Scan your productsIt reads each ingredient list and says: keep it, watch it or replace it.
    4. 4
      Follow your routineMorning and night, checked so your products work together. With reminders.
    Scan my face
    Free scan: your skin score. Zone by zone: with a plan.
    No account needed · Works in your browser · trymyskincare.app

    Questions people ask

    Can I use adapalene and azelaic acid at the same time?

    You can layer them, but doing so can raise redness, itching, dryness or burning. If that happens, use only one for a while and stick to a plain moisturizer. Many people find it easier to keep azelaic acid to the morning and adapalene to the night.

    SourcesFDA label (DailyMed): adapalene gel 0.1%, OTC Drug Facts and leaflet (Dec. 2022)FDA label: azelaic acid gel 15% for rosacea (2021)

    Which should I start first?

    Start azelaic acid first and add adapalene once any stinging has settled, following the adapalene label's advice to delay it until irritation from other products has gone away.

    SourcesFDA label (DailyMed): adapalene gel 0.1%, OTC Drug Facts and leaflet (Dec. 2022)FDA label: azelaic acid gel 15% for rosacea (2021)

    Is this pair safe during pregnancy?

    Not the adapalene half: the AAD says over-the-counter skincare containing a retinoid like adapalene should not be used during pregnancy. Azelaic acid, on the other hand, is considered acceptable during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

    SourcesAmerican Academy of Dermatology: Dermatologist-approved pregnancy skin care (updated June 2025)Dermatology Times (Sept. 2026) on Kovacs et al., Int J Dermatol, 2026 (news summary only)

    How long until I see results?

    Give it time. Adapalene can take up to three months, and acne may look worse before it gets better. Azelaic acid usually shows some improvement after about a month, with the most benefit after around six months of steady use.

    SourcesFDA label (DailyMed): adapalene gel 0.1%, OTC Drug Facts and leaflet (Dec. 2022)DermNet: Azelaic acid (2022)

    Will it help the marks left after acne?

    Azelaic acid can treat the dark spots that appear once acne clears, and it does this by blocking tyrosinase, an enzyme in pigment production. Adapalene targets the breakouts themselves, so the two cover different parts of the problem.

    SourcesAmerican Academy of Dermatology: Acne diagnosis and treatment (updated June 2024)Petrovici et al., Pharmaceuticals, 2025 (review of azelaic acid)

    Sources

    10 sources · Last reviewed November 8, 2026

    • Evidence for this pair: FDA drug label
    How we check

    American Academy of Dermatologyaad.org

    US Food and Drug Administrationfda.gov

    • FDA label: Finacea (azelaic acid) Gel, 15%

      Azelaic acid may cause itching, burning or stinging early on. 15% gel for the inflammatory papules and pustules of mild to moderate rosacea; not evaluated for redness without them; reassess the diagnosis if no improvement after 12 weeks; burning/stinging/tingling in 29% and itching in 11%, usually in the first few weeks; very mild soap or soapless lotion, pat dry with a soft towel; no occlusive dressings; avoid alcoholic cleansers, astringents, abrasives and peeling agents; stop if sensitivity or severe irritation persists; cosmetics after the gel has dried.

    • US FDA news release: adapalene 0.1% gel approved for over-the-counter acne treatment

      Adapalene 0.1% gel was approved for over-the-counter acne treatment, the first retinoid made available OTC for acne; for ages 12 and up, once daily in a thin layer.

    DailyMed, US National Library of Medicinedailymed.nlm.nih.gov

    • FDA label (DailyMed): Differin Gel, adapalene 0.1%

      Irritation more likely with several acne medicines. Adapalene 0.1% (retinoid) for acne, ages 12 and up; once a day, never more; thin layer over the whole affected area, not a spot treatment; up to 3 months for results, ask a doctor if no improvement after 3 months; irritation most likely in the first weeks and usually improves after about 4 weeks; you may want to delay starting it until irritation from other products has gone away; acne may look worse before it improves; stop and ask a doctor if you become pregnant or plan to.

    DermNetdermnetnz.org

    • Azelaic acid

      Some improvement after one month, maximum results after six months of continuous use.

    Mayo Clinicmayoclinic.org

    Studies and other sources