A clinical overview of azelaic acid.

Azelaic acid (AzA) initially was released in a 20% cream formulation, which has been shown to be effective in the treatment of mild to moderate rosacea. Recently, a 15% gel formulation was developed that vastly improved the delivery of AzA and has been proven by multiple studies to be effective in the treatment of rosacea. We present studies that examine both of these formulations, first in comparison with their vehicles and then in contrast with other well-accepted topical treatments of rosacea, such as metronidazole cream and gel.