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In this post I’ll share how to get prescription azelaic acid gel, such as Finacea gel, online in the UK.
I will share both how I get my azelaic acid prescription, and how I’ve successfully recommended to friends to get azelaic acid cream online without seeing a doctor.
How to get prescription azelaic acid from an online pharmacy
Using an online pharmacy is one of the easiest routes to get prescription azelaic acid online.
These days, most online pharmacies sell prescription medicines to everyday people without seeing your healthcare provider.
You will usually have to complete an online consultation to get topical medication like prescription azelaic acid gel.
Some online consultations will require you to upload photos, and others will just be a form that includes your important information.
The forms are so that the medical provider can ensure you:
- Are not dealing with any other skin disease that clashes with the Finacea gel
- Make sure you’re not taking any unneeded medications or contraindicating medications
- Don’t need urgent medical help
- Ensure the azelaic acid use is appropriate and the medication actually suits the skin conditions you have
Some examples of online pharmacies that sell prescription strength azelaic are: Chemist4U, PharmacyOnline and Farmeci.
It is usually more expensive to get it from an online pharmacy – between £20-30 vs the £9 or so when you request it from the GP.
How to ask GP for prescription azelaic acid
In the UK you can ask your GP for any prescribed treatment you like – but they are not obliged to prescribe it for you, if they don’t think you’re suitable.
Most UK health care providers let you send prescription requests via email. Alternatively you can request a telephone appointment and request the use of azelaic acid.
In my experience, most GPs want to know if there’s any specific topical treatment you are hoping to get.
Once you’ve had the prescription once, you can then request a repeat prescription in your NHS app.
How to ask your doctor for a prescription
This is an example script for how to ask a doctor for a prescription you’d like to try:
Hi there,
I am currently dealing with some mild acne and I would like to try a prescription azelaic acid gel, such as Finacea or Skinoren
I am hoping it will calm my skin down a little and help me manage my acne
Thank you
I know this sounds super simple, but you wouldn’t believe how many people ask me how to ask their doctor for this!
The doctor wants to know if you have something in mind – they want to help you, even if it doesn’t feel that way sometimes. Worst case scenario they’ll just say no.
However, it’s unlikely because azelaic acid is pretty difficult to use wrong and cause much damage.
If you get prescription strength azelaic acid from your GP, it will cost you the standard prescription price of £9 or so (unless you don’t pay for your prescriptions).
How long to use azelaic acid for acne
If you are successful and get your hands on prescription azelaic acid, you might wonder how many weeks of treatment it takes to see results.
How long to use azelaic acid for acne depends on several factors:
- How severe the skin concerns are
- What you’re using it for
- What your other treatment options are
- If you deal with any of the potential side effects
To be super honest, the usual ‘treatment plan’ is to use azelaic acid indefinitely, just like you would any other skin care products.
Azelaic acid is great because it is usually gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin types, and there are no downsides to using it… forever!
Most other acne treatments need to be discontinued if you get pregnant, for example, but azelaic acid is pregnancy safe.
If you find azelaic acid works well for you, in most cases your skin will go back to how it was when you stop using azelaic acid. You need to keep using it to maintain the results.
How do azelaic acid products work?
Azelaic acid, particularly prescription strength azelaic acid, can be really effective for so many skin concerns:
- Soothe skin irritation (azelaic acid is anti inflammatory)
- Reduce skin redness
- It is a great rosacea treatment
- It is a tyrosinase inhibitor, so it prevents dark marks from forming and can even your overall skin tone
- Many people report a brighter complexion overall
Azelaic acid foam, gel and cream all have the same active ingredients, so work the same way.
They inhibit the growth of bacteria (C acnes – the main bacteria involved in acne), prevent pigment formation and also reduce inflammation in the skin.
Prescription products like Finacea gel and Skinoren also contain naturally occurring dicarboxylic acids (azelaic acid), which are very gentle exfoliants.
They are so gentle, however, that I personally don’t consider them exfoliating in my routine – they are not like salicylic acid or glycolic acid.
Because of their exfoliant nature, they are keratolytic and comedolytic (almost the same thing). Meaning, after the production of keratin in the skin, they regulate the stickiness of your skin cells and sebum, preventing clogged pores.
Most common side effects of azelaic acid
Finacea side effects and Skinoren side effects are all the same as non prescription azelaic acid products.
The most popular possible side effects include tingling and itching. Even healthy skin can have this reaction, and it isn’t concerning.
Usually the itching goes away with continued use of the azelaic acid.
However, if your face begins to swell or feel very uncomfortable and hot, that sounds more like allergic reactions and I recommend washing it off. Then seek medical attention!
The second most common side effect of topical gel azelaic acid is dry skin.
This is the only downside for me, but I use it every other night and my skin stays perfectly hydrated this way.
You might have to experiment to find a good balance in your routine, for best results I think you should use it at least 3x a week.
Best non prescription azelaic acid
I’ll be doing a full post on the best non prescription azelaic acid products soon, so watch out for that.
For now, I’ll just link a few I like:
- Dermatica Clarifying Azelaic Acid 15% Cream
- Anua Azelaic Acid 10 Hyaluron Redness Soothing Serum
- THERAMID AZID 15% Azelaic Acid Treatment
- INKEY List Azelaic Acid 10% Serum
Is prescription azelaic acid better?
Generally speaking, there is evidence to show 15% or more is the most effective strength of azelaic acid.
However, lots of non-prescription azelaic products are 15%, so you don’t need a prescription to get that strength. Also, just 15% has the most evidence but it doesn’t mean 10% is ineffective – thousands of people love the Inkey List’s 10% serum!
I like using my Finacea prescription because it is less likely to be reformulated or suddenly discontinued.
Yes it is more annoying to get it from my GP than a shop, but the tubes last up to 12 months so it’s not a big inconvenience.
Is azelaic acid an alternative to retinol?
Lots of people wonder if azelaic acid an alternative to retinol.
For me the answer is an easy no – it doesn’t work like retinol at all, and it is not comparable.
I find them very complimentary, but they don’t yield similar results and work totally differently from eachother.
Azelaic acid is a great alternative to vitamin C, though, because it is also an antioxidant.
This was How to Get Prescription Azelaic Acid or Finacea Gel Online. You may also like:
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- Retinol vs Retinoid: the Best Retinoids for Clogged Pores
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