Hydroquinone is a skin lightening agent found in brightening creams. “The EU has banned hydroquinone in concentrations above 1 percent because studies in mice have shown the ingredient to be carcinogenic and contain trace amounts of mercury.
Excessive hydroquinone concentrations may induce toxic or shocking effects on melanocytes, forcing them to regroup and increase their melanin production (resulting in rebound hyperpigmentation). Additionally, high concentrations of hydroquinone may provoke skin inflammation.
How does it work? Hydroquinone bleaches your skin by decreasing the number of melanocytes present. Melanocytes make melanin, which is what produces your skin tone. In cases of hyperpigmentation, more melanin is present due to an increase in melanocyte production.
Hydroquinone does not permanently lighten skin. Still considered the go-to spot lightener in the U.S., many dermatologists recommend hydroquinone to: Treat any type of hyperpigmentation, from the post inflammatory hyperpigmentation left behind after an acne breakout to age and sun spots.
ANSWER: The skin condition melasma can be challenging to get rid of completely, and as a chronic condition, it can come back after treatment. With the treatment you mention, intense-pulsed light or IPL, melasma often reappears quickly.
Hydroquinone may cause local skin irritation, however, and thereby leading to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, making the skin pigmentation worse.
Unless they are issued on prescription by a doctor, creams containing hydroquinone, steroids or mercury are banned in the UK - because of their potentially serious side-effects.
Exposure to sunlight reverses the effects of hydroquinone. Doctors recommend that people who use this product also use a strong sunscreen.
Hydroquinone is also a skin irritant in humans. Chronic (long-term) occupational exposure to hydroquinone dust can result in eye irritation, corneal effects, and impaired vision. No information is available on the reproductive, developmental, or carcinogenic effects of hydroquinone in humans.
Hydroquinone, a tyrosinase inhibitor, in a 4% cream can be used safely twice daily for up to 6 months to treat post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The efficacy of this treatment can be enhanced by using a retinoid nightly and a mid-potent steroid, which is applied twice daily for 2 weeks, then at weekends only.
Hydroquinone is a topical skin-bleaching agent used in the cosmetic treatment of hyperpigmented skin conditions. The effect of skin lightening caused by hydroquinone is reversible when exposed to sunlight and therefore requires regular use until desired results are achieved.
Fluocinolone is a corticosteroid (steroid medicine), hydroquinone is a bleaching agent, and tretinoin is a retinoid (related to vitamin A). This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. This product is available in the following dosage forms: Cream.
In Australia, hydroquinone is available over the counter in pharmacies at concentrations of 2% or less. You have to get it from a pharmacy because it's considered an actual medicine with a clinical effect, so there are special labelling requirements. It must also be registered with the TGA.
Hydroquinone is also effective for evening out the skin tone. It can treat discoloration or dark patches on your forehead or neck, so your skin looks brighter, fairer and blemish-free.
In the U.S., they also are marketed for reducing age spots and blemishes. The reason cited for the proposed ban is that studies in rodents show "some evidence" that hydroquinone may act as a carcinogen or cancer-causing chemical, although its cancer-causing properties have yet to be proved in humans.
The health risks posed by hydroquinone are well known. In fact, it's banned in Japan, the EU, and Australia. But here in the US, it's still available over the counter, and it's on the FDA's list of “generally regarded as safe and effective†(GRASE) ingredients.
“Hydroquinone can remove the top layer of skin, increasing the risk of skin cancer and cause fatal liver and kidney damage,†the LGA found.
Hydroquinone, also known as benzene-1,4-diol or quinol, is an aromatic organic compound that is a type of phenol, a derivative of benzene, having the chemical formula C6H4(OH)2.
Hydroquinone is classified as a drug and is banned for the use in cosmetic products in Europe and in many countries such as Japan, Australia and several African states. Nevertheless, it is still too often found in formulations of depigmenting creams sold online all over the world.
Mercury and hydroquinone, in particular, are possible carcinogens and can cause severe skin issues with prolonged use. Health Canada says the sale of these "unauthorized" products is illegal, as they may pose serious health risks.
Hydroquinone and Tretinoin are not allowed to be part of cosmetic products as these are classified as drug products in the Philippines because of their multiple serious adverse effects, such as sensitivity to light, skin redness and permanent skin discoloration, when used indiscriminately.
Conclusions: In conclusion, this study suggests that 20% azelaic acid cream applied twice daily may be more effective than hydroquinone 4% in reducing mild melasma.
Hydroquinone has also been banned in Australia, Japan, and the European Union because of the risks it poses to human health.
