Is hydroquinone/hydroquinone cream safe or not?

In America, hydroquinone cream is one of the most used active ingredients in skin care, yet people continue to argue about its safety and side effects. You may have heard of hydroquinone in skin lightening creams, especially those aimed at removing age spots. You may have purchased these types of creams when you were in the US. Pigmentation spots on the face or body can be very disfiguring. Many people want to remove them and one of the simplest and most inexpensive ways to do this is by using a bleaching product. The most effective skin bleaching agent is hydroquinone. Fine, you might say — but not if you live outside the US. Hydroquinone is banned for cosmetic use in Europe (and for good reason). Similar bans also apply in Japan, Australia and South Africa. In the Netherlands, you can only obtain Hydroquinone through a doctor who will prescribe it to you. This is often done in combination with the Obagi Nu-derm system.

Hydroquinone cream in the US

The use of hydroquinone is also not without controversy in the US. Following a large number of dermatological studies, the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) reviewed the use of hydroquinone in 2006 and decided to potentially ban the product for use in over-the-counter medicines. Ordering Hydroquinone cream on the Internet or buying it over the counter is no longer possible.

How does hydroquinone cream work?

Hydroquinone, a type of phenol (a carbolic acid) and has a white solid form. It has antibacterial properties when applied topically, as well as the ability to lighten the skin. Hydroquinone is blended into prescription creams of various strengths (up to 4% hydroquinone) and freely available (up to 2% hydroquinone). Creams that contain hydroquinone, applied to the skin, suppress the production of melanin — the pigment that gives the skin its tan.

The safety of hydroquinone

Based on the responses of authorities in Europe and other countries, you can expect hydroquinone to have a number of fairly serious side effects. But what are the real risks of using hydroquinone? Hydroquinone and Cancer One of the most worrying risks of hydroquinone use is the possible link between hydroquinone and skin cancer. It was mainly this link that led many people to hesitate about buying a hydroquinone-based cream. The FDA's proposed ban was based on studies showing that there is evidence that hydroquinone can cause cancer in rats. However, there is no evidence that hydroquinone causes cancer in humans. One of the studies that concerned the FDA was a 2005 Japanese study in which rats were given high doses of hydroquinone in their food for two years. The result was that the rats developed cancer of the liver and kidneys. However, locally applied agents are slowly absorbed through the skin. The question is therefore whether the link between human cancer and locally applied hydroquinone cream is real. Hydroquinone and ochronosis (pigmentation) The use of hydroquinone has also been linked to a condition called ochronosis, which is the accumulation of dark pigment in connective tissue. The symptoms of the affected skin are disfiguring dark gray and yellowish patches. The link between hydroquinone and ochronosis was first observed in South Africa. Cases of ochronosis as a result of hydroquinone use are also known in the US and other countries where hydroquinone is allowed.

Is hydroquinone cream safe or not?

While the debate still rages, it appears that for certain skin types, hydroquinone use may be associated with skin damage (ochronosis). This type of side effects seems to occur primarily when skin lightening cream containing hydroquinone in high concentrations is used over a long period of time. However, this is not always the case! There are a number of studies that show that there is already a risk of damage with short-term use with unprotected sun exposure. If you have a dark skin type with a high chance of forming pigment spots, then you should be very cautious. The short term results are often great (and many of your pigmentation spots disappear) but in the longer term, the pigment spots often come back much stronger. Using hydroquinone against age spots is easier. For white skin types, where there is no hyperpigmentation other than aging, hydroquinone creams are likely to be a safe and effective treatment to reduce or eliminate age spots. Hydroquinone for age spots is intended to be applied for a short period of time until hyperpigmentation has faded. If you stick to this, the risk of side effects and problems is small. Whichever skin type you have, you should limit sun exposure during this time and use a high-factor sunscreen on the treated areas.