Question: What is hydroquinone and why is it bad?
Answer:
Hydroquinone is a skin lightener used in many whitening creams and fade treatments. It helps to fade hyperpigmentation, acne marks, sun spots, and other dark marks. It is one of the active ingredients in the popular Obagi skin care line.
The reason hydroquinone gets such a bad reputation is because studies have shown that it has some carcinogenic effects. They have also shown that hydroquinone can cause exogenous ochronosis, which is the bluish and black pigmentation of the skin.
Hydroquinone turns toxic when exposed to sunlight, so if used, it should only be used as a spot treatment (not all over the face) at night.
Because of these associated risks, hydroquinone has been banned in many countries in Europe and Asia. In the US, the FDA revoked its previous approval of hydroquinone over-the-counter products. However, hydroquinone products are still available via prescription.
I would stay away from hydroquinone just because of the safety dangers associated with it. If you are looking for skin lighteners, chemical peels and vitamin C are possible alternatives.
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