Is It Safe To Use Hydroquinone For Hyperpigmentation Treatment

Many dermatologists use hydroquinone to treat hyperpigmentation as it is effective. Yet it raises some questions. Although it is a favorite choice in dermatological industry, but developed nations like United Kingdom, France, Japan, South Africa have banned its usage in skin care products. This restriction is based on the concerns that hydroquinone is linked to cancer and ochronosis.

So, should you use hydroquinone?

Why is hydroquinone effective against hyperpigmentation? It inhibits the activity of tyrosinase, an enzyme that controls the production of melanin and increases the cytotoxicity of melanocytes, the melanin producing cells. Thatis why it works very well if you have hyperpigmentation.

If you are thinking of using hydroquinone, you can get it over-the-counter that has a concentration of no more than 2%. For anything higher than 4%, you need a prescription.

It is important to check the packaging. It must be packaged in an air-tight, opaque tube or bottle. This is to prevent oxidation when hydroquinone is exposed to light and air. Once oxidized, it is no longer effective. You can tell by its color turning brown.

There are controversies that hydroquinone can cause cancer. Scientific studies have discovered that hydroquinone can cause cancer in rats. But this only happens when the scientists inject the rats with high dosages of hydroquinone. So, this is not applicable to humans. Mainly because you only use low concentration on certain areas of your skin.

According to Dr Levitt's remark on the safety of hydroquinone, "while with hydroquinone use, murine (mouse) hepatic adenomas (benign liver tumors) increased, murine hepatocellular carcinomas (cancerous liver tumors) decreased." This means that hydroquinone may offer a counter-effect on cancer.

Dr. Goldberg, a clinical professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine says hydroquinone is safe to use. In a 2007 issue of Elle magazine, he made a remark “Over 100 scientific articles confirm it is a safe topical for humans; no independent studies prove the opposite.”

So what about ochronosis?

Ochronosis is a condition where the skin turns bluish black. It is the result of an accumulation of tyrosine or phenylalanine. Although it usually affects people with black skin, but Hispanics and Caucasians are not excluded. But, its occurrence is low. Dr Levitt said, “a literature review of exogenous ochronosis and clinical studies employing hydroquinone (involving over 10,000 exposures under careful clinical supervision) reveal an incidence of exogenous ochronosis in the United States of 22 cases in more than 50 years”.

It is not clear why this occurs but one explanation could be the application of the combination of hydroquinone, resorcinol, and long hours of sun exposure. Hydroquinone can make your skin thinner, making it more sensitive to the sun. As your skin is exposed to the sun, it will  produce more melanin, which counteracts, in part, the efficacy of hydroquinone. So when you use hydroquinone, make sure you wear sunscreen.

Hydroquinone can treat hyperpigmentation effectively. The risk of developing cancer is low but you should ask yourself if it is worth it. If your skin is dark, you are more susceptible developing ochronosis. So you should ask a dermatologist before using hydroquinone. Do not use it for more than 4 months. Take a break for another 4 months before resuming the treatment.

If you want an alternative to hydroquinone, check out this post.