Table of contents:
- What is hydroquinone?
- How does hydroquinone work on the skin?
- Explore the controversy surrounding the safety of hydroquinone
Facial creams containing hydroquinone have been the favorite facial care products for many women over the past few years. He claims, this face cream is able to whiten and brighten skin tone, disguise brown spots on the face, age spots, chloasma, and remove acne scars. But, is it true that this cream is harmful to the skin, as the mass media always say? Check out the full explanation here.
What is hydroquinone?
Hydroquinone is a skin whitening agent. Until recently, hydroquinone was still the most effective topical active ingredient in skin whitening. However, in the US, according to FDA statistics, the number of products containing hydroquinone has decreased from 206 (in 1993) to 151 (in 2007) and in 2009 there were only 32 products left.
How does hydroquinone work on the skin?
The way hydroquinone works is to prevent skin pigmentation.
Melanocytes are the pigmented cells (called melanin) in the outermost layer of the skin (epidermis). There are many longitudinal tufts reaching the upper epidermal cell layer to transport the melanin sacs up there.
Melanin plays a role in protecting the skin from the effects of ultraviolet radiation. This is why after being exposed to the sun, your skin will become darker. White people tend not to have melanin sacs when exposed to sunlight. If you are exposed to sunlight for a long time without protection from this "guard" melanin, you will be very susceptible to skin cancer. Melanin is only formed when an enzyme called tyrosinase is present. Hydroquinone is an enzyme inhibitor.
No tyrosinase, no melanin. The absence of melanin will make your skin lighter. This causes the skin to no longer be protected by its natural mechanisms. However, this is not the real reason why hydroquinone is becoming less popular in whitening products.
Explore the controversy surrounding the safety of hydroquinone
According to the FDA in 1982, hydroquinone levels below 2% are considered safe. However, in 2006, the FDA withdrew its statement regarding the safety of hydroquinone after several studies showed that it worked through the skin and caused liver and kidney disease in lab rats. However, to date, no studies have confirmed that hydroquinone is capable of causing pathological changes in humans. So, there is no official conclusion from the FDA. We only know that hydroquinone is still approved for use in over-the-counter products and is the only FDA-approved active ingredient in treating hypertonic disorders.
In 2006, the American Academy of Dermatology recommended that 4% hydroquinone used under medical supervision be safe and effective in treating hyperpigmentation disorders. According to a recent 2014 report from the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), the permissible safety level of hydroquinone in cosmetics is 1% or less. However, we cannot use it continuously for a long time. According to this report, even in such concentrations and uses, hydroquinone is only safe for use in short-term cosmetic products. In addition, hydroquinone is still considered safe in nail care products.
Hopefully this article has given you some insight into hydroquinone, which is an effective bleaching agent but also has a lot of debate about its safety.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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