Hydroquinone is a chemical substance of white, less often light gray or yellow color. The component is distinguished by its whitening effect. Its whitening effect on the skin is due to a blockage of tyrosinase. The latter is an enzyme through which melanin penetrates and stains skin cells.
It is essential to understand that hydroquinone does not remove the coloring pigment but can limit its synthesis and activity, preventing the formation of spots and even lightening them.
Remedies such as Vaniqa cream generic are considered very effective in the fight against pigmentation. The first noticeable results appear in 2 to 2.5 weeks after the start of use.
Indications and contraindications
The main indications for the use of cosmetic products are:
- Pigment spots;
- Freckles;
- Melanoderma (excessive deposition of pigment dye in the skin).
Contraindications to the use of cosmetic products are:
- Individual intolerance;
- Skin diseases (dermatitis, eczema, etc.);
- High skin sensitivity;
- Dehydrated and sensitive skin;
- Oncological diseases;
- Skin lesions on the treated area (scratches, etc.).
Precautions
If you decide to buy 4 hydroquinone cream, you must strictly observe the following precautions:
- Be attentive to the contraindications, do not ignore them.
- Test the creams you want to use. To do this, apply a little product to the inside of your elbow. After a day, look at the treated area: if there are no signs of irritation, use the product. If not, do not use the cream under test.
- Only use the product for the recommended course. Continuous ingestion of a toxic substance increases the risk of side effects.
- Avoid getting it in your eyes. The substance can cause eye pigmentation and corneal damage.
- Do not use it before going outdoors. The substance makes the skin more vulnerable to UV rays, worsening the damaging effects of the sun’s rays. It is ideal to use in the evening (even if it says “daytime” on the package).
- Apply Tri luma cream Amazon and other creams exclusively to areas with age spots.
- Watch how much you apply. The cream is aggressive to the skin, so a thin layer is sufficient for the desired effect.
- Cleanse your skin with gel or foam before using. Be sure to wait until the treated area is arid. In the morning, after use, wash your face (or other part of the body) thoroughly to remove any remaining cream.
Research and Side Effects
Hydroquinone is not a harmless ingredient. It has side effects, the most obvious of which is ochronosis. Instead of lightening the skin, on the contrary, it darkens. Sometimes it even shows up on the cartilage, such as the ears. Their skin is thin, and the yellowing of the cartilage is particularly visible.
There was also an experiment on rats. The drug caused benign growths in the kidneys and liver – it transforms into these very organs. But there is no reliable data on the connection with cancerous tumors. In 2006, a review was published stating that use at a standard concentration of 2-4% would not lead to skin malignancies. Another article said the drug played a role in developing mutations in the p53 gene, which protects the body from tumors.
In 2008, the FDA deemed the data from a 2006 review and an experiment on rats insufficient. As a result, it categorized hydroquinone as a drug with questionable effects.
Conclusions
Will hydroquinone stop being used in cosmetics? Not likely. They may be until a comparative analysis comes out that will determine the harm/benefit ratio.
So the motto for the use of this drug is moderation and caution. Service is acceptable in 2 to 4% concentrations in a skin-bleaching product. The optimal course is at most 4 weeks and can be repeated no more often than in a month.