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Hydroquinone Dangers
A severely toxic and very powerful chemical
Hydroquinone is an ingredient that is found in many skin lighters. There are two common chemicals found in skin lightening products, Hydroquinone or Mercury.
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Hydroquinone (C6H6O2) is a severely toxic and very powerful chemical used in photo processing, the manufacture of rubber and is an active agent in hair dyes. Mercury in the form of Mercury Chloride and Ammoniated Mercury is carcinogenic. They appear on the list of toxic substances that can only be purchased via pharmacies with prescribed labels of toxicity.
Hydroquinone or Mercury applied to the skin will react with ultra violet rays and re-oxidize, leading to more pigmentation and premature ageing. More product is then applied in an attempt to correct the darker blotchy appearance. This leads to a very vicious cycle. By inhibiting the body's natural production of melanin, your skin loses its natural protection from the sun and makes it more susceptible to skin cancer.
Prolonged use of Hydroquinone will thicken collagen fibers damaging the connective tissues. The result is rough blotchy skin leaving it with a spotty darkened appearance. These dangerous products can also thin the skin, leaving it with irreversible stretch marks. A common result of skin bleaching with these dangerous ingredients is a condition called ocronosis in which the pigment drops into the dermis making it almost impossible to remove. Many have reported a blackening of the skin that looks worse than the original brown spots ever did. And sadly, once this damage has been done, it is usually irreversible.
Mercury will slowly accumulate within the skin cells striping the skin of it's natural pigment leaving behind a grayish/blue pigmentation in the folds of the skin. In the long term the chemical will damage vital organs and lead to liver and kidney failure and mercury poisoning.
Hydroquinone has recently been banned from various countries after studies have proven links to hydroquinone and cancer. Studies have shown that hydroquinone can be an irritant in concentrations above 4%. Some scientists have proposed that it can also lower your IQ and your verbal abilities. But despite all of this information that is known about hydroquinone, it is still widely available over the internet, so caution must be used when selecting a skin lightening product. There are many creams that actually work better than those with hydroquinone and mercury, and are natural and safe, and good for your skin.
So after reading all of this alarming stuff, you're probably wondering what's safe to use to fade melasma or lighten brown spots? You should look for products containing Alpha Hydroxic Acids, Arbutin, Azelaic acid, and Vitamin C to name a few.
