Hydroquinone is an active beauty element that is no longer strange to many women. Among current skin-lightening ingredients, hydroquinone is relatively effective. However, there are still many questions about the benefits and harms of this active element, and one of them is hyperpigmentation resulting from using hydroquinone. So what are the effects of hydroquinone?
1. What is Hydroquinone ?
Hydroquinone (or quinone for short) is an organic compound that is highly potent to lighten the skin. Hydroquinone compound used for whitening and treating hyperpigmentation.
Recently, hydroquinone has become a focus of attention, and also caused a lot of controversy about its effects in the field of skin care and beauty. Even though there are many compliments about its benefits, there is a lot of negative information about the adverse effects of hydroquinone.
This circumstance makes many women who are passionate about beauty and regularly use skin-care products containing hydroquinone confused. Therefore, to ensure safety and effectiveness totally, we should research carefully before deciding to lighten our skin with hydroquinone.
What is the mechanism of action of hydroquinone? This compound limits and reduces the activity of melanocytes (a type of pigment cells that produce melanin) in the skin. Melanin is the skin pigment that determines each personal skin color. Melanocytes contain the Tyrosinase enzyme - are pigment cells that produce Melanin. Whenever exposed to sunlight, the activation of the Tyrosinase enzyme will create Melanin, leading to melasma, freckle and make skin become dull and worse.
Now, the hydroquinone compound brings effectiveness in the skin. It helps to control and inhibit the proliferation of melanocytes. Furthermore, hydroquinone also improves pigmentation,gets uniform skin’s color, and returns smooth, radiant skin.
The maximum time of using hydroquinone for skin-lightening effect is about 4-6 weeks of continuous use. Therefore, users need to consult with the dermatologist to ensure the highest safety during using this compound.
2. What are the benefits of Hydroquinone?
Although it is still controversial, Hydroquinone is still recognized as an effective melasma treatment ingredient in skin beauty products, especially hyperpigmentation treatment products.
If you need to solve the following problems, hydroquinone is probably the best choice:
• Skin with dark scars left by acne;
• Skin with bruise or dark spots;
• Freckles on the skin;
• Melasma, tan cause the skin to become dull.
Besides brightening the skin and fading dark spots effectively, hydroquinone provides superior anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, this ingredient in beauty products can both clearly reduce acne scars and release inflamed acne or red rashes.
3. Why does Hydroquinone cause hyperpigmentation after using ?
In reality, hyperpigmentation after using Hydroquinone can occur because this compound does not actually remove, it only inhibits the production of melanin in the skin.
When melanocytes die, unavoidably they accumulate on the skin (like any other dead skin cells). However, melanocytes naturally contain more pigment, so their accumulation on the skin's surface can temporarily make the skin look darker and duller than before. Depending on the severity level of the pigmentation spots, hyperpigmentation after using Hydroquinone can last for a period of time (up to several weeks) before users actually realize the improvement in their skin.
Although hyperpigmentation after using Hydroquinone is a normal phenomenon and only appears temporarily, using Hydroquinone compounds incorrectly can cause severe and prolonged melasma, hyperpigmentation status. There are some common reasons for melasma due to prolonged use of hydroquinone:
• Do not use sunscreen: Hydroquinone works by reducing the amount of melanin pigment. This makes the skin become more sensitive to the sun. Therefore, if the skin is not carefully protected with sunscreen having an appropriate SPF index, the use of Hydroquinone can completely darken the skin;
• Using high concentrations of Hydroquinone without a doctor's supervision leads to drug resistance and results in overproduction of melanocytes that can not respond to the drug. So, hyperpigmentation after using Hydroquinone occurs instead of skin-lightening purpose.
• Long-term abuse of Hydroquinone: Treatment duration is considered an important factor. Hydroquinone lightens the most effectively when used in cycles, at least 4-8 weeks per cycle, to give skin cells time to recover and adjust, limiting resistance to the treatment properties of Hydroquinone.
• Using products containing poor quality hydroquinone: This compound goes well when formulated with a good formula, needs to combine with other ingredients that support pigmentation treatment, soothe the skin and reduce irritation.
4. How to use Hydroquinone safely?
To increase skin-lightening effectiveness and minimize adverse problems such as hyperpigmentation after using Hydroquinone. Users can refer to the following steps to use this compound safely:
• Step 1: Skin allergic reaction test of Hydroquinone before use:
Hydroquinone is a compound that has strong effects on the skin, so users need to test the reaction on the treated skin area before applying large amounts of hydroquinone directly.
Users should test the product by applying it to a small area of skin first. By this way, we can easily avoid adverse reactions.
If users feel itchy or have any signs of irritation, they should wash it off and stop using the product immediately.
On the contrary, if users do not see any symptoms of skin irritation, they can be assured to add products containing hydroquinone to their daily skin-care routine.
Step 2: Use hydroquinone according to the procedure
To achieve the best results, users can consider performing a standard skin-care routine with Hydroquinone at night as follows: Use respectively facial cleanser, toner, chemical exfoliator, enhancing essence, Hydroquinone, moisturizer cream.
During the day, whether using hydroquinone supplement products or not, users should still use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an appropriate SPF index, at least 30
5. What are some precautions when using Hydroquinone?
Some notes when using hydroquinone to ensure safety:
• Use sunscreen with appropriate SPF (minimum 30) during the day;
• Avoid exposing your skin to direct sunlight because if you do not protect your skin from the sun, it will increase hyperpigmentation, make the skin darker;
• Avoid applying Hydroquinone around sensitive skin areas such as eyes, nose, mouth because it can cause itching, burning pain or dryness;
• Do not use Hydroquinone on irritated skin;
• Do not use hydroquinone with benzoyl peroxide because it can make skin darken;
• After 3 months of use, if it is not effective, they should consult the dermatologist to adjust hydroquinone concentration;
• Hydroquinone should not be used for more than 5 consecutive months in a treatment cycle;
• If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, you should consult the dermatologist before using beauty products containing hydroquinone.
Hydroquinone is an organic compound that is highly effective in lightening the skin. They make skin whiten and treat hyperpigmentation in the skin. However, if used incorrectly, Hydroquinone compound still can worsen and prolong melasma and hyperpigmentation. Therefore, before using you should read some notes carefully in this article, it is the best way to consult the dermatologist before use.
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