The Rise of Hydroquinone
Modern Approaches
Hyperpigmentation
poisonous , and many produced rapid desquamation of the epidermis . Blisters were a complication . It was noted that hyperemia following these treatments caused post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation .” 2 Ammoniated mercury cream proved to be successful at lightening and exfoliating the skin , but not without irritation and toxicity . “ Hypochlorite bleach , salicylic acid , and ascorbic acid , both topical and systemic , were used with minimal or no efficacy .” 2
In the 1930s , a group of workers in a leather tanning factory exhibited total loss of pigmentation from their hands and forearms which was a result of protective rubber gloves that contained agerite alba , which is also known as monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone ( MBEH ). “ Many of the affected workers noted repigmentation of their hands and arms after discontinuing the use of the rubber gloves . There were no deleterious health effects noted in the affected workers .” 2 However , within a few years , reports cited permanent and disfiguring cases of hypopigmentation , the visible result of the loss of epidermal melanin .
The Rise of Hydroquinone
By the 1940s , numerous clinical studies were being conducted on hydroquinone as we know it today and its skin-lightening effects . Hydroquinone is a controversial skin-bleaching agent that also inhibits tyrosinase enzyme activity , minimizing pigment production by the melanocyte . Hydroquinone proved to be highly effective at treating hyperpigmentation including melasma . However , once treatment was stopped , the pigment returned . It has also been well documented that hydroquinone use , especially in higher concentrations ( above 5 %), produces side effects including skin dryness , irritation , itching , redness , erythema , dermatitis , allergic reaction , and photosensitivity . The effects of hydroquinone are also reversed when the skin is exposed to sunlight .
Hydroquinone has also proven to be cytotoxic to fibroblasts and melanocytes , capable of inducing apoptosis and generating an inflammatory cascade . Remember that inflammation is the second step in the pigment formation process , leading to increased tyrosinase and melanocyte activity . Being an inflammatory agent , there is also the potential for rebound hyperpigmentation with the use of hydroquinone , where the pigmentation may come back worse than before treatment . Hydroquinone intolerance is possible as well . Improper or long-term use and abrupt discontinuation of hydroquinone use can also induce rebound hyperpigmentation and ochronosis , a rare disease characterized by irreversible thickening and blue-black discoloration of the skin in large patches .
Modern Approaches
For decades , hydroquinone has been a go-to choice among many providers for the treatment of hyperpigmentation . However , with today ’ s consumers becoming much more skin-savvy and health-conscious , they are beginning to search for more natural solutions with little to no downtime or negative
30 iS Skin Source