Hydroquinone

1 medicine

Hydroquinone is a topical skin-lightening treatment for melasma and dark spots; used at high strength or for long periods, it can cause ochronosis, a blue-black skin darkening that may be permanent.

Hydroquinone Cream

Hydroquinone

4%

Hydroquinone Cream is a skin care medication containing Hydroquinone, available as 4% tubes.

from $17.14 / tube View

Key facts

  • Hydroquinone is a topical cream or gel that fades melasma, age spots, and other dark patches by slowing melanin production.
  • Applied once or twice daily to the affected area only; visible fading takes 4 to 8 weeks.
  • Long-term or high-strength use can cause ochronosis, a blue-black darkening of the skin that can be permanent. Use is usually limited to a set course, then a break.
  • Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen is essential; sun exposure both worsens pigmentation and undoes treatment.

What hydroquinone treats

Hydroquinone treats melasma, the brown facial patches linked to hormones and sun exposure, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation left after acne or skin injury, and solar lentigines (age or sun spots). It's applied only to the darkened areas, not the whole face.

How hydroquinone works

Hydroquinone inhibits tyrosinase, the enzyme melanocytes use to build melanin. With less new pigment produced, existing dark patches fade gradually as skin cells turn over. The effect reverses if you stop; melanin production returns to normal over time.

Before you take it

  • Do a patch test before your first full application to check for irritation.
  • Avoid applying to broken, sunburned, or eczema-affected skin, and avoid the eyes, lips, and mucous membranes.
  • Tell your prescriber if you are pregnant or breastfeeding; evidence on skin absorption during pregnancy is limited.
  • Do not combine with other bleaching or strongly exfoliating products (retinoids, alpha-hydroxy acids) without medical advice, since irritation compounds.

Side effects

Common effects include mild redness, dryness, stinging, and itching at the application site, usually settling with continued use.

Stop and seek urgent medical care for any of these:

  • Blue-black or gray-brown darkening of the treated skin (ochronosis).
  • Severe burning, blistering, or ulceration.
  • Hives, facial swelling, or difficulty breathing (allergic reaction).

Safety essentials

  • Ochronosis is the defining risk of prolonged or high-strength use: use the lowest effective strength for the shortest course your prescriber recommends, and stop if the skin starts to darken rather than lighten.
  • Sunscreen is not optional. UV exposure worsens the pigmentation you're treating and increases irritation from the cream itself.
  • Do not use on large areas of the body or for extended periods without follow-up, and buy only from a licensed pharmacy, since unregulated high-strength products carry the highest ochronosis risk.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.