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Hydroquinone is the active ingredient in over-the-counter and prescription bleaching creams. It has been used to treat many conditions that cause skin discolorations, including acne scars. While it is an effective treatment for hyperpigmentation and acne scars, hydroquinone has been linked to serious side effects, including an increased risk of cancer.

Is Hydroquinone Used to Treat Acne?

Hydroquinone treatments are not used for active acne lesions, but rather for the discoloration that can occur during and after the healing process. The areas where hydroquinone acne scars can be treated are usually dark pink or brown, and are known as post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The inflammation that results in acne also causes the body to produce too much melanin, which is skin pigment. The excess melanin will darken the spot where the pimple was previously located, and remains long after the acne has faded.

Acne scars are likely to be caused by picking or popping pimples. In order to be treatable with hydroquinone cream, acne scars should not be raised above the level of surrounding skin. Raised scarring could indicate that there is still an active pimple, or lower than the level of surrounding skin. Without the use of hydroquinone acne treatments the discoloration can last anywhere from a few months to two years or more. However, unless they are true scars, they will fade eventually without hydroquinone acne scars treatments.

What is Bleaching Cream Used For?

In addition to its use in treating hydroquinone acne scars, bleaching cream can be used to treat any other kind of hyperpigmentation. These can include minor blemishes like:

• Freckles
• Age spots
• Melasma

Melasma mostly affects pregnant women. It is characterized by dark blotches around the mouth and up to the forehead. Similarly to hydroquinone treatable acne scars, the melanin which causes other forms of hyperpigmentation can also be negated with bleaching cream.

If you were using bleaching creams to reduce the visibility of skin discoloration caused by acne scars or another condition and have suffered any severe side effects, you should consider speaking to a hydroquinone attorney. Contact us for information.