Hydroquinone is used to lighten dark spots of skin (also called hyperpigmentation, melasma, "liver spots," "age spots," freckles) caused by pregnancy, birth control pills, hormone medications, or skin damage. Blocks the skin process that causes discoloration.

how to use hydroquinone cream

Follow all directions on the product package, or use as directed by your doctor. Before use, apply a small amount of this medication to an unbroken area of skin and check the area within 24 hours for any serious side effects.

What is hydroquinone?

Hydroquinone is a skin lightening agent. It can bleach the skin, which is helpful in treating different forms of hyperpigmentation.

Historically, there has been some back and forth about the safety of hydroquinone. In 1982, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration deemed the ingredient safe and effective.

Safety concerns prompted retailers to pull hydroquinone off the market a few years later. The FDA continues to find that many problematic products contain contaminants such as mercury. They determined that these pollutants were behind the adverse effects reports.

Read on to learn more about how it works, who might benefit from using it, which products to try, and more.

Hydroquinone bleaches the skin by reducing the number of melanocytes present. Melanocytes produce the pigment melanin, which gives your skin tone.

Which skin conditions can benefit from it?