Why You Should Never Use Hydroquinone

What price would you pay for beauty? Would you put chemicals on your skin that are used to develop X-ray films or used as additives for industrial monomers?

We hope not. Yet, thousands of women with darker complexions do exactly that — many without even realizing it — when they use products containing a chemical called hydroquinone in an attempt to lighten and brighten their skin.

The results aren’t always beautiful. In fact, according to the Food and Drug Administration, and multiple studies, hydroquinone sometimes produces very ugly side effects.

The FDA claims that the chemical has been associated with yellow growths on the skin, discolored spots and a condition known as ochronosis.

Even worse, The Environmental Working Group has classified hydroquinone as a carcinogen, an immunotoxicant as well as a developmental and reproductive toxicant.  

In addition to its possible carcinogenic effects, the chemical bleaches the skin, stripping away naturally protective melanin and making its user more susceptible to skin cancer. In studies, hydroquinone has been shown to contribute to tumor growth in mice.

The health dangers associated with hydroquinone prompted CampaignForSafeCosmetics.org to issue warnings about the use of products containing the chemical and calling it one of the most harmful substances that can be put on the skin.

Hydroquinone has already been banned in Japan, Europe and Australia, yet remains legal — and widely used in skin products in the U.S., especially those marketed to women with brown skin. The FDA did propose a ban on hydroquinone in 2006, but industry lobbying groups successfully blocked the effort.

Today, there are still dozens of products available that contain this harmful chemical. We want you to be aware that it’s out there, and to know the dangers so that you can protect yourself and the people you love.

Always check product labels and ask about the ingredients in any salon treatment before allowing it to be used on your skin. And tell your friends, too … because Hydroquinone just isn’t worth the price.