Hydroquinone is a common melasma discoloration treatment. Learn how it works and where to buy Hydroquinone 4% cream.
Hydroquinone 4% is the first-line prescription of choice for melasma treatment.
Whether you are just starting to see if Hydroquinone cream is the right choice for your melasma woes, or you already have some and you want to make sure you know what you are dealing with - you came to the right place.
Below, we will cover just what Melasma is, how Hydroquinone can help with this skin condition, how to use hydroquinone, how long it usually takes to work, and where to buy some.
Melasma is a painless but annoying skin condition that causes certain skin cells called Melanocytes to over produce a pigment chemical called Melanin.
This causes your skin to have the appearance of brownish-grey patches that are normally found on the forehead, cheeks, chin, nose, and upper lip (and occasionally on the arms and neck.)
This is generally a condition found in women, with one study finding that only about 10% of the cases of melasma were men.
Melasma is generally caused by sun exposure or hormone fluctuations, as found in pregnancy, birth control pills, or hormone supplementation.
This is why another term for Melasma is the ominous “Mask of Pregnancy” or Chloasma when it occurs in pregnant women.
Up to 50-70% of pregnant women can experience some level of Chloasma during their pregnancy.
It is thought that the hormone Progesterone plays a critical role in the development of this condition.
Also Read: Mask of Pregnancy 101: What To Do When You Have Melasma During Pregnancy
Hydroquinone is a topical medication that is normally produced industrially and has a very similar structure to the precursors of Melanin.
The most common use of Hydroquinone is in skin lightening products, although it can also be used in a technique for developing black and white photos.
And Hydroquinone is the most commonly prescribed depigmenting agent worldwide.
Read Related: What Can Cause Patches of Skin Discoloration?
Hydroquinone directly interferes with the Melanin production of these Melanocyte cells - causing less Melanin to be deposited into the skin and less coloration of the applied areas.
This direct opposition to the presentation of Melasma makes Hydroquinone a popular first-line treatment for the condition.
Apply hydroquinone cream once daily to clean, dry skin, preferably at bedtime, and leave on overnight.
Apply the amount sufficient to lightly cover the areas affected by melasma while avoiding unaffected areas as the cream will cause all skin to lighten.
Read Related: Melasma vs. Hyperpigmentation: Spotting the Difference
Hydroquinone’s lightening effects can generally be seen after 5-7 weeks of treatment.
Once melasma control has been achieved, treatment is generally stopped, as hydroquinone is indicated more for short-term treatment.
For our combination Hydroquinone Strut Melasma Formula, we recommend using it for 2 months and then stopping for at least two weeks, or completely if the condition has been cleared up.
In order to maintain your new even-toned complexion, you need to take extra precautions against sun exposure with sunscreen and hats, otherwise, the condition may return.
You can find weaker formulations of Hydroquinone over the counter (less than 2%).
But, if you are looking for more potent Hydroquinone creams (generally 4%), these must be purchased from a pharmacy or compounding pharmacy with a prescription from a doctor.
Our pharmacist and physician formulated Melasma Formula contains Hydroquinone 4% along with three other melasma fighting ingredients.
Through completing a free online questionnaire-based consultation with our U.S. doctors in under 15 minutes, we can verify if our Melasma Formula is a good fit for you and ship your medication directly to your door.
Also Read: Why Our Melasma Treatment Cream Evens Out Your Skin
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