Treatment of hyperpigmentation
Some people would like to know what are the ideal techniques to cure hyperpigmentation. Out of all the many remedies that are available, applying a topical product featuring hydroquinone is definitely the most commonly used. Clinical tests have proven hydroquinone's efficacy as a hyperpigmentation treatment for decades.
Hydroquinone is an ingredient that is frequently employed to relieve many different types of hyperpigmentation, like melasma, freckles, and acne marks. It lightens skin tone by inhibiting tyrosinase, the key enzyme responsible for creation of melanin, the pigment that causes darker skin. Since it only blocks new melanin from being generated, and doesn't remove already present melanin from the skin cells, it might take several weeks of use for old skin cells containing existing melanin to be eliminated and for improvements to be visible.
Hydroquinone is commonly found in over-the-counter skin products having a concentration of 2% or below. For example, most OTC brightening products include hydroquinone as their essential active ingredient. For this reason, it is easy for anyone with hyperpigmentation to try applying low dose hydroquinone to find out if it's going to help them. In case a low concentration product is not effective, hydroquinone can be found in higher levels of 4% or greater by a doctor's medical prescription only, with brand names including Lustra and Tri-Luma.
Even though many people tolerate hydroquinone without a problem, it is often recommended that you conduct a spot trial before applying a new remedy widely, to be sure that it doesn't cause an allergy, sensitivity, or redness. Additionally, exercise caution should you be adding hydroquinone into a skin care program that currently uses other strong materials, since the combined result is possibly irritating or even more serious. In particular, steer clear of peroxide solutions, for instance benzoyl peroxide, when using hydroquinone, since the combination can result in a temporary discoloring of the skin to be a darker color.
It is essential to take note that hydroquinone can elevate skin sensitivity to UV rays, so you should be sure you wear sunscreen whenever using hydroquinone. Sunlight causes melanin generation, so extra sensitivity to sunlight without sufficient protection from the sun could reverse any reduction in hyperpigmentation by way of the hydroquinone - exactly the opposite of the outcome you are searching for!
Lately, we have witnessed some debate regarding the safety of hydroquinone. In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration suggested a prohibition of over-the-counter solutions containing hydroquinone brought on by investigations which showed that it may be cancer causing in rodents, and occurrences where hydroquinone application brought about ochronosis, a condition in which dark pigment is stored in the epidermis. Regardless, dermatologists resisted the prohibition, pointing out that there have been no established connections between hydroquinone and malignancy in humans, and that ochronosis is extremely unusual and has just been observed with prolonged, intense use of hydroquinone. In due course, the ban wasn't approved, and hydroquinone remains to be found over the counter within the United States.
Keeping these possible problems under consideration, you will need to choose for yourself whether hydroquinone is an acceptable product for you. In the event you decide to try hydroquinone, you'll be using the ingredient that dermatologists believe to be the "gold standard" in hyperpimentation treatment. It may be possible to decrease the likelihood of negative effects by limiting the duration of time you employ hydroquinone to six months or less, and wearing the lowest strength of hydroquinone which gives you improvements.
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