Why is Hydroquinone Banned in Other Countries?

Why is hydroquinone banned in other countries? This is a common question we get from patients. It makes many people afraid of using products such as hydroquinoneHydroquinone is the strongest brightening agent we have and is used in various brightening creams, bleaching creams, color correctors, and dark spot removng creams. It works well for various types of discoloration on the skin such as sun damage and melasmaHydroquinone is found naturally in coffee, beans, and vegetables. So people eat it all the time. In the United States hydroquinone is available over the counter at 2 % strength. The most common prescription strength for hydroquinone in the US is 4 %. It is often compounded in higher strengths such as 6 % in the A E Skin Brightening Cream. The issue with hydroquinone in other countries is not hydroquinone itself. It is that it is often contaminated in mercury when prepared overseas. Mercury is toxic to the kidneys and nervous system and can cause problems with brain development in unborn children. In the US we have extremely high standards of production of compounded medications so that there are no levels of mercury contamination in our hydroquinone products. In order to make clean products here in the US it takes more time and effort, making the process more costly. This is not the case in other countries, which is why products made in other countries are often more affordable. Often times these products are sold online, which makes things very dangerous to most people that do not know about this. Therefore it is critical that patients use products with hydroquinone that are made by certified laboratories in the United States for safe use. In this way hydroquinone can be used safely and effectively to treat skin discolorations. At A E Skin, all of our skin care productsare produced at certified laboratories in the United States, making them safe to use as directed, and we stand by all of our products. Contact us for a free consultation with Dr. Alex.

Contact us Today

Our Location

Hours of Operation

Office

Monday:

10:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

10:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

10:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

10:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

10:00 am-4:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed