Today we’re linking to Bajan Beauty Blogger.
Kim asks…When using hydroquinone to fade hyperpigmentation what products should I use to increase its effectiveness and what should I use to avoid losing its benefits?
The Right Brain replies:
Hydroquinone is a skin lightening agent that works by blocking the production of melanin, the brownish pigment that colors age spots and sun tans. It remains a controversial ingredient because it has been linked to cancer concerns. While some countries (e.g., France) have banned it, it remains available for sale in the US at a 2% strength (in cosmetics) and a 4% strength (in prescription products.)
You should check with your dermatologist before mixing any products that have a physiological effect on skin, but here are a few tricks we learned by reading Wikipedia. (Yes, even the Beauty Brains use Wikipedia from time to time.)
What you should do
- Combine with exfoliating alpha hydroxy acids to speed up the lightening process.
- Combine with Retin-A to more effectively to prevent sun- or hormone-induced melasma.
What you should NOT do
- Do NOT use with other skin lighteners such as glucocorticoids or mercury iodine because the combination can cause negative skin reactions.
- Be careful of using ANY products that irritate your skin because hydroquinione itself is an irritant.
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Beauty brains also also forgot to add that one must use a sun protection and or higher SPF sunscreen regularly because the skin become light sensitive due to lightening affect on the skin. If you don’t use adequate sun protection you are just throwing your money down the drain, what will happen is your brown spots will become darker or no lighten at all.
But what I want to know how much must one up the SPF of their sunscreen/sunblock to get sufficient sun protection during skin lightening.
I hear ever thing from no less tan SPF 30 to SPF 50 and above. How does one figure that out?
Absolutely Hyspin. Never use any skin lightener without spf 30 sunscreen everyday and adequate UVA coverage. It will not work without that, as it only takes a small amount of UV exposure to re-pigment melasma.
And yes, spf 30 is what I hear for melasma. If you want to go higher, you can, but the conventional recommendation I’ve always heard and been advised by dermatologists (I have melasma) is spf 30. UVA protection may be even more important than the spf number (which only indicates protection from UVB). I read an article that suggested physical “blocks” (apparently, now a controversial term?), esp. zinc oxide, are preferred for melasma. There have apparently been some studies done that showed that even intense light in the visible spectrum can contribute to re-pigmenting of melasma spots (ouch!). I guess only zinc oxide/titanium dioxide would protect against the visible spectrum as well as UV?
I’m afraid to use HQ because of my rosacea and irritation. I’m using azelaic acid instead (maybe also irritating, but at least tested for rosacea). But still battling my melasma. I think it’s because I’m in my 40′s and starting to have those lovely hormonal shifts.