The dangers of hydroquinone are highly publicized, but there are other skin whitening ingredients that are just as dangerous, if not more so. When looking for an effective skin lightening product, it’s best to choose one that will give you great results without risking jeopardizing your health.
hydroquinone
Hydroquinone is one of the most common skin lightening ingredients. Although it’s banned in Europe and most of the world, it can be found in many over-the-counter skin lightening products in the US, where it’s legal to buy. In the US, creams with up to 2% hydroquinone can be purchased without a prescription, but concentrations up to 4% are available by prescription.
There is no doubt that hydroquinone works to fade dark marks and lighten the skin, but it should not be used for long periods of time. If you choose to use hydroquinone and have not seen results after 4-6 months, you should discontinue its use.
Although some studies have shown that hydroquinone is a human carcinogen, meaning it could cause cancer, extensive research has not been done in this area.
Using hydroquinone for long periods of time can cause Ochronosis, which is a condition in which dark, thick, bluish-black patches appear on the skin. The skin ends up looking much worse than it did before starting the skin lightening treatment.
Mercury
Mercury is another extremely effective skin lightening ingredient that causes more harm than good and has been used since the early 20th century. The use of mercury in cosmetic products was banned in Europe in 1976 and in the United States in 1990.
Mercury is a poison! It is absorbed into the skin and traces can still be found in the body after death. Side effects of mercury poisoning include fatigue, memory loss, headaches, and kidney damage.
Although it is prohibited, it is still possible to find mercury-containing products being sold illegally, so make sure you know exactly what ingredients are in any cosmetic product you are considering buying.
Steroids (corticosteroids)
Topical corticosteroids, such as hydrocortisone, provide rapid, temporary whitening of the skin, but prolonged use is not safe or recommended. Corticosteroids are typically prescribed by doctors to treat skin conditions such as dermatitis and eczema and are not intended to be used for long periods of time. Skin lightening is a side effect of using these creams, but selling them specifically for skin lightening is illegal and when sold on the black market, steroids are usually not listed as ingredients. The use of corticosteroids can lead to excessive hair growth, fragile and thin skin, irritation, and fungal or bacterial infections.
There are so many safe and natural ingredients used in skin whitening products today. Some of these ingredients are arbutin, lactic acid, kojic acid, and licorice extract. When looking for a skin lightening product, make sure it contains safe ingredients.
