Hydroquinone and Acne scars. Review and Q&A

In this post I will try to answer the most frequently asked questions about Hydroquinone and its uses for skin and especially acne scars. There are many falsehoods out there that I want to disclose.. So, let's get started!

Q: What is Hydroquinone?
Hydroquinone is a skin bleaching agent that works by inhibiting the production of melanin in the skin. It comes in the form of a cream.

Q: What is Hydroquinone used for?
Obviously, hydroquinone is used to lighten and bleach the skin. It can either be used to lighten the overall complexion or simply to treat some discoloration.

Q: Does Hydroquinone fade acne marks/scars? Yes it does, but it only works on hyperpigmentation i.e.  those dark brownish/purple marks. These are caused by the skin producing an excess of melanin. Hydroquinone is meant to deal with that.
Otherwise, if your scars are red macules  or "pits" then hydroquinone will have no effect whatsoever.

Q: Is Hydroquinone safe?
Although it's banned in some countries, I find hydroquinone fairly safe if you use it correctly. Here it's an over the counter product and it's relatively cheap, so anyone can get their hands on it.

You have to be careful not to mix it with other products and you should also avoid sun exposure completely when it's on your skin. If you manage to get your desired results in less than three months then you'll definitely be safe. Otherwise, you should discontinue and start again after a couple of months.