Your doctor may recommend you try some new products that combine hydroquinone with other ingredients, such as glycolic acid. They may also recommend switching to tranexamic acid, which is a newer cream that has comparable results to hydroquinone in reducing hyperpigmentation.
Hydroquinone and Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs)
AHAs, like glycolic acid and lactic acid, exfoliate the skin and boost cell turnover. When used with Hydroquinone, these acids can enhance the skin lightening and acne scar fading effect of Hydroquinone.
Avoid using hydroquinone with peroxide products such as benzoyl peroxide or hydrogen peroxide, which can cause discoloration. 3. Avoid alpha hydroxy acids. The combination of hydroquinone and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) can irritate your skin.
No. It is generally not advised as vit c and hydroquinone can make your skin really sensitive to sun and also cause irritation. Also applying both can make both components less effective.
Results: Hydroquinone treatment alone and treatment with the combination of hydroquinone and glycolic acid had a significant effect in reducing skin pigmentation compared with baseline. However, no significant difference was found using combination therapy compared with hydroquinone alone.
However, in order to be more effective, research shows that kojic acid should be used in combination with hydroquinone or glycolic acid11.
Conclusion: Hydroquinone 4% cream with 2% glycolic acid is safe and effective in improving photodamage on the neck and upper chest when used alone or in combination with salicylic acid peels.
Conclusion. A cream formula containing 4% hydroquinone + 10% glycolic acid + 0.01% hyaluronic acid was very effective in treatment of melasma with tolerable side effects. Dermoscope is a valuable noninvasive tool in the diagnosis and follow-up of melasma treatment.
4) Why does my skin look darker after using Vitamin C? If you are applying Vitamin C without sunscreen, it is likely that the Vitamin C degrades into Erythrulose, which is an ingredient you will find in many self-tanners. So please make sure you apply sunscreen always after applying Vitamin C.
Hydroquinone has no known severe, serious, moderate, or mild interactions with other drugs.
A major key to hydroquinone is short-term use. You can slather it on twice daily for at least six weeks (and no more than six months). After one to three months, you should start to see your hyperpigmentation fade away.
Glycolic acid and salicylic acid are great ingredients used separately (or in pre-formulated blends) but mixing the two yourself could cause a major reaction and compromise your skin barrier. One word: ouch.
apply your vitamin c serum first then layer it up your TRANEXAMIC acid serum for the best results!
Arbutin has been found to be the most effective active ingredient in our study, even more so than hydroquinone, despite being a naturally occurring derivative.
Conclusion: Both therapeutic regimens showed a remarkable efficacy in the treatment of melasma but azelaic acid 20% plus hydroquinone was more effective with a more rapid onset of therapeutic response. Azelaic acid 20% plus hydroquinone had more side effects although they were slight in most cases.
Some may also have skin discoloration due to using niacinamide combined with other active ingredients that are too harsh for your skin type. Niacinamide can also cause problems when it's mixed with the following substances: Acids, including lactic acid, glycolic acid, and azelaic acid.
Instead, vitamin C can cause temporary skin staining (also known as hyperpigmentation), which happens when l-ascorbic acid (the most common form of vitamin C and one that is less shelf-stable) oxidizes and turns into erythrulose (a key ingredient in many self-tanner products).
It's also crucial to refrain from combining hydroquinone and azelaic acid with other active chemicals, such as retinoids or AHAs. These components may make the skin more sensitive and irritated.
What Goes First: Hydroquinone or Vitamin C. Vitamin C goes first, followed by hydroquinone if the former is in serum and the latter in a moisturizer. It's important to let your skin dry after using vitamin C serum and before hydroquinone cream.
Lactic acid can also potentiate the absorption of pigment correctors, hence why it is frequently mixed with arbutin, kojic acid, hydroquinone, & ascorbic acid.
Hydroquinone and chemical exfoliation (like AHAa) are very different skincare beasts, and shouldn't be tied together. Hydroquinone is for hyperpigmentation, and AHAs are for chemical exfoliation, which leads to smoother and more even-looking skin over time.