According to research, ochranonsis is a condition that might occur following long-term application of skin-lightening creams containing hydroquinone. Ochranosis may cause darkening of the skin, instead of fading a particular spot. Long-term use of Hydroquinone creams may also lead to exogenous ochronotic lesions.
Skin can become more sensitive to UV radiation during hydroquinone treatment. Without rigorous sun protection, even minimal sun exposure can exacerbate melanin production. This can then cause darkening of the treated area.
Does Hyperpigmentation Get Darker Before It Fades? Yes, sometimes, the body speeds up pigment production before the cells break down and fade. But sometimes, the dark spots can also fade without getting darker first.
Hydroquinone's lightening effects are generally visible after 4 weeks of treatment, though some conditions may require a longer treatment plan. If no visible changes occur after 3 months of treatment, you should stop using hydroquinone and consult with your dermatologist about alternative treatment options.
Melasma typically darkens and lightens over time, often getting worse in the summer and better in the winter. Another, less common name for melasma, is chloasma. Although this disorder is completely harmless, it understandably makes some people feel self-conscious.
Usually the pigmentation production begins in the deeper layers of the skin, and then these pigments come to the surface of the skin and later show up as dark spots or hyperpigmentation. As the skin constantly regenerates these dark spots tend to darker with time in most people.
It is often effective in reducing the appearance of dark patches and improving overall skin tone when used as directed. It takes around 4 weeks to see visible differences in your hyperpigmentation, however, in order to see full results you need to use it consistently for 3 months4.
As a rule, you should stop using hydroquinone after 3-6 months of continuous use.
Rarely ochronosis - ochronosis is a blue-black or gray-blue discoloration; it is rare and more commonly seen in patients that use a high concentration of hydroquinone for a long period on large areas of the body.
The active lightening agents interacts with the skin causing the pigments to rapidly pull toward the skin surface, which increases melanin production. This is the reason behind the temporary darkening. Once the pigments reach the skin surface the cells are prepared to be gently exfoliated and gradually shred away.
Triggers include sun exposure, hormonal changes, and trauma to the skin, for example, due to acne or an injury. Picking at scabs and spots may make it worse. Some face creams can irritate the skin, leading to further hyperpigmentation.
Hyperpigmentation is a general term for any skin condition that covers a large area and causes dark patches to appear. It occurs when the skin produces excess melanin, a natural substance that gives your skin color. A dark mark (or dark spot) is a specific area that appears darker than the surrounding skin.
Reason #2: Antioxidants Are Missing from Your Routine
In a nutshell, free radicals are unpredictable unpaired oxygen atoms that adhere to your skin's surface and trigger a chain of damaging events. If you want to help improve the look of dark spots on skin, you'll definitely want an antioxidant-rich serum on your side.
Hydroquinone and Retin-A (Tretinoin)
When used with Hydroquinone, it can speed up the process of fading hyperpigmentation. These two ingredients can be found together in compound preparations or used as separate products for more control.
Vitamin C has powerful antioxidant properties, neutralising free radicals to help protect the skin from damage caused by the sun's rays and other external aggressors. It's also gained a reputation for its ability to lighten areas of hyperpigmentation, helping visibly fade dark spots to achieve a more even skin tone.
According to research, ochranonsis is a condition that might occur following long-term application of skin-lightening creams containing hydroquinone. Ochranosis may cause darkening of the skin, instead of fading a particular spot. Long-term use of Hydroquinone creams may also lead to exogenous ochronotic lesions.
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.
Hydroquinone is a skin-bleaching agent that is used to lighten areas of skin. Hydroquinone works by decreasing the production and increasing the breakdown of melanosomes in melanocytes. In most cases, lightening of skin should be seen after four weeks of treatment.
You may not see significant improvement until 2 to 6 months after starting use. Hydroquinone can be applied morning and night. excess pigmentation such as the neck and back of hands. Allow product to fully absorb into skin before applying moisturizer or any other skin care products.
The effect of hydroquinone on skin pigmentation is reversible. If you stop, the melanocytes affected by treatment start to resume normal activity, causing the blemishes or spots to gradually reappear.
What causes brown spots to suddenly appear on the skin? Brown spots can appear suddenly due to increased melanin pigment, often triggered by factors like sun exposure, changes in hormones, age, or skin conditions.
However, it's also possible that the 2 percent strength of hydroquinone isn't strong enough for you. Concentrations over 2 percent (up to 4 percent) are available only by prescription. Also, sunlight can reverse the effect of hydroquinone, so you need to stay out of the sun.