The most common hydroquinone side effects are not many in number, but this topical medicine used to treat skin pigment issues can cause some skin irritation. For most people, skin irritation is transient and goes away as use continues. There are some other features of this cream or gel that are worth noting. Like any drug, there can be serious side effects or reactions or special guidance when using the product that needs to be observed.
As stated, hydroquinone is most often used to address issues of hyperpigmentation on the skin, very often on the face, where skin discoloration may be most prominent. People wanting to lighten dark spots or to treat overall redness from diseases like rosacea may receive their doctors’ recommendation and prescriptions for this medication. A common hydroquinone side effect for virtually all users is increased sun sensitivity. It’s always advised that people use sunscreen and avoid excess sun exposure as this may more easily damage skin. Overall, the most common of hydroquinone side effects is persistent skin sensitivity and people are cautioned to avoid using harsh soaps on areas hydroquinone is use.
Another of the common hydroquinone side effects is skin drying, skin redness, or a feeling that the skins stings or tingles. While most people will only note these feelings or change in appearance for a short period of time, others find skin irritation worsens as a result of using hydroquinone. If this is the case, people should definitely contact their doctors and get advice before continuing to use the drug.
Other hydroquinone side effects that might develop at this point include chronic irritation of the skin, where a person might experience burning, itchiness, or have skin that crusts over. This indicates poor tolerance for the medicine. People should seek medical advice at once to treat the reaction and to get advice on other medications that might be tried instead.
Though not one of the common hydroquinone side effects, some people develop strong allergies to this medication, which could include anaphylactic reaction. If a person uses this medication and notices facial swelling, tongue swelling, hives, or difficulty breathing, they need immediate medical care. Usually such a reaction would not occur the first time the medicine was used, unless people had used it before, but might occur with cumulative usage.
One more issue that is especially important to those of darker skin coloration is that people can develop a condition called ochronosis. Though rare, this hydroquinone side effect can be permanent. It involves the developing of blue or dark patches on the skin, and these may not always fade when medication use discontinues.
Every medication has risks and benefits. There are benefits to hydroquinone and a number of people find it helpful for skin conditions and unproblematic to use. There are also risks, though they do tend to be minimal for this medication. Nevertheless people are always advised to understand risk/benefit profile so they make informed decisions about medical care with their physicians.