Fears of hydroquinone

Many people express fears of the compound hydroquinone, which is the active ingredient in a number of skin bleaching agents such as the Obagi Clear, Blender, and Sunfader. Hydroquinone is a naturally occurring chemical found in coffee, tea, beer, wine, blueberry, wheat, grass, and other foods. People ingest it daily.

Some side effects such as redness or irritation are common and to be expected.  It should not be used in women who are pregnant, breast feeding, or trying to get pregnant. Over the counter products contain it in up to 2 % strength. The most common prescription strength is 4 %.

Fears of this product stem from a study in which rats genetically prone to kidney tumors were fed hydroquinone many times the normal dose. These rats were found to have kidney tumors. When applied topically to humans, it has never been shown to cause cancer. While hydroquinone can bleach the skin effectively, it's use should be supervised by a doctor, and when used topically (not orally) at the appropriate doses for an appropriate time frame, there should be no concern for cancer.