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Tretinoin and Hydroquinone Safety

asked 3 years ago by Christina Liman in Indonesia
Latest answer by Don Mehrabi, MD
Question viewed 25,135 times
Tags: hydroquinone, safety, tretinoin

How many percent of Tretinoin and Hydroquinone is safe for facial skin? Are there any harmful side effects for these chemicals? I am thinking about using them for melasma treatment.

2 answers to Tretinoin and Hydroquinone Safety

+6

Both Hydroquinone and Tretinoin are safe. You can do Hydroquinone 4-8% and Tretinoin 0.1%.

Thank you for your question. There recently had been a lot of buzz regarding the safety of hydroquinone and its potential carcinogenic risk, however, this potential association has not materialized or been proven, and has not stopped physicians from using this bleaching chemical. It is safe, and nearly all dermatologists use it. You can get hydroquinone in the standard 4% cream from your pharmacy via prescription, or even have it compounded into an 8-10% cream. Just be careful not to... more
Don Mehrabi, MD

Beverly Hills Dermatologist
+5

Tretinoin and Hydroquinone Safety

Tretinoin cream increases sun sensitivity so if you are going to use it, you need to be consistent about daily applications of a broad spectrum sunscreen. For someone who has never used hydroquinone before, I would start with 0.025% or 0.05%. Mix a pea-sized amount of medication with moisturizer and apply as you would a lotion to the entire face. Diluting the medication in this way will reduce your chance of developing redness and inflammation that might then create more brown pigmentation.... more
Bryan K. Chen, MD

San Diego Dermatologist

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