Hydroquinone Before and After Fat Grafting

Question

I've been using hydroquinone under my eyelids to make them brighter. However, I'm considering to do a fat grafting to them as well for the hollowness.   For how long before the surgery should one stop hydroquinone and when can one start using it again?

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

Depending on how long you have used the hydroquinone, you might still develop an irritant dermatitis if you have not used it for more than a month. Some people who try it for a couple of weeks start to get stinging and irritation, redness and peeling. This can create the paradox of darkening of the skin from inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Provided that you have used it for a while without any problems, than you can continue the treatment up to a week before. There are some forms of hydroquinone that have a Retin A cream mixed in and this could cause greater reactive skin changes and make your skin more irritable during the fat injection treatment, so one week of avoidance prior to the procedure should be adequate. Resuming it two weeks after the procedure is certainly safe but discuss it with the doctor who is doing the fat injections.

Sam Naficy, MD, FACS · Answer

If you have darker skin and seem to tan easily it may not be a bad idea to be on a hydroquinone (a skin lightening cream) before AND after fat injection to help reduce the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

David Shafer, MD, FACS · Answer

Hydroquinone is a great cream for reducing melanin pigment in the skin and evening out the tone. It should have no effect on your planned fat grafting procedure. I see no reason to discontinue it for the surgery. Good luck.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

Generally, there should be little effect of the HQ on the deeper subcutaneous tissues. However, as Dr. Rand has mentioned, the rubbing used during the application may interfere with the procedure. Therefore discontinuing the prduct for 1 week prior and 2 weeks after is a reasonable approach.

Houtan Chaboki, MD · Answer

Fat transfer to add facial volume and reduce hollowness is a great option for cosmetic patients.
One must follow the plastic surgeon's pre and post procedure guidelines to help promote the best results with fat grafting. Usually, skin care products should be discontinued one day prior and avoided immediately following fat injections. Skin care products, such as hydroquinone, generally may be resumed after one week following the fat transfer procedure.
Speak with your fat transfer surgeon to determine the care instructions for your procedure. Best of luck.

D.J. Verret, MD · Answer

As with all medications and surgery, I would consult that surgeon performing your fat transfer for his/her recommendations. As Dr. Rand points out, hydroquinone is a topical agent and should not interfere with fat grafting surgery. I would also recommend stopping for about a week to two weeks after surgery only because massage to the transplanted area can decrease the take rate of the fat.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

Hydroquinone is a skin bleaching agent. As such it has really nothing to do with the fat grafting procedure you are having to the lower lids. However, I would avoid rubbing the lower lids for 7-10 days to not disturb the fat as the blood vessels try to re-attach and help the fat survive. Motion is known to decrease graft "take."

Hydroquinone Before and After Fat Grafting

Answers (7)

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