Can hydroquinone or tretinoin cause skin on cheeks to become darker and create more dark patches?

Question

I use the Hydroquinone in the day and Tretinoin at night, is this the best method of application? The before picture was taken in a very lighted bathroom so it makes my skin look lighter, but it is only shown to show the dark patches were not as prevelant and in some areas not there. There are also sections of small bumps. What is happening to my face? Please help. Also what would be a good otc remedy for dark circles under my eyes? Thanks

Monika Soni, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question! We love Retin A for smoothing the skin, helping it look refreshed and keeping it young.  But it is an exfoliating product (removes dead skin) and cannot help with pigment. Similarly, the Triluma may help with brown spots from Melasma, but is more limited in effectiveness when it comes to sun damage.  Lasers are a great option to permanently remove sun damage and that is what we would recommend for you. We use q-switched lasers to remove sun spots and sun damage and you can see an example of what it can do for the skin at the link below. These before and after pictures are for other Orange County, CA patients that had sun spot or sun damage removal. Best of luck!

Can hydroquinone or tretinoin cause skin on cheeks to become darker and create more dark patches?

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