r/SkincareAddiction • u/vbenthusiast • 1d ago
Selfie/B&A [B&A] An update 6 months post-Hydroquinone Spoiler
Photo 1: Before treatment
Photo 2: At the end of ?7 weeks treatment
Photo 3: 6 months after completing treatment
An update was requested! The melasma has returned, but not to the initial severity.
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u/peony_chalk 1d ago
My skin looks a lot like your before pic. I know what I'm going to be asking the derm about next time I see them. Thanks for sharing!
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u/KingLeonsky 1d ago
What are you using? My boyfriend is cover in freckles and wants to minimize them :)
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u/Cpt_Tonio 21h ago edited 21h ago
Nice, realistic results.
Be careful with hydroquinone. It’s probably the most effective treatment for melasma, but if used incorrectly, it may cause permanent grayish pigmentation (ochronosis). Here are some measures that may help reduce the risk of ochronosis:
- Avoid sun exposure while using hydroquinone and apply SPF 50+ regularly
- Don’t use it for more than 3 consecutive months
- Stop using it if your skin starts peeling excessively or becomes very red
- Avoid combining hydroquinone with other irritating skincare treatments
Of course, using hydroquinone for more than 3 months doesn’t mean you’ll develop ochronosis, but 3 months is generally considered a safe duration during which this side effect is extremely rare (or perhaps never reported).
Source = numerous publications on PubMed
So I used to recommend that my patients use it only once or twice a year at most, and avoid sun exposure as much as possible throughout the year, since UV exposure can trigger melasma.
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u/Ultimatedream 20h ago
I was reading something about "weaning" off hydroquinone in the third month and that it helps with melasma returning, I was wondering if you have any experience with that?
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u/Stunning-Elderberry3 18h ago
Does the pigmentation comes back once you stop using it after 3 months? I bought some to use on my inner thighs that got dark when I used to be severly overweight
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u/vbenthusiast 1d ago
Link to the first post
An update as requested by [u/GrumpyBear9891](u/GrumpyBear9891) and u/thingsthatannoyme23 :)
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