Obagi Nu-Derm Clear 4% Hydroquinone
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skin Care and Makeup Forum

Wed Aug 31, 2005 4:05 pm

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has used Obagi Nu-Derm Clear 4% Hydroquinone and wodnering how it works? I plan on purchasing it but I'm not sure if this is what I need or if I require another product.

My Story:

I had a flat brown spot like a freckle/mole on the front of my cheek and one summer I guess I was in the sun a lot it kinda got a bit more noticeable so I started picking at it and tried to kinda scrape it off (DUMB MOVE). n It didn't go ways and I tried many tiems again to scrape it away but this didn't work. Anyways it's been a while like almost 5 years and now I'm left with mark on my face I think it's a combination of scarring and the original brown (freckle/mole) thing whatever it was...I wanna make this mark less noticable and was wondering if Obagi Nu-Derm Clear 4% Hydroquinone would be the right product.

I've been to the dermatologist many times and he wasnt' much help at all.

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Sonny

free skin care · Thu Sep 01, 2005 5:54 am

Hydroquinone will probably be successful in removing the scar, but be prepared for it to come right back once exposed to the sun. This is what usually happens with hydroquinone users. Also be sure you are aware of all the risks of hydroquinone(links to cancer, banned in Europe/Japan)before you decide to use it.

free skin care · Thu Sep 01, 2005 9:14 am

I've used that product, only for two weeks last winter and it did lighten my hyperpigments a bit but I was afraid of the side effects, mostly that the spots would come back worse once hq was not being used.

I had a spot just like you describe that lessened considerably over the summer no less! My secret, sunscreen all summer long and general sun avoidance. When I was outside I would try to stay in the shade and not expose my face to the direct sun, it really seemed to work.

free skin care · Mon Sep 05, 2005 3:50 pm

Hi Fairlyfair,

Thanks for the information about Hydroquinone. I read that it causes hyperpigmentation on long term use, but didn't know before that it is banned in Europe/Japan due to negative side effects. Do you have any further detail info on this? I would like to let few friends know as they did order products with hydroquinone from internet.

Sun Sep 11, 2005 5:11 am

As I understand it, hydroquinone was banned in those countries as it can cause hyperpigmentation on some etnicities, especially darker and asian skin. I LOVE Obagi Clear -- am fair, with sensitive rosacea-prone skin, and it definitly got rid of some post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation I got from lasers and peels (now I know to use it a few weeks before getting those procedures done). I have since found an identical product for half the price, put out by Neocyte and sold through my doctor's office as a private label brand. Both this cream and Obagi Clear are 4% hydroquinone and a mild amount of lactic acid -- I find them to be much less irritating than the 2% hydroquinone products like DDF's and Peter Thomas Roth's, as they add all sorts of extra acids to make up for the smaller percentage of hydroquinone. When I use the Obagi Clear my skin starts glowing and gets a porcelain look within a week -- on my 44-year-old mug!

free skin care · Sun Sep 11, 2005 7:15 am

Hi Sarah,
I apologize the delay in response, but I just noticed this post.

Hydroquinone is such a personal choice for so many on whether it is safe to use or not to use. There have been studies showing adverse effects, and some showing negligible effects. I'll highlight a few here, but if you want to read in more detail - please check out the forum:

http://www.evenskin.com/viewtopic.php?t=62

Prolonged use of high concentrations may result in exogenous ochronosis, which is rare in the USA but epidemic in Africa. Currently it is banned in Japan, Europe, and South Africa, but remains the only FDA-approved "safe and effective" lightener. Exposure to sun reverses its effects and causes repigmentation. HQ may be mutagenic and can produce skin irritation, nail discoloration, and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Exogenous ochronosis is seen most often in black patients living in regions of high sunlight. It consists of a progressive darkening and degeneration of collagen and elastic fibers accompanied by cresent shaped deposits in the dermis in the area to which the HQ product has been applied. It is usually observed after use of high concentrations of HQ for several years, but has been reported to occur after use at 2%. Most experts agree that HQ should not be used for longer than 2 years but some suggest ceasing use at 4-6 months.

In an investigation to assess the safety of hydroquinone in cosmetic skin-lightening products, and to determine the optimal concentration for efficacy, 840 volunteers of various races and skin color took part in a 6-year trial consisting of normal and exaggerated use tests. Concentrations of hydroquinone of 3% and less produced negligible adverse effects, regardless of the base of the product or the colour of the user's skin.

According to Howard I. Maibach, M.D., professor of dermatology at the University of California School of Medicine, San
Francisco, "Overall, adverse events reported with the use of hydroquinone... have been relatively few and minor in nature....
To date there is no evidence of adverse systemic reactions following the use of hydroquinone"?and it has been around for
over 30 years in skin-care products. Maibach has also stated that "hydroquinone is undoubtedly
the most active and safest skin-depigmenting substance... ."

Despite its remarkable overall safety, the physician ought to bear in mind the potential adverse effects. Contact
dermatitis occurs in a small number of patients and responds promptly to topical steroids. An uncommon, yet important,
adverse effect of HQ is exogenous ochronosis. This disorder is characterized by progressive darkening of the area to
which the cream containing HQ is applied. Histologically, degeneration of collagen and elastic fibers occurs.
This degeneration is followed by the appearance of characteristic ochronotic deposits consisting of crescent-shaped,
ochre-colored fibers in the dermis.

Lastly, HQ has been reported to induce mutations in Salmonella and at the hart locus of Chinese hamster V79 cells.
Because of its potential mutagenic properties, HQ currently is banned in Europe for use as a depigmenting agent.
European nations have stopped sales of hydroquinone depigmenting creams because of its mutagenic (cause changes in genetic material, which can lead to cancer) activity.

free skin care · Thu Apr 26, 2007 6:06 am

i know this post is very old...but is hydroquinone still as harmful nowadays? i was reading paula's choice website about hydroquinone and it says "Hydroquinone in 1% to 2% concentrations is available in over-the-counter products; 4% concentrations are available by prescription only " and obagi's is 4%!
i want to try this but due to reading about how it can cause cancer and not that suitable for black and asian skin, im very not sure

Automatic Message

If this is your first visit to the EDS Forums please take the time to register. Registration is required for you to post on the forums. Registration will also give you the ability to track messages of interest, send private messages to other users, participate in Gift Certificates draws and enjoy automatic discounts for shopping at our online store. Registration is free and takes just a few seconds to complete.

Click Here to join our community.

If you are already a registered member on the forums, please login to gain full access to the site.