Hydroquinone
ALSO — BENZENE-1,4-DIOL
A depigmenting ingredient used in prescription pigment treatments. Diagnosis, concentration, companion ingredients and the clinician's course plan determine which evidence is relevant.
The marker is a representative concentration from the cited records. The bar includes approved and compounded preparations recorded here. It is not a recommended dose, a minimum effective strength or a claim that other concentrations are untested. Evidence depends on the vehicle, indication and trial population.
The shaded band is the depth this molecule is understood to reach. Anything below it is out of scope, whatever the label says.
Competitive tyrosinase inhibitor. Reduces melanin synthesis in melanocytes without reducing melanocyte number, which is why the effect reverses on stopping.
Randomised, active-controlled against all three two-drug combinations in the identical vehicle
N=338 · 8 WK · INVESTIGATOR-ASSESSED
Randomised, active-controlled against all three two-drug combinations in the identical vehicle
N=303 · 8 WK · INVESTIGATOR-ASSESSED
Agency's current Dark Spot page includes hydroquinone and non-hydroquinone possibilities and describes clinician-directed transitions. It does not establish that every candidate ingredient is in one bottle, or that a single cycling calendar applies to all patients. Ask for the exact prescription and dates.
The TRI-LUMA review provides a named finished-product reference with a specific melasma indication. That evidence should not be presented as a trial of every hydroquinone compound or every type of discoloration. AAD's melasma guidance places diagnosis and sun protection within the treatment discussion.
Ask how progress and irritation will be reviewed, whether a corticosteroid is included, and what treatment may follow the initial course. The shipment schedule should reflect the clinical plan. A recurring bill does not determine how long a particular ingredient should continue.
Current $110 price, 18 g / 60-day supply, possible hydroquinone and non-hydroquinone formulas, and clinician-directed transitions. Checked 13 September 2026.
Diagnosis, sun protection, hydroquinone, retinoid/corticosteroid combinations and alternative topical treatments. Checked 13 September 2026.
Compounded preparations do not undergo FDA premarket review for safety, effectiveness or quality; they can meet individual medical needs. Checked 13 September 2026.
Guidance to avoid retinoids and hydroquinone during pregnancy. Breastfeeding decisions need separate clinician advice. Checked 13 September 2026.
One reader gets a 12 months CoreAge Rx derm plan — the compounded, physician-reviewed subscription we take apart in the register. Worth $780. Leave an address and you are entered.
VALUE IS THE PUBLISHED $64.99/MONTH SUBSCRIPTION PRICE OVER TWELVE MONTHS, AS RECORDED IN R-10. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. WE REVIEW COREAGE RX — WE DO NOT SELL IT.