Reading Time: <1 minute

Devil cosmetics

There are cosmetic manufacturers that combine all the trendy ingredients into their products.Among them, be careful about cosmetics containing hydroquinone.At the clinic's affiliated companies, patients sometimes wonder why they don't add hydroquinone, which is highly effective against age spots.Doctor's cosmeticsThis is a question from users. The reason is simple. Hydroquinone should be considered a medicine, and because it oxidizes easily, its safety in cosmetics has not been confirmed. Hydroquinone is said to be 100 times stronger than arbutin (in a test tube), and the topic is focused on its effectiveness, so some people may use it without paying attention to its safety. In the past, its use in cosmetics was prohibited in Japan, so it was only used in some dermatologists to treat age spots. It is a very unstable substance that quickly oxidizes and turns brown when simply dissolved in water. It turns pink when added to a cream, so it is a raw material that is difficult to ensure stability. It was originally banned in Japan because no manufacturer submitted safety data to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. However, after the deregulation of cosmetics in 2001, hydroquinone cosmetics appeared because it became possible to use any ingredient other than pharmaceutical ingredients and some prohibited ingredients at the company's responsibility even without safety data. However, this does not mean that the cosmetic manufacturer confirmed its safety. Naturally, because of its strong toxicity, many countries have restrictions on hydroquinone, and in the United States, where it originates, cosmetics state that if there is no effect after three months of use, it should be discontinued. In Europe, where cosmetics regulations are as relaxed as in Japan, hydroquinone is also designated as a prohibited ingredient and is prevented from being brought in from overseas. In Japan, the situation is very vague, and there are no warnings about hydroquinone on cosmetics, and it is not banned, so it is left unchecked. If hydroquinone is used under the supervision of a specialist, the specialist will objectively judge it and advise you to stop using it, but if it is included in cosmetics, there are no warnings like in American cosmetics, and it is likely that it will continue to be used forever. In other words, there is no doubt that using oxidized hydroquinone in cosmetics is problematic. This is the reason why major cosmetics manufacturers have refrained from using it. Hydroquinone becomes more toxic when oxidized, so it is dangerous and cannot be used unless it is made by a company that places great importance on stability when making cosmetics. Rather, hydroquinone should be treated as a medicine to be used under a doctor's prescription. By the way, the whitening effect of hydroquinone is achieved by suppressing the activity of tyrosinase and by preventing small melanin molecules from sticking together to form larger melanin molecules (preventing melanin polymerization). Unfortunately, the effective amount of hydroquinone (whitening) is close to the amount at which side effects occur (irritation), so although it is certainly effective, it also places a heavy burden on cells, and hydroquinone is not used in general cosmetics. It is not surprising that it is banned in Europe, but rather a given. It seems that stricter regulations are also being considered in the United States. I hope that women will acquire a solid knowledge of cosmetics so as not to fall prey to companies that prioritize profit and follow trends without regard for safety.