Have you guys seen this? The FDA is wanting to ban over the counter hydroquinone products:
FDA wants skin-lightening cream restrictions - More Health News - MSNBC.com
FDA wants skin-lightening cream restrictions - More Health News - MSNBC.com
FDA wants to ban hydroquinone
1 - 20 of 66 Posts
Interesting, I wonder if this will effect eye creams that help with under eye shadowing? Not that that effects me, but it would effect some of my customers/clients.
EDIT: only said the above....because I didn't know what the ingrediant was. thought it was in every skin lightening product or something....excuse my not knowing what it was....LOL....man these high tech words.
I say, if you cant pronounce it our read it, then it just may not be good for ya.
EDIT: only said the above....because I didn't know what the ingrediant was. thought it was in every skin lightening product or something....excuse my not knowing what it was....LOL....man these high tech words.
I say, if you cant pronounce it our read it, then it just may not be good for ya.
I dont' think they do....cuz they are all natural (is hydroquinone a natural ingrediant???)....I was just looking at the fact that the hydroquinone was a skin lightener....and had no idea if other eye creams use that ingrediant.
Hydroquinone is not natural. I havnt seen any eye creams with it.
Thank you, good to know....now ask me that word tomorrow and I may have already forgot (must be this age thing - LOL).
Joined
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146 Posts
I think the FDA tries to ban a lot of things found in nature because you can't patent it and make a profit from it if it's something found in nature.
The FDA does a decent job in regulating drugs. But the problem I see is when a company wants to make a natural product, they cant legally flat out say it helps with some medical condition. Because in order to make those claims the product has to be approved by the FDA which costs a ton of money. And no company is going to spend that money to get approval on a natural product because you can't own the rights to it.
Joined
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280 Posts
you know i responded recently to this topic on another forum. i dont feel like retyping my original post so i will just cut and paste.
quote
Posted 09-06-06 12:44 AM IP
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
lol, herbs and plants are drugs but they are just not legally considerd as such. the only reason why herbs and other nature made products are not considered drugs is because it would be very difficult to catagerise everything from broccoli to beef as a drug.
look at poison ivy. i doubt anyone would be stupid enought to isolate the active irritant in that stuff and make it into a cosmetic but who knows? look at botox for instance. lol who would of thought that we would be sticking dead botulism in our faces? people do get sick from botox (or at least with the fake stuff cause there are still has some active organisms swirling around in it. but is that natural enough for yeah? now dont argue that just because its injected that it doesnt count. who would be the first person to rub this stuff daily on their skin if it were known to have a benifit when applied topically?) i believe there is a patent on botox but i think that the FDA should be, and they are, regulating this stuff closely becuase it has great potenial for being deadly.
some of the most potent and deadliest substances we know of have an a natural root or source. i just found out the tea tree oil and lavander have been linked with little boys developing breasts. and guess the source. ok, i cant wait to tell you. its... their shampoo and baby lotions!!! last time i checked you dont let your kids eat shampoo and most kids wouldnt want to. i dont think that both these extracts are dangerouse but i dont want my son growing bigger breasts then mommy either. but tell me. do you still think natural is always better now? would you bet your very life or your child's life on it? i wouldnt but that doesnt say that i would bet my life that drugs are always the best way to go either. so just dont under estimate nature. it can be beautiful but it can also be a killer. some plants, even in its natural state, can be deadly. you wont know for a very long time if anything natural has a negative side effect under the surface. look how long it too the US to band or at least regulate the use of MaryJ, heroin, coke, morphine, tobacco(oh right, this stuff is still around) all have a natural root. it took for ever for the truth about these stuff to be brought forward even though people knew how dangerouse for decades if not generations. even today tobacco is still around. who would have thought that something thats responsible for the death of millions would still be legal.
the skin is very resistant even to HQ to a point.but stuff does get in. even natural stuff. there are so many pretty flowers with toxins and poisons its just a matter of time before someone puts one of them in a bottle and then 50 years and 1000s of deaths later we decide to finally put II and II together. dont think that there is no one out there who doesnt have it in them to put poison in a bottle, get rich and then hit the road. you may feel comfortable with using natural stuff. but scamers love natural products because they dont have to prove safety or effectivness as long as they play by the very few and simple rules. take a closer look at on the website of some all natural products. look at the fine print near the bottom that follows a huge bold claim like, " Our all natural products lightens overnight". i know this is an exaggeration, products that contain regulated ingredients do make outlandish claim as well and most people are smart enough not to just fall for product because of the claims but people do buy these products because its.... ALL NATURAL and they think to themselves " how can it hurt to try?". also drugs like HQ have to prove itself safe and effective just to be legally marketed.
for those who are new to these sort of topics, you still got to watch out for the natural stuff because they are effective; they do work. so that makes them a medicine in my books. they are drugs. look at mercury. no one cooked this stuff up in a lab but for years its been used in cosmetics. natural products can be very powerful but sometimes they dont always do good things even when they are applied topically. people get sick and even die every day from the most common of natural products even when it wasnt abused.
sorry i dont mean to make this into a huge politcal debate. but i dont want anyone to be afraid to pick the drug if all else fales. i believe that HQ carries alot of paranoia that it doesnt deserve. there should be causion but not paranoia. its almost like we are fishing for an excuse to not use HQ. people on this forum keep poping up with the lates scary news about HQ (not that the share goes unapprieciated) to freak out everyone away from HQ. we have known for years now that HQ has cancer links(doesnt everything? im sure if we tried we can find some natural stuff that has cancer links too and im sure we can find one that we put in topical products) and it also causes Orchosis. non of this stuff is new but because the FDA is taking an interest sparks a whole new set of panic and fear. its good to know that the FDA cares about HQ's safety but again, that shouldnt take away from the fact that HQ is a great product when used correctly and by the right kind of candidate.
lets face it, when there is money at stake people care more. when a company holds a patent and they sell a product they have a huge responsibility because its the law. if someone just happens to overdose on broccoli, who cares, there is no one to sue. it could very well take a million people dropping straight dead after eating broccoli before we all know that its dangerouse. which is why many of the slow killers still get a chance to stick around. because.... ITS NATURAL!!! no one cares. with natural stuff we dont always know what pecausions to take cause we dont know all the bad stuff yet.
its sad that its taking me a whole novel to say this but all i just wantis for us to respect both nature and science. im not trying to convince anyone who has alreay made up their minds not to use HQ. but with anything you put in or on your body you must be careful and know what you are doing. personally I believe if you put both in a match im sure nature will always win but thats the scary thing. we dont have total control over it.
end quote
quote
Posted 09-07-06 09:18 PM IP
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
... Personally i dont believe that skin lightening (lighting your whole complextion) is really the safest thing we all could be doing, even if you choose to do it with herbs and natural actives. with all this talk about how bad HQ is why hasnt anyone brought up all the risk skin lightening brings?
look, this brings me back to my point. everything has risks (even natural stuff can be dangerouse too). im even sure if someone looked we would find some natural cosmetic ingredients can have a cancer risk as well. everything we do (including breathing) increases our risk for cancer so the whole cancer thing with HQ doesnt phase me one bit. and as for skin darkening,although its unpleasent, its not the worst thing in the world that someone could have happen to them. also it can be treated fairly well and from last i remember there are some people complaining that stuff like arbutin and kojic acid were causing their skin to darken as well.
the smart and HEALTHY thing to do is be responsible and know the risks and how to reduce them. that may mean that one person chooses not use HQ but that may not be the choice that everyone needs to make.
end quote
quote
Posted 09-06-06 12:44 AM IP
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
lol, herbs and plants are drugs but they are just not legally considerd as such. the only reason why herbs and other nature made products are not considered drugs is because it would be very difficult to catagerise everything from broccoli to beef as a drug.
look at poison ivy. i doubt anyone would be stupid enought to isolate the active irritant in that stuff and make it into a cosmetic but who knows? look at botox for instance. lol who would of thought that we would be sticking dead botulism in our faces? people do get sick from botox (or at least with the fake stuff cause there are still has some active organisms swirling around in it. but is that natural enough for yeah? now dont argue that just because its injected that it doesnt count. who would be the first person to rub this stuff daily on their skin if it were known to have a benifit when applied topically?) i believe there is a patent on botox but i think that the FDA should be, and they are, regulating this stuff closely becuase it has great potenial for being deadly.
some of the most potent and deadliest substances we know of have an a natural root or source. i just found out the tea tree oil and lavander have been linked with little boys developing breasts. and guess the source. ok, i cant wait to tell you. its... their shampoo and baby lotions!!! last time i checked you dont let your kids eat shampoo and most kids wouldnt want to. i dont think that both these extracts are dangerouse but i dont want my son growing bigger breasts then mommy either. but tell me. do you still think natural is always better now? would you bet your very life or your child's life on it? i wouldnt but that doesnt say that i would bet my life that drugs are always the best way to go either. so just dont under estimate nature. it can be beautiful but it can also be a killer. some plants, even in its natural state, can be deadly. you wont know for a very long time if anything natural has a negative side effect under the surface. look how long it too the US to band or at least regulate the use of MaryJ, heroin, coke, morphine, tobacco(oh right, this stuff is still around) all have a natural root. it took for ever for the truth about these stuff to be brought forward even though people knew how dangerouse for decades if not generations. even today tobacco is still around. who would have thought that something thats responsible for the death of millions would still be legal.
the skin is very resistant even to HQ to a point.but stuff does get in. even natural stuff. there are so many pretty flowers with toxins and poisons its just a matter of time before someone puts one of them in a bottle and then 50 years and 1000s of deaths later we decide to finally put II and II together. dont think that there is no one out there who doesnt have it in them to put poison in a bottle, get rich and then hit the road. you may feel comfortable with using natural stuff. but scamers love natural products because they dont have to prove safety or effectivness as long as they play by the very few and simple rules. take a closer look at on the website of some all natural products. look at the fine print near the bottom that follows a huge bold claim like, " Our all natural products lightens overnight". i know this is an exaggeration, products that contain regulated ingredients do make outlandish claim as well and most people are smart enough not to just fall for product because of the claims but people do buy these products because its.... ALL NATURAL and they think to themselves " how can it hurt to try?". also drugs like HQ have to prove itself safe and effective just to be legally marketed.
for those who are new to these sort of topics, you still got to watch out for the natural stuff because they are effective; they do work. so that makes them a medicine in my books. they are drugs. look at mercury. no one cooked this stuff up in a lab but for years its been used in cosmetics. natural products can be very powerful but sometimes they dont always do good things even when they are applied topically. people get sick and even die every day from the most common of natural products even when it wasnt abused.
sorry i dont mean to make this into a huge politcal debate. but i dont want anyone to be afraid to pick the drug if all else fales. i believe that HQ carries alot of paranoia that it doesnt deserve. there should be causion but not paranoia. its almost like we are fishing for an excuse to not use HQ. people on this forum keep poping up with the lates scary news about HQ (not that the share goes unapprieciated) to freak out everyone away from HQ. we have known for years now that HQ has cancer links(doesnt everything? im sure if we tried we can find some natural stuff that has cancer links too and im sure we can find one that we put in topical products) and it also causes Orchosis. non of this stuff is new but because the FDA is taking an interest sparks a whole new set of panic and fear. its good to know that the FDA cares about HQ's safety but again, that shouldnt take away from the fact that HQ is a great product when used correctly and by the right kind of candidate.
lets face it, when there is money at stake people care more. when a company holds a patent and they sell a product they have a huge responsibility because its the law. if someone just happens to overdose on broccoli, who cares, there is no one to sue. it could very well take a million people dropping straight dead after eating broccoli before we all know that its dangerouse. which is why many of the slow killers still get a chance to stick around. because.... ITS NATURAL!!! no one cares. with natural stuff we dont always know what pecausions to take cause we dont know all the bad stuff yet.
its sad that its taking me a whole novel to say this but all i just wantis for us to respect both nature and science. im not trying to convince anyone who has alreay made up their minds not to use HQ. but with anything you put in or on your body you must be careful and know what you are doing. personally I believe if you put both in a match im sure nature will always win but thats the scary thing. we dont have total control over it.
end quote
quote
Posted 09-07-06 09:18 PM IP
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
... Personally i dont believe that skin lightening (lighting your whole complextion) is really the safest thing we all could be doing, even if you choose to do it with herbs and natural actives. with all this talk about how bad HQ is why hasnt anyone brought up all the risk skin lightening brings?
look, this brings me back to my point. everything has risks (even natural stuff can be dangerouse too). im even sure if someone looked we would find some natural cosmetic ingredients can have a cancer risk as well. everything we do (including breathing) increases our risk for cancer so the whole cancer thing with HQ doesnt phase me one bit. and as for skin darkening,although its unpleasent, its not the worst thing in the world that someone could have happen to them. also it can be treated fairly well and from last i remember there are some people complaining that stuff like arbutin and kojic acid were causing their skin to darken as well.
the smart and HEALTHY thing to do is be responsible and know the risks and how to reduce them. that may mean that one person chooses not use HQ but that may not be the choice that everyone needs to make.
end quote
Joined
·
280 Posts
WOW, info does travel fast. i just replied to this topic in another forum and here it is again.
to recap what i said earlier. HQ is a product that has had alot of paranoia associated with it that i truely believe it doesnt deserve. people talk about HQ with causion not paranoia. people keep fishing for reasons no to use the stuff the the truth is there really isnt any new news to support concern of real danger when it comes to use for HQ. but even though this aricle is new the only new news is that the fda is investigating HQ but then again thats what these people get paid to do and they do this with all drugs.
we hear talks about cancer risks with HQ but doesnt everything these days have a cancer risk? give me a brake. has anyone confermed any human cases of HQ causing someone to develop cancer? has anyone reported what strengths and the duration of treatment before cancer is definatly a worth while concern?
and as for ochronosis, although i cant deny its a horrible reaction someone can get from HQ, its not the worth thing that can happen to you either. most cases of ochronosis happen because people are ignorant. like in africa, do you think people were exfoliating, using acid peels and suncreen? do you believe users of HQ were avoiding the sun? yeah, i doubt it too, espcieally in the early 70s and definatly before this stuff got baned. also many people abuse HQ and use it far far too long or they use a strength that is way too strong.
the fact that the FDA is investingating shouldnt conferm anyones suspicions that HQ poses a seriouse risk. its the FDA's job to investigate anything and everything. the word " ban" in the head line of this article i just to attract readers because HQ is surely a contraverial OTC drug and like it has already, bring about alot of discussions and concern.
the main thing is that HQ does work when used responsibly.its only a seriouse threat when you are ingorant or choose to do stupid things with this stuff. so maybe it should be at most closely monitored (regulated) to keep it out of the hands of stupid people.
but let me say this. HQ has been used safely by many for several decades. its a very good option and although there are concerns doctors are not afraid to write prescriptions for it. you just got to be responsible.
this is what i wrote in another forum
"...dont think that there is no one out there who doesnt have it in them to put "poison" in a bottle, get rich and then hit the road. you may feel comfortable with using natural stuff. but scamers love natural products because they dont have to prove safety or effectivness as long as they play by the very few and simple rules. take a closer look at on the website of some all natural products. look at the fine print near the bottom that follows a huge bold claim like, " Our all natural products lightens overnight". i know this is an exaggeration, products that contain regulated ingredients do make outlandish claim as well and most people are smart enough not to just fall for product because of the claims but people do buy these products because its.... ALL NATURAL and they think to themselves " how can it hurt to try?". also drugs like HQ have to prove itself safe and effective just to be legally marketed..."
no one is trying nearly as hard to prove safety of natural products because there is no laws requiring that. i feel just a bit safer with drugs becuase someone cares. "lets face it, when there is money at stake people care more. when a company holds a patent and they sell a product they have a huge responsibility because its the law. if someone just happens to overdose on...lets say broccoli, who cares, there is no one to sue. it could very well take a million people dropping straight dead after eating broccoli before we all know that its dangerouse." its the law that drugs like HQ have to meet strict requirements. i just feel a bit safer using HQ then using arbutin even though though companies using this ingriedient in their products claims its the the "safe and natural alternative to HQ" or that it has "all the benifits of HQ with non of the side effects". please, as if im going to believe that something that is chemically simular to HQ has NO negative side effects at all.!!
to recap what i said earlier. HQ is a product that has had alot of paranoia associated with it that i truely believe it doesnt deserve. people talk about HQ with causion not paranoia. people keep fishing for reasons no to use the stuff the the truth is there really isnt any new news to support concern of real danger when it comes to use for HQ. but even though this aricle is new the only new news is that the fda is investigating HQ but then again thats what these people get paid to do and they do this with all drugs.
we hear talks about cancer risks with HQ but doesnt everything these days have a cancer risk? give me a brake. has anyone confermed any human cases of HQ causing someone to develop cancer? has anyone reported what strengths and the duration of treatment before cancer is definatly a worth while concern?
and as for ochronosis, although i cant deny its a horrible reaction someone can get from HQ, its not the worth thing that can happen to you either. most cases of ochronosis happen because people are ignorant. like in africa, do you think people were exfoliating, using acid peels and suncreen? do you believe users of HQ were avoiding the sun? yeah, i doubt it too, espcieally in the early 70s and definatly before this stuff got baned. also many people abuse HQ and use it far far too long or they use a strength that is way too strong.
the fact that the FDA is investingating shouldnt conferm anyones suspicions that HQ poses a seriouse risk. its the FDA's job to investigate anything and everything. the word " ban" in the head line of this article i just to attract readers because HQ is surely a contraverial OTC drug and like it has already, bring about alot of discussions and concern.
the main thing is that HQ does work when used responsibly.its only a seriouse threat when you are ingorant or choose to do stupid things with this stuff. so maybe it should be at most closely monitored (regulated) to keep it out of the hands of stupid people.
but let me say this. HQ has been used safely by many for several decades. its a very good option and although there are concerns doctors are not afraid to write prescriptions for it. you just got to be responsible.
and to rishi, i totally agree with you on the point about companies using natural products as away to get around laws that prohibit products making false claims for proving safetly and effectiveness.
this is what i wrote in another forum
"...dont think that there is no one out there who doesnt have it in them to put "poison" in a bottle, get rich and then hit the road. you may feel comfortable with using natural stuff. but scamers love natural products because they dont have to prove safety or effectivness as long as they play by the very few and simple rules. take a closer look at on the website of some all natural products. look at the fine print near the bottom that follows a huge bold claim like, " Our all natural products lightens overnight". i know this is an exaggeration, products that contain regulated ingredients do make outlandish claim as well and most people are smart enough not to just fall for product because of the claims but people do buy these products because its.... ALL NATURAL and they think to themselves " how can it hurt to try?". also drugs like HQ have to prove itself safe and effective just to be legally marketed..."
no one is trying nearly as hard to prove safety of natural products because there is no laws requiring that. i feel just a bit safer with drugs becuase someone cares. "lets face it, when there is money at stake people care more. when a company holds a patent and they sell a product they have a huge responsibility because its the law. if someone just happens to overdose on...lets say broccoli, who cares, there is no one to sue. it could very well take a million people dropping straight dead after eating broccoli before we all know that its dangerouse." its the law that drugs like HQ have to meet strict requirements. i just feel a bit safer using HQ then using arbutin even though though companies using this ingriedient in their products claims its the the "safe and natural alternative to HQ" or that it has "all the benifits of HQ with non of the side effects". please, as if im going to believe that something that is chemically simular to HQ has NO negative side effects at all.!!
Joined
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357 Posts
You made some good points HonEB. It seems that the FDA just wants to limit hydroquinone to prescription use only & not "ban" it completely. This way it can still be used to treat conditions however it can not be abused by people as readily. In the end, I think this is a good step forward since the drug obviously does have some side effects if used improperly.
Joined
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492 Posts
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
By Sally Kalson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Skin-lightening creams and lotions are a huge business in this country, used by consumers of all races and skin tones. But their over-the-counter days may be numbered.
Last week, the Food and Drug Administration declared that products containing the bleaching agent hydroquinone pose too many health risks and proposed a ban on selling them without a prescription.
The agency wants to consider all such existing cosmetic products as new drugs, requiring companies to seek approval to sell them, and then only with a doctor's OK.
The American Academy of Dermatology will be objecting to the proposal during the public comment period, said Dr. Susan Taylor, founding director of the Skin of Color Center in New York City and assistant professor of dermatology at Columbia University.
"Hydroquinone is the gold standard for treating pigmentation disorders and has been for many years," said Dr. Taylor, who is also director of Society Hill Dermatology in Philadelphia. "I consider it to be very safe and effective."
The proposed change would have wide-ranging implications. Many cosmetics companies sell over-the-counter skin-bleaching products -- often called "brighteners" -- with hydroquinone (pronounced hydro-QUIN-own) in a 2 percent solution.
These include, but are not limited to, Porcelana, Esoterica, Black Opal Fade Gel and Palmer's Skin Success. They can be found on the shelves of most drug stores.
Consumers use the products to self-treat freckles, liver spots, melasma (the so-called mask of pregnancy), and dark marks resulting from acne or burns. Hydroquinone is also one treatment for the pigmentation disorder vitiligo, which leaves white patches on various parts of the body. Doctors prescribe the agent in higher concentrations.
Now the FDA is describing hydroquinone as a possible carcinogen, and also saying it has documented links to a skin-disfiguring condition called ochronosis. The product was banned in South Africa, where advertisements portrayed lighter skin as the key to love and success; some users wound up instead with splotches, grayish spots, pebbly bumps and abnormal thickness.
But Dr. Taylor said ochronosis rarely occurs in the United States.
"Most reports have been from Africa after a prolonged period of daily use -- sometimes 10 to 40 years -- and in high concentrations. In this country, there have been maybe 200 cases out of millions of users. To me, that means it is a very infrequent problem."
As for cancer, she said, all the studies finding carcinogenic effects were done on mice and rats, and no links to cancer in humans have been found.
"Even with the population in Africa that abuses the products, there have not been reports of increased cancer."
A ban would have a negative effect on consumers, she said; there are some botanical treatments, but they're not as effective.
If companies are required to undergo FDA approval for all their hydroquinone products, Dr. Taylor added, most would probably remove them from the shelves rather than submit to the long, costly process. And any products that gained approval would probably wind up being more expensive.
Several cosmetics companies did not return calls seeking comment on the proposed ban, nor did the FDA.
Dr. Suzan Obagi, assistant professor of dermatology and director of The Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Health Center of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, worries that the proposal will scare consumers away from the best available treatment. She stressed that products made by reputable companies are reliable, safe and effective.
"Patients shouldn't read this and stop using this fantastic product, because for a lot of people it's been a life-changing improvement," she said.
The only reason heightened scrutiny from the FDA would make sense would be to screen out dubious products from other countries that contain mercury, steroids or other toxic chemicals that are not allowed in topical agents in the United States, Dr. Obagi said.
But even then, the target would be the other additives, not the hydroquinone.
"Some beauty supply stores in this country do carry imported products that contain illegal ingredients, but that's not the issue here," said Dr. Taylor. "The issue here is the safe products that the FDA is thinking of banning [from over-the-counter sales]."
(bolding mine)
post-gazette.com/pg/06249/719230-51.stm
By Sally Kalson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Skin-lightening creams and lotions are a huge business in this country, used by consumers of all races and skin tones. But their over-the-counter days may be numbered.
Last week, the Food and Drug Administration declared that products containing the bleaching agent hydroquinone pose too many health risks and proposed a ban on selling them without a prescription.
The agency wants to consider all such existing cosmetic products as new drugs, requiring companies to seek approval to sell them, and then only with a doctor's OK.
The American Academy of Dermatology will be objecting to the proposal during the public comment period, said Dr. Susan Taylor, founding director of the Skin of Color Center in New York City and assistant professor of dermatology at Columbia University.
"Hydroquinone is the gold standard for treating pigmentation disorders and has been for many years," said Dr. Taylor, who is also director of Society Hill Dermatology in Philadelphia. "I consider it to be very safe and effective."
The proposed change would have wide-ranging implications. Many cosmetics companies sell over-the-counter skin-bleaching products -- often called "brighteners" -- with hydroquinone (pronounced hydro-QUIN-own) in a 2 percent solution.
These include, but are not limited to, Porcelana, Esoterica, Black Opal Fade Gel and Palmer's Skin Success. They can be found on the shelves of most drug stores.
Consumers use the products to self-treat freckles, liver spots, melasma (the so-called mask of pregnancy), and dark marks resulting from acne or burns. Hydroquinone is also one treatment for the pigmentation disorder vitiligo, which leaves white patches on various parts of the body. Doctors prescribe the agent in higher concentrations.
Now the FDA is describing hydroquinone as a possible carcinogen, and also saying it has documented links to a skin-disfiguring condition called ochronosis. The product was banned in South Africa, where advertisements portrayed lighter skin as the key to love and success; some users wound up instead with splotches, grayish spots, pebbly bumps and abnormal thickness.
But Dr. Taylor said ochronosis rarely occurs in the United States.
"Most reports have been from Africa after a prolonged period of daily use -- sometimes 10 to 40 years -- and in high concentrations. In this country, there have been maybe 200 cases out of millions of users. To me, that means it is a very infrequent problem."
As for cancer, she said, all the studies finding carcinogenic effects were done on mice and rats, and no links to cancer in humans have been found.
"Even with the population in Africa that abuses the products, there have not been reports of increased cancer."
A ban would have a negative effect on consumers, she said; there are some botanical treatments, but they're not as effective.
If companies are required to undergo FDA approval for all their hydroquinone products, Dr. Taylor added, most would probably remove them from the shelves rather than submit to the long, costly process. And any products that gained approval would probably wind up being more expensive.
Several cosmetics companies did not return calls seeking comment on the proposed ban, nor did the FDA.
Dr. Suzan Obagi, assistant professor of dermatology and director of The Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Health Center of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, worries that the proposal will scare consumers away from the best available treatment. She stressed that products made by reputable companies are reliable, safe and effective.
"Patients shouldn't read this and stop using this fantastic product, because for a lot of people it's been a life-changing improvement," she said.
The only reason heightened scrutiny from the FDA would make sense would be to screen out dubious products from other countries that contain mercury, steroids or other toxic chemicals that are not allowed in topical agents in the United States, Dr. Obagi said.
But even then, the target would be the other additives, not the hydroquinone.
"Some beauty supply stores in this country do carry imported products that contain illegal ingredients, but that's not the issue here," said Dr. Taylor. "The issue here is the safe products that the FDA is thinking of banning [from over-the-counter sales]."
(bolding mine)
post-gazette.com/pg/06249/719230-51.stm
Joined
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47 Posts
That is Bull Crap!
So even if they are aware that HQ is a possible carcinogen, they would still allow it to sell as long as they have prescription!
What does it tell you?? They are heartless sons of *****es, that's what it mean!
![]()
So even if they are aware that HQ is a possible carcinogen, they would still allow it to sell as long as they have prescription!
What does it tell you?? They are heartless sons of *****es, that's what it mean!
Joined
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144 Posts
well that's because hydroquinone does have its benefits and helps alot of people that have issues with age spots and melasma. If you use it with a prescription, at least it means a doctor knows how much you are using and you most likely won't abuse it. It's only the people that abuse hydroquinone for whitening their skin that end up suffering from the side effects. In small amounts it's okay. I bet alot of drugs can cause cancer if you don't use them correctly.That is Bull Crap!
So even if they are aware that HQ is a possible carcinogen, they would still allow it to sell as long as they have prescription!
What does it tell you?? They are heartless sons of *****es, that's what it mean!![]()
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47 Posts
That is true everywhere we go these days
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Hydroquione does have it's benefits...especially if you get the prescription from certified doctor. Good one blackgoddess.
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