Hydroquinone in Cosmetic Industry

This last years an interesting news came from cosmetic industry. A youtuber and doctor, dr. Richard lee has been arrested by Polda Metrojaya (Police Office) and charged with Article 30 jo. Article 46 of the ITE Law (Constitution of electronic information and transaction) and/or Article 231 of the Criminal Code and/or Article 221 of the Criminal Code, for illegally accessing data and eliminating evidence.

Capture background

As a youtuber, dr. Richard review some beauty product. This review is an advise for customer to keep aware about their cosmetic product. One of the product that he reviewed Helwa beauty cream. In his channel, dr. Richard says that this cream contain hydroquinone and have been examined by laboratory procedure.

He also says that the hydroquinone contain in this product is very high, 5.7 %. Meanwhile the limit border of hydroquinone in product only 2%. As the Helwa brand ambassador, Kartika didn’t accept those statement and report to police. The result of this case make dr. Richard should closed his channel and give it to police.

What is Hydroquinone ?

Based on the official BPOM website, hydroquinone is a water-soluble chemical compound that has no odor, colorless, and have needle crystalline solid shape. This compound will turn into dark if exposed to light and air.

Dr. Listya Paramita, a dermatologist from Yogyakarta, says that hydroquinone is an active compound that used skin pigmentation treatment.

The safety of Hydroquinone

In 1982 FDA has declare that hydroquinone is safe and effective compound. Some years later the worries about the product that contain hydroquinone appear. The FDA found that the product contaminated with mercury. From that moment, the FDA confirm that hydroquinone is safe for sale with maximal concentration is two percent.

How hydroquinone reduce skin pigmentation?

Hydroquinone can bleach your skin by reduce the cell that produce melanin (melanocyte). Melanin is a  skin pigment that produce to keep your skin from sun burn.

The side effect

This compound could make temporary dryness and redness at first, and this effect will be more if your skin sensitive. But this effect will fade. In some case, hydroquinone can create the ochronosis condition. Ochronosis is papules and bluish-black pigmentation. This condition will occur after prolonged daily used. There is limit time to used product that contain hydroquinone . Don’t used hydroquinone for more than five month.