The importance we place on vanity is evident when you begin thinking of controversial hydroquinone.  Some say it’s risky while others have outright banned its use. The question is does “risky” mean we can take the chance on our beauty and regulate how much hydroquinone we use? Does risky mean there is a minimum amount we can use before it will pose a health problem? How much are we willing to gamble?

I’ve recently had a problem with the words “risky” and “acceptable”; here in the United States many beauty products do not have any requirements for pre-testing to ensure safety. While there are known chemicals that have been banned from usage in cosmetics there are many more that pose a known health risk.

Hydroquinone is one such ingredient that breeds controversy. It is “acceptable” at a lower prescribed dosage of 2 percent. The United States claims using a higher concentrate of Hydroquinone can create skin irritations. Is that it? Could that be the least of our worries? Is that the risk we take if we choose to use the higher percentage usually prescribed by dermatologist?  This is where the controversy begins.

There have been many clinical researches to decipher what risk Hydroquinone presents. Europe, Japan, and South Africa all banned this ingredient because when mice consumed small amounts of hydroquinone they developed cancer. Therefore, many people say aha! Since it was consumed by the mice and it won’t be consumed by humans there’s no proof of its harm if used topically. But it wasn’t only this type of testing that resulted in a ban of hydroquinone.

Come to find out, skin lightening products that contained hydroquinone were found to also contain high levels of mercury, which can disfigure a person, cause cancer and can cause fatalities.

It should be pointed out that products that are slathered onto our skin contain nano-particles that seep deep into the layers. And this raises a concern with the use of Hydroquinone. With the smallest amount that we rub onto our skin it still finds its way into our body.  So does this mean the “acceptable” levels of hydroquinone are riskier than we’ve been led to believe? Do we have a product build up down deep in our bodies that causes cancer and creates adrenal abnormalities?

You see, when testing is done it’s for a specific anomaly and instead of explaining that a product could have several dangers, companies will use a slight-of-hand trick and base it’s official notice on one type of test. Just because we don’t consume hydroquinone as the mice did doesn’t mean hydroquinone is safe. Everything we place on our skin is absorbed into the bloodstream. And we still must factor in any amounts of mercury that is added into the product.

How do we avoid taking any risk with our health? By using natural skin lighteners that have been around for years and have worked just as well or better than the chemically infused skin products.

To Your Beauty,

Juliette Samuel,

Esthetician/President-NYRAJU Skin Care

www.nyrajuskincare.com