- Type
- Skin-lightening agent
- How serious
- High severity
- Evidence
- Moderate evidence
Why it is flagged
Systemic absorption is unusually high for a topical (roughly a third of the applied dose), so pregnancy guidance is to avoid it.
Health topics it bears on
Sources
- Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist Health Canada, 2025
- FDA works to protect consumers from potentially harmful OTC skin lightening products U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026
- Safety of skin care products during pregnancy Canadian Family Physician (College of Family Physicians of Canada), 2011
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2009
Also listed as
benzene-1,4-diol, quinol, hidroquinona, idrochinone, hydrochinon