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Many people go to drug store or cosmetic counter for remedies to buy skin lightening products and fade skin spots with more than a hundred products on the market, but the FDA may change that. The Food and Drug Adminstration in the United States yesterday made moves to ban the sale of skin-bleaching creams without a prescription. One of the most popular skin care products may be pulled off store shelves.
The FDA is considering banning over the counter skin lighteners that contain hydroquinone. One reason is that studies in rats show the possibility that hydroquinone may be causing skin cancer. The FDA believes the risks involved in using the creams justify the move.

The creams typically contain a drug called hydroquinone, a possible carcinogen also linked to a skin-disfiguring condition, the FDA said. While the actual risk of the drug is unknown, the agency said the products should be restricted to prescription use under medical supervision. An estimated 65 companies in the United States sell roughly 130 skin-bleaching products on the US market that contain hydroquinone, the FDA said. The FDA published the proposed rule Tuesday in the Federal Register and they will accept public comments through Dec. 26. It was not immediately clear when the rule could become permanent.
Not all skin lighteners contain hydroquinone. The FDA knows of 200 products containing hydroquinone in strengths from 0.4 percent to 5 percent, about two-thirds of which “appear to be marketed as OTC [over-the-counter] drugs,” says the FDA

Dermatologist, Dr. Mathew Avram, of Massachusetts General Hospital said, “I think the FDA is being a little protective here. I think they haven’t seen the data to show this is not a concern and therefore rather than take the risk that there is a problem with cancer, they are going to withdraw it from the over-the-counter market.” Dr. Avram said, “This medication is associated with a blue-black discoloration of the skin if it is used for prolonged periods of time.”
Susan Taylor, M.D., of Society Hill Dermatology in Philadelphia, and the Skin of Color Center in New York said, “I feel that hydroquinones are safe and effective treatment for pigmentary disorders, I feel comfortable recommending that my patients continue to use hydroquinones if they have a pigmentary disorder.”
“I think the evidence is quite weak with the link between hydroquinones and cancer,” Taylor tells WebMD. “Data on rats and mice cannot necessarily be extrapolated to human data.

Skin problems such as blemishes, freckles, sun or age spots are usually remedied with these skin lighteners. While most people in this country don’t use skin lighteners to lighten their skin color, that’s not the case in some countries, where lighteners have been over used with disastrous results. In some countries, skin lighteners have been over used with disastrous results. In fact, hydroquinone has been banned in some European countries, including Australia and Japan. Dr. Avram does use skin lighteners on some of his patients. He says it’s a good idea to see a doctor before using this product to make sure it agrees with you and that it’s being used.
In this country, skin lighteners sold over the counter can contain two percent hydroquinone. Prescription products can have four percent.
So if you’re thinking about using a skin lightening product, it’s a good idea to see a dermatologist first.