Before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required the recall of hydroquinone-based products, it is the most common skin lightening ingredient. In the quest for new skin lightening products, people are turning their heads on mequinol. Little is known about mequinol but it is equally effective like hydroquinone. The FDA has also approved the combination of tretinoin and mequinol in treating various skin conditions like solar lentigines or what we commonly refer to as liver spots or age spots. Other skin conditions that mequinol and tretinoin combination may treat are acne scars, melasma and hyperpigmentation.

Mequinol works in as short as four weeks in treating the skin condition. It was proven through a study published in Skin and Allergy News that mequinol is very effective in treating post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This condition is usually caused by various distresses to the skin like injury, becoming inflamed in the process. Mequinol is not also skin type dependent. This means that mequinol can be used by all people even Asians, Hispanics and African Americans.

The America Chemistry Council tested mequinol and they proved that the use of mequinol is non-threatening. FDA, however, ruled out that the combination of mequinol and tretinoin is pregnant C plus which means that pregnant women should stay away from using products that contain the combination of mequinol and tretinoin. Other medical practitioners claim that you have to take birth control pills if you are going to use lotions or creams that contain these substances.

Like other skin care creams, mequinol may cause slight side effects like reddening, burning, peeling, stinging and itching. Excessive use of mequinol can also irritate the skin. You have to be extra careful of the drying effect of mequinol. Supplement the use of mequinol with an effective moisturizer to address such an effect. Of course, you must avoid sun exposure as much as possible.