Hydroquinone is used to lighten dark spots on the skin such as age spots, liver spots or freckles. However, Health Canada recommends that products for use on the skin that contain high concentrations of hydroquinone be used with caution and only under the supervision of a health care professional.

There are a number of risks associated with skin-lightening products that contain hydroquinone at concentrations greater than 2%.

These products may:

• cause severe skin redness, burning or stinging, dryness or cracking of the skin, blisters or oozing, or skin discolouration;
• cause cancer in laboratory animals, and potentially in humans; and,
• be harmful to the environment.