3 months on Hydroquinone (John Plunkett's Superfade Cream)
Hello everyone,
This post is intended as a review of my experience with hydroquinone 2% for dark spots, for anyone interested in trying it themselves.
- I am 37 and male. My melanin distribution is a Fitzpatrick 2 or 3, where I can tan but mostly burn.
- I have been using sunscreen daily since I turned 30, but the last few years I have noticed some sun spots developing on my cheeks. This may be due to not re-applying sunscreen throughout the day.
- I used John Plunkett's Superfade Cream ($30 for 40mL) twice daily for exactly 3 months. This is an over the counter option we have here in Australia, not a prescription version. I am not affiliated with the brand, it's just what was available at the chemist. You are supposed to take a break after 3 months of use.
- The product was quite harsh for me, and I noticed an increase in redness and small acne marks over the course of treatment. It is very occlusive and contains some petrolatum, I believe this is what my skin didn't like so much.
- Sorry for the low quality images, but I estimate that I saw a 30% reduction in pigment after I'd finished the three months. The sun spots are still there, but have lightened a modest amount. I also believe I saw a modest improvement in texture as the cream contains 1.5% Salicylic Acid.
I am happy with the reduction in pigment but could frankly do without the redness or acne marks. I wasn't expecting them to disappear in three months but the trade-off in other skin concerns wasn't quite worth it for me.
Next, I will try returning to Adapalene and will layer it with 5% tranexamic acid cream (Celimax) as I have heard the combination of retinol and tranexamic acid can yield similar results to hydroquinone. If I don't see results, I will try laser.
Thank you!
