hydroquinone compounding cream for melasma

[Anonymous]

derm gave me 2 prescriptions to a compounding pharmacy and i filled this first one containing:
8% hydroquinone/0.1% tretinoin/1% kojic acid/4% niacinamide/0.025% fluocinolone

it cleared up a lot of melasma/sun damage (but not all) in the first 6 weeks. because it has hydroquinone, i was told to use it nightly for only 6 weeks and stay off it for 6 weeks while using the 2nd prescription. i did not fill the 2nd compounding cream (8% tranexamic acid/10% azelaic/2% niacinamide) because i have regular 0.05% tazoratene and also azelaic 15% i alternate.

does it matter i am not using the tranexamic compound - did any one here have better results by alternating that in?

any one here using this hydroquinone compounding cream indefinitely (on and off every 6 weeks)? i was warned melasma will return even with good sunscreen and avoiding sun.

[Anonymous]

I thought Melasma was hormone induced? Anyway lasers are what you need. Those creams won't really do anything until you get some laser treatment first.

[Anonymous]

That’s a lot of chemistry for something my grandma used to fix with lemon juice, baking soda, and staying out of the noon sun. At this point your face probably qualifies as a controlled lab environment. Careful you don’t accidentally discover a new element before the melasma comes back anyway.

[Anonymous]

Lasers are mostly harmful for melasma because of the heat. I have a similar cream, OP. I am taking it one course at a time. I’m hopeful it will stay away between the times I’m using the cream, but melasma is very hard to treat!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought Melasma was hormone induced? Anyway lasers are what you need. Those creams won't really do anything until you get some laser treatment first.

I had pretty bad melasma, and the cream my derm gave me from skinmedicinals definitely worked very well. I do have to wear spf 46 all the time now

[Anonymous]

yes i did laser first! thanks to the most recent posters!

my cream is also from skin medicinals. did you most recent posters alternate with tranexamic acid and find that was worth it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That’s a lot of chemistry for something my grandma used to fix with lemon juice, baking soda, and staying out of the noon sun. At this point your face probably qualifies as a controlled lab environment. Careful you don’t accidentally discover a new element before the melasma comes back anyway.

NP. Could you describe this - quantities/ratio and how to use? TIA!

[Anonymous]

This product is great for melasma. https://90e1a2-3d.myshopify.com/products/cc-brightening-pads
It's 4% arbutase. You don't have to cycle off (though the instructions suggest cycling off for one month after 6 months). There are more detailed reviews for it on other melanoma skincare forums if you search around.

[Anonymous]

My mom had a lot of melasma and the cream her derm gave her worked very well. She uses SPF46 religiously and it hasn’t returned years later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That’s a lot of chemistry for something my grandma used to fix with lemon juice, baking soda, and staying out of the noon sun. At this point your face probably qualifies as a controlled lab environment. Careful you don’t accidentally discover a new element before the melasma comes back anyway.

Perhaps grandma could have used a chemistry lesson -- mixing an acid (lemon juice), with a base (baking soda), creates a neutral solution which does nothing to erase melasma. She was right about avoiding the sun, though!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s a lot of chemistry for something my grandma used to fix with lemon juice, baking soda, and staying out of the noon sun. At this point your face probably qualifies as a controlled lab environment. Careful you don’t accidentally discover a new element before the melasma comes back anyway.

NP. Could you describe this - quantities/ratio and how to use? TIA!

Save yourself the trouble. It’s an old wives tale and does nothing.

[Anonymous]

stop responding to the dumb troll above - the question is about tranexamic acid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mom had a lot of melasma and the cream her derm gave her worked very well. She uses SPF46 religiously and it hasn’t returned years later.

So what was the cream?

[Anonymous]

I just ordered the spot treatment from Musely. The Facebook ads wore me down!

[Anonymous]

What derm are you seeing OP? I need this regimen.