OpenClaim

Hydroquinone Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of hydroquinone include erythema, condition aggravated, and skin burning sensation, based on 1,132 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 14.2% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Hydroquinone side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for hydroquinone.

1
Erythema15.0%170
2
Drug Ineffective14.2%161
3
Condition Aggravated8.9%101
4
Skin Burning Sensation8.5%96
5
Pruritus7.4%84
6
Skin Exfoliation6.6%75
7
Product Use In Unapproved Indication6.5%74
8
Dry Skin5.3%60
9
Product Use Issue5.1%58
10
Rash4.9%56
11
Skin Irritation4.6%52
12
Intentional Product Use Issue4.6%52
13
Skin Hyperpigmentation4.4%50
14
Off Label Use4.2%48
15
Intentional Product Misuse4.2%48

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that hydroquinone caused these reactions.

Report severity

36.2%Serious410 reports
11.0%Hospitalizations124 reports
1.9%Fatal21 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Hydroquinone drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside hydroquinone. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Tretinoin45.3%513
2
Fluocinolone-acetonide43.4%491
3
Clobetasol-propionate4.6%52
4
Sodium-oxybate4.1%46
5
Dupilumab3.7%42
6
Ethinyl-estradiol2.1%24
7
Drospirenone2.0%23
8
Adalimumab1.7%19
9
Lenalidomide1.4%16
10
Esomeprazole1.4%16
11
Apremilast1.2%14
12
Tacrolimus1.1%13
13
Tenofovir1.1%13
14
Omeprazole1.1%13
15
Etanercept1.1%12

Taken alongside

1
Ergocalciferol11.6%131
2
Acetaminophen11.2%127
3
Tretinoin10.2%115
4
Prednisone8.0%91
5
Fluticasone8.0%91
6
Levothyroxine-sodium8.0%91
7
Albuterol7.2%81
8
Gabapentin6.6%75
9
Amlodipine6.5%74
10
Aspirin6.4%73
11
Calcium6.3%71
12
Omeprazole6.2%70
13
Ibuprofen6.1%69
14
Lisinopril5.9%67
15
Atorvastatin-calcium5.6%63

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports hydroquinone side effects

78.2% of hydroquinone adverse event reports involve female patients and 10.2% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 80%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female78.2%
Male10.2%
Unknown11.7%

Age group

< 20.0%
2–110.1%
12–170.7%
18–6479.9%
65+19.3%

What is hydroquinone used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking hydroquinone when the adverse event was reported.

Acanthosis NigricansAcneAcneApplication Site DiscolourationArthritisBlood PressureChemical InjuryChloasmaCutaneous Lupus ErythematosusCardiac DisorderChemical Peel Of SkinChloasmaDark Circles Under EyesDrug Use For Unknown IndicationDry Skin

Showing 15 of 95 indications

Hydroquinone brand names and reporting trend

Hydroquinone is sold under the brand name Tri-luma.

Brand names

Tri-luma634

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking hydroquinone with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.