Will hydroquinone help with brown spots after IPL?

Dr. Irwin
April 12, 2012
i have had IPL done on my face and now i have dark spots. I am using hydroquinone. Will that help fade the spots?

Generally yes, the prescription 4% (USA) is more effective than the 2%.  Don’t go over the 4% without discussing with a dermatologist if you live overseas.   But the question is really more why did you get brown spots after IPL.  Usually the IPL is used to treat  brown spots!!  Please go back to your doctor and try to get an explanation of why this happened and how to prevent it in the future.  More information on IPL treatments.   Dr. I

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

Ask me your skincare question!

Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

  • All our content is written and researched by myself.
  • My medical office in Seattle has treated thousands of patients for 15+ years.
  • This site is not affiliated or financially tied to any product, treatment or device.
Ask Me Something
SkinTour Skincare
One of the best investments in your skin is your daily skincare. Why? Because you can prevent many problems with blotchy skin color, lack of glow, texture, some types of acne, and fine lines with good skincare products. You can also correct some of these problems with effective skincare products. Great skincare is often more expensive because quality ingredients are expensive. Some companies spend on research/development which benefits all of us and adds to the cost. Are they worth it? In general - yes! I have handpicked some of what I consider to be the best skin care products, and offer them for sale on SkinTour's shop. This is based on my team and I's testing and research at our clinic. Many of the products are in my own regimen. What could be better than using skin care products a dermatologist uses?!
Browse Shop