1 Does Mequinol give patches? Answer with supported studies Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:28 am
sara
Novice
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There seem to be so many contradictions about Mequinol in forums, most of tem not based on science, just claims. In some cases, people lie just to make a point or don’t want to admit that they are wrong.
I don’t claim to know everything about MQ but what I know it is another alternative to monobenzone as depigmenting agent, although a weak one.
· ''Mequinol (hydroquinone monomethyl ether, 4-hydroxyanisole, para-hydroxymethoxybenzene), another derivative of hydroquinone, is enzymatically oxidized by tyrosinase to produce melanocytotoxic quinones. The formation of quinones results in pigment cell destruction and skin depigmentation.''
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· The way Mequinol works is like monobenzone, if you read any definition for Mequinol in dermatology books or journal you will realise that Mequinol works in similar fashion to monobenzone, it will not stay local to the applied area, it works like mono at slower rate, in the link below page 402 it talks about the confetti like hypopigmentation similar to the one produced by mono.
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· The action of Mequinol is not fully understood. It has been approved for the treatment of solar lentigines at 2-4% strength Even on those 2% use, Hypopigmentation was observed on 1% of the patients, although it is concluded to be a safe option at that range.
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· If it was safe at high strength, and can be localised they will be studies to test this. The reason I post this, because so many people who want to try Mequinol do so believing it is only effect the area applied to, and safer than monobenzone.Only low range of Mequinol with retin a used (Solage), because there was a high risk of systemic exposure ‘’ The safety of mequinol in this combination formulation is supported by the low systemic exposures of the subjects in this study compared with the systemic exposures at the highest doses in the dermal toxicity studies in mice (16.6-fold) and rats (34.6-fold)’’ [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
· When people hear monobenzone, they think of patches which deter them of using it but not similar information is available on MQ, because simply it has not been tested that much apart from solage. There are no long term studies for its lightening purposes.
· Even its depigmenting ability not greatly tested, the only study was done on "vitiligo universalis" (i.e., patients with more than 70% depigmentation of the total body surface)and only used in small parts as ruby laser also was used on other parts of the skin. In that study the pigment was returned for some patients, ‘’However, even after total depigmentation has been achieved, patients should be warned that perifollicularr repigmentation may occur, especially on sun-exposed areas. A randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm these findings’’.
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