Ok, so I got impatient and purchased some neoprosone gel, cream and lotion. Guess what? The main ingredient in the cream is only2% hydroquinone, and the only lightening ingredient in the gel is arbutin. I've been using it on my arms for two weeks so far with no results. Maybe they changed their formula to be sold in US???

Hmmm... I see what you mean with the Hq type being sold in the U.S, most likely to pass easier through customs? I tried checking this out today and there now seem to be 1 exact brand, yet 2 different labels of ingredients. One containin 2% hydroquinone and arbutin. Arbutin is much weaker than alpha arbutin and possibly only a small percentage of arbutin included but enough to type on the label perhaps. And 2% hydroquinone hasn't been known to be really effective much and takes longer to work.

Their other type still having an online presence and containing swift lightening with their 2 commonly used active ingredients Betamethasone and Neomycin Sulphate, which are the steriods used.

I saw and neoprosone gel say arbutin and some say hydroquinone. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

on here I'm not sure if they have hydroquinone or steroids, or just arbutin as their active ingredient [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

It's because you brought the Neoprosone which doesn't contain the steroids. They had to make it over and remove the steroids, HOWEVER, secret places still sell it with the steroids. I brought the one with the steroids from a hair store. It is the only place in Miami with the steroid type LOL. I will post a picture of it to show you how it looks.

I would like to see the picture, remember be careful with any version of neoprosone. Did you have to buy it under the counter or was it just on the regular shelves?

LiteNYellow wrote:I would like to see the picture, remember be careful with any version of neoprosone. Did you have to buy it under the counter or was it just on the regular shelves?

It was on the regular shelf, but you know the steroid factor is not necessarily safe. This form of Neoprosone lightens quickly but the steroids are what scares people!

Funny as how you all should mention Neoprosone. My local beauty supply sells at least 4 different Neoprosone products. There a cream and gel that are both sold in a white/red box, a soap in a red/white box, and another cream I believe it is that is sold in a white/green box. This store still sells the one with the steroids.

This beauty supply has a whole isle of just different bleaching creams and such. Here bleaching products are openly displayed ( at LitenYellow). I have heard in the UK bleaching agents have to be purchased more discreetly because of a ban? Is that true.

From what I hear, hq is banned in the UK and other countries in Europe. I'm in the States and skin lighteners are also sold openly in the storesand beauty shops. One shop that I know of also has a row filled with different kinds. But, I rarely go down the aisle or I stay only briefly and pot to buy online when I can..lol.

Indigo wrote:

This beauty supply has a whole isle of just different bleaching creams and such. Here bleaching products are openly displayed ( at LitenYellow). I have heard in the UK bleaching agents have to be purchased more discreetly because of a ban? Is that true.

Yes like GG mentioned, HQ is banned in the UK, so any shops openly found selling it could face large fines, with persistant offenders also maybe facing imprisonment. Other than that, there are a whole host of lightening products freely availale and all lined up. It could send your head spinning with the choice. I guess this is when manufacturers get clever with how they word things and I am sure HQ is still there, but hidden. You can also ask for products with HQ and they are sometimes sold beneath the counter and again the stores could get in trouble if found out, but they know that there is still a very high demand for it.

Is it just hq banned or does it also include mercury and steroid bleaching products? I would think several of these shops are the same ones selling online or maybe also selling somewhere away from their shop in order not to get caugt as easily. I really do not see anything wrong with hq if it's used at a safe amount and taking other precautions.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Mercury and steroids are definitely on those shop shelves. You only have to consider Bio Claire and see that sellers are clever in trying to disguise what their products contain. It was a big thing to mention after the HQ ban, that BC was HQ free, when they still used it AND added steroids to make it lighten you, along with all the other problems we know of.

I agree as long as it is used correctly, HQ should not have been given this ban. I was actually going to write a thread along these lines but needed to find something out.

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Some sellers are really clever and giving creative names or some other type of name without saying really what it is. I also see some saying one thing is the main ingredient, but another ingredient that's hidden and probably dangerous is really the main ingredient. They did go too far banning hq. Can you still get it by prescription from a doctor Maharani?

I think if you seek help from a professional it can be obtained but then you would have to be under his/ he full supervision and it would probably not be the first thing they would suggest to you.


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And it would not cost you $3-5. I have seen some practitioners selling it for £30 under their supervision.

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I live in the us, california to be exact.
Which neosporin lightens skin the best?

You know I understand why most EU countries like the uk and france banned hq. They were worried because of possible links to cancer and what can happen if these products are abused. In reality none of these products are 100% safe, they are all chemicals not naturally found in the body. With that comes a risk factor and nobody knows how it may affect them. Now with all that in mind I think the ban is a bit too much. I believe a restriction on the amount would have been good enough. This way only doctors could prescribe in higher dosages such as 4% and if anything goes wrong negligence on the doctors side would be a definite factor; and the patients as well.

But don't you think it does not make sense that it is banned in one country, YET perfectly ok to be sold over the counter in another ?

That's why I say they should monitor it if their so worried. Just control the amount allowed to the general populace because there is always that one person who does not follow diretions. If you want a higher dosage you need to see a doctor, that seems like a happy medium to. It keeps scammers from selling mercuy laced chemicals to people but since it is banned the scammers come out.

You know after thinking about it, why are cigarettes (sp) legal which we know causes cancer but hq, which may or may not, is not? It does make you go hmm doesn't it

Alizee love wrote:I live in the us, california to be exact.
Which neosporin lightens skin the best?

I must have missed this question.
Well, Neosporin is just the ointment used for skin irritation, eczema, and dry skin and they do contain a little dose of steroid in order to help sooth irritated skin, which is fine to use. And is not used for skin lightening, this can be purchased in most general shopping stores.

Neoprosone is the actual skin bleaching product that can be found in beauty supply stores which uses high levels of steroids in order to lighten the skin.

Yeah, I recall Maharani posting the dangers of smoking and yet it is not banned along with photos. But, governments in many countries ban the use of hydroquinone...but to me this only allows for the black market to sell hq at very high percentages and also commonly laced with steroids, mercury, lead, etc since now governments has perhaps unknowingly opened pandora's box for some companies to lace their products with anything and just sneak it over.

I agree, the governments can just set a % of hq to be used in order for safely. 2% can't do much, 3% or even 3.5% hydroquinone strength can be used and instructions can go into further detail and suggest to customers to also exfoliate their skin and where sunblock during hq use. But, the governments know they can easily do this which makes you wonder what other motives do they have under their sleeve since they do not have an effective substitute for the same reasonable price.

Golden Girl wrote:

Alizee love wrote:I live in the us, california to be exact.
Which neosporin lightens skin the best?

I must have missed this question.
Well, Neosporin is just the ointment used for skin irritation, eczema, and dry skin and they do contain a little dose of steroid in order to help sooth irritated skin, which is fine to use. And is not used for skin lightening, this can be purchased in most general shopping stores.

Neoprosone is the actual skin bleaching product that can be found in beauty supply stores which uses high levels of steroids in order to lighten the skin.

Yeah that was a typo lol.

In regards to the bann, I'm not sure. I do believe these governments are looking out for the health of their citizens and don't have another motive.

To me these products that are sold under the counter make me wonder. Since they ar on the black market who is to say they don't put steroids or mercury and simply omit that from the ingredients list. I think citizens dying of kidney failure from prolonged exposure to mercury is more of a concern then a few people who abuse hq and destroy their own skins; not that I'm making light of them and their pain. This sort of reminds me of how "great" prohibition worked for the U.S in the roring 20s. It would be interesting to find a study showing the influx of scams since the banning of hq, which I would assume would increase th number of those who have ruined their skin using dangerous chemicals

But then why has the US deemed it as perfectly ok ? Aren't they concerned about the health of their citizens. I hear what you are saying Alizee love, but how can it be ok there but not here? I am trying to understand this but I just don't get it. To me it has meant that people have been left with either useless products or items that may be laced with who knows what, as companies disguise and hide what they actually contain. This to me, is an even worse situation. I would rather know that I am using HQ or whatever else, than be applying it unwittingly.

I agree maharani. That's why I say if they are so worried limit the amount sold to the public and require a doctors prescription for any amount greater then what is generally allowed for public use.

In regards to why the FDA isn't as mich on it, I really don't know. I must say the us government has not always been on the up and up when it comes to safety standards. Just look at the food industry and all the hormones the animals are filled with. I mean in the 70's McDonalds was using nondiseased meat from diseased cows and the food and drug administration did nothing for a number of years. The only reason I can really the UK banning hq might be because it is known people use it to lighten slin and maybe people find it too muchof a taboo? I really don't know

Somethings just don't make sense to me.

regarding the raging hormonal cows
some cows with high levels of hormones can not only be passed by the FDA but labeled as organic, on top of that theirs genetic engineering which is not a drug so the FDA have less control things like that.

as for drugs it's hard to prove how dangerous it is in humans, anytime you hear about something causing cancer, these were cancerous cells found in mice after long time exposure in high doses. mice, fruit flies and monkeys is the closet we can get to human testing but these animals are not the same, this causes doubt that the effects would mirror in humans.

also we don't uses these drugs in high doses for long periods of time, so if HQ was to cause cancer you would not get it until 20+ years. drugs like cigarettes smoke causes cancer but its not unusual not to develop cancer until 40 years later. and in creams with percentages as low as 2% or less one can argue that your absorbing so little of it that the effects are innocuous. and whose to say that in that 20+ years you developed cancer that it did not come from somewhere else.

an example of this is steroids, to gain muscle you take high doses for a short period of time, the negative effects of the steroids for muscles growth is obvious and will be banned by the FDA. as for creams with steroids in them and in low doses,negative effects are small and take time whose to say what caused what. places like the U.S want indisputable evidence of it's danger. while other countries will ban things based off speculation.

i'm not condoning steroid based creams but this should give you a better understanding on why things are and aren't banned the U.S compared to other countries.


woo... that was a lot

Thanks yes___ I mean no.
It sounds like its basically in the us the government demands nondisputable evidence but in many EU countries suspicion is all they need