Melasma (hydroquinone) help

[lil720]

2 years ago I was referred to  the dermatology department at the hospital by my GP due to dark pigment appearing on my forehead the sides of my nose and my lip within the space of a very short time !! I was given blood tests and I am not and never had been on the pill! The hospital gave me a long term prescription of  hydroquinone 4%  for melasma! of which I have used every night for 2 years! Today I put a request of a repeat prescription and the chemist informed me that this cream has been discontinued, so I returned to my GP who said there is not a alternative to this cream  and I need to wait for a derm appointment at the hospital again which will take a while! What can I do whilst im waiting for my appointment short from covering my face in factor 85 which  I do anyways I am worried it is going to spread even more and after reading worrying things about hydroquinone today, it is a worry that I have been using it for so long and now having to stop does it mean that im even more hypersensitive to the sun, and my condition is going to worsen anyway's. I really don't know what to! this condition is so frustrating even more so as after waiting so long for the cream to start to take effect and the dark spots have faded so much in the past few months!
Sorry post is so long but my GP was not much help at all!  
is anyone else in the same boat? Is there really no alternative to this cream?? or if anyone has any other home remedies that may help!!
Thanks for reading!! I appreciate any advice

[lil720]

Just a quick update! I have seen my doctor and she is having trouble tracking down my dermatologist at the hospital! so she has prescribed me Skinoren Azelaic Acid cream to trail, she did state it is the first time the surgery has prescribed this for pigmentation! she said its normally used for acne so its was totally up to me if I wanted to try it, I am willing to give anything a go at this point in time whist waiting for a hospital appointment.
Has anyone else used this cream for Melasma? if so what were the results.  

[lil720]

Thank you for your help!  I will discuss these options when I get my appointment. Has the Hydroquinone 4% cream been banned in the UK? As this was kind of fading it and I have a small bit in my tube left but if it is harmful to me I would rather not finish it off?

I am Caucasian have very dark hair but my complexion is is not really that dark but I tan very quickly I always have even with cream!!   But at the time I first noticed it appear on my forehead my brother was critically ill on life support is it possible that stress can effect to trigger this condition?   and at the same time I had just given up smoking after 15 years!

Thanks again for your advice!

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Melasma is odten caused by hormonal changes, which stimulate a temporary increase in your body's production of melanin.People with darker complexions are more prone to this condition than people with lighter skin.

Treatment options include treatment with vitamin C and hydrocortisone, peel with carbon dioxide snow and alexandrite and ND-Yag Q-Switched laser treatment preceded by a hydroquinone-based application.Pls discuss these options with your dermatologist.Out of all these laser treatment is the best and most long lasting.

Hope it helps. Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing if you have any additional queries.