What is Hydroquinone?
It might surprise you to know that hydroquinone is an antioxidant polyphenol—a naturally occurring chemical compound found in a wide variety of plants we use for foods and food products, like wheat, berries, tea, and coffee.1 Occurring naturally in some insects as well (like millipedes), it is generally part of a defensive chemical secretion.2 In addition to hydroquinone’s medical and cosmetic uses, it is used in many industrial applications, like photography, manufacturing, and agricultural products as a reducing agent, antioxidant, and
News
-
Simone Biles Opened Up About Her Lower Bleph Surgery—Here’s What to Know Before Considering It
Self 14 Nov 2025 | 7:38 pmIt’s surprisingly popular, for starters. Read more...
-
What Dating After Divorce Is Really Like, According to Real Women
Self 14 Nov 2025 | 8:18 pm“I’m doing this for fun—not the One.” Read more...
-
10 Science-Backed Reasons Life Is Better When You're Tall
Wellness 13 Apr 2024 | 7:00 amGo on, tower over everyone with pride. Read more...
-
If Your Poop Looks Like This, It's Time To See A Doctor
Wellness 14 Apr 2024 | 7:00 amExperts explain what types of stools aren't normal and how to tell if something unusual could be a sign of a more serious problem. Read more...
-
Ultraprocessed Foods May Be Fueling the Rise of Colorectal Cancer in Young Women—Here’s How to Lower Your Risk
Self 14 Nov 2025 | 8:17 pmDiet is just one piece of the puzzle. Read more...
- Ebanks, Jody P., Wickett, R. Randall and Boissy, Raymond E. Mechanisms Regulating Skin Pigmentation: The Rise and Fall of Complexion Coloration. MDPI Publishing: International Journal of Molecular Sciences. [Online] September 15, 2009. http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/10/9/4066/pdf. DOI 10.3390/ijms10094066.
- S. Auerbach, Paul. Wilderness Medicine. Philadelphia, PA : Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc., 2007. ISBN: 978-0-323-03228-5.
- United Nations Environment Programme World Health Organization. Hydroquinone: Health and Safety Guide No. 101. IPCS International Programme on Chemical Safety. [Online] 1996. http://www.inchem.org/documents/hsg/hsg/hsg101.htm#SectionNumber:2.5.
to oxidant molecules. In a broad sense,
this is similar to the antioxidant mechanism
of neutralizing unstable free radicals.
NEWTON educational program, polymerization inhibitors
bind with unstable molecules in many chemical
products to prevent detrimental chain reactions.

