Consumers Clamor for Hydroquinone-free

Age spots and UV damage have Americans searching for skin lighteners, but they're looking for something other than that old standby, hydroquinone. In fact, hyydroquinone-free products are among the most dynamic performers in the US professional skin care market in 2014, according to a new study from Kline & Company.

The global market research and management consulting firm notes that while hydroquinone (HQ) has been the gold standard ingredient in the physician dispense arena for the treatment of hyperpigmentation, this ingredient is surrounded with controversy due to some of its reported side effects. Europe has banned HQ in concentrations greater than 1% and in the US it has been banned from five states, including New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Montana and Texas. As a result, brightening products featuring alternatives to HQ were on the rise in 2014.

According to Kline Dr. Zein Obagi and his ZO Skin Health company is leading the pack of HQ-free products with its C-Bright 10% Vitamin C Serum, BrightAlive Non-Retinol Skin Brightener, and most recently Brightamax – a full body treatment. Joining the HQ-free movement, SkinMedica’s Lytera Skin Brightening Complex is responsible for some of the impressive sales gains the brand saw this year. Other prominent non-HQ products are Eminence Organics’ Bright Skin line, Neocutis’ Nouvelle + Retinol correction cream, and Jan Marini’s Age Intervention line including Enlighten MD and Enlighten Plus.

“Baby boomers are faced with hyperpigmentation issues caused by a variety of factors,” said  Karen Doskow, director, consumer products practice at Kline. “This is resulting in an increased demand for skin-lightening or brightening topical products, as well as in-office laser and intense pulsed light treatments.”

According to Kline’s report, sales for products addressing hyperpigmentation account for nearly one-quarter of total take-home product sales and grow faster than any other concern, including acne and aging, among others. Medical care providers are the main channel for hyperpigmentation products, accounting for over 70% of the total sales. The same channel also shows the most promise and is poised to become the leading distribution channel of professional skin care products, overtaking the spas and salons channel by 2019.

The report, Professional Skin Care: U.S. Market Analysis and Opportunities, is said to provide a comprehensive assessment of the US professional skin care market, focusing on market size, growth, new product launches, key changes and competitive landscape. The analysis of Europe and China from the Global Professional Skin Care Series are being published later this year.