Women who normally want to lighten or tone their skin or remove acne scars, freckles or age spots consider using skin lightening products to do so.However, over the counter and prescription bleaching creams normally come with side effects that could range from mild discomfort to severe illness.

It is always better to talk to a dermatologist to determine whether bleaching is an option to you, and ensure that the product you choose to use is completely safe for you. Bleaching normally comes with side effects that include the following:Skin discoloration. In the conducted further studies in 2010 to determine the safety of hydroquinone by the US Food and Drug Administration, they found out that hydroquinone causes skin discoloration to someone who uses it for sometime.The New Zealand Dermatological Society states that prolonged skin bleaching with hydroquinone can cause a condition called Exogenous Ochronosis, where the skin turns black.Skin irritation. The New Zealand Dermatological Society also states that hydroquinone, which is a topical treatment used to lighten dark areas of the skin most often on the face, could bring about irritation of the skin. Drugs.com states that if you have allergies to hydroquinone, use of the product can cause difficulties in breathing.According to a Boston Globe report, people who use lightening creams increase the mercury levels in their bodies to harmful levels resulting in mercury poisoning. It is said that women who take in a lot of mercury when pregnant can do massive damage to their unborn babies such as issues with memory, coordination, and language skills. Mercury poisoning can damage the nervous systems, kidney and digestive organs too.