I have a cream reaction

After using a skin lightening cream which gave me a very bad experience, I decided to stop using the cream. Unfortunately, the reaction which consisted of my skin going through different shades of colours, has refused to stop. I will appreciate your kind advice on what to do about this.

Olufunke (by SMS)

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Many skin lightening creams contain toxic chemicals that can cause serious side effects. Mercury compounds have been used in skin lightening creams for many years, and excessive use has been linked to brain and kidney problems. Hydroquinone, another common ingredient, can cause many side effects, including dermatitis (skin irritation), cataracts and blue-black skin discolouration. It may sometimes cause an offensive fish odour in the user. Worse still, the steroids in these creams can act like cortisol, a hormone made by the body to deal with stress. Too much cortisol can cause a myriad of problems, including swelling of the face and abdomen, weight gain, thin skin that bruises easily as well as stretch marks. Sometimes the skin can even become “addicted” to the creams (in the form of a withdrawal rash), making it very difficult to stop using them. The solution to this kind of ‘cream reaction’ is for you to avoid a sudden cessation in your use of the cream. As in the use of steroids, a gradual reduction in the use of the cream until a final cessation is achieved is advised.