Can I get it?
Yes, if a doctor decides it is right for you. Hydroquinone 4% is authorised in the EU and can be prescribed after a medical review.
Hydroquinone 4% · StockholmPrescription only
Online medical consultation for Hydroquinone 4% in Stockholm.
An EU-licensed doctor reviews your case and, if eligible, issues an electronic prescription valid in any pharmacy in Sweden. Consultation €35, refunded if the doctor decides it is not safe to prescribe.
- Applied only to the patches, never the whole face
- 60 to 90-day supervised course, never more than 6 months
- Daily SPF 50+ is part of the treatment
Start consultationStart consultation · €35
Full refund if a review is not approved · Medication, if prescribed, is dispensed and paid for separately at a pharmacy.
IN PLAIN TERMS
What Hydroquinone 4% is, and how to get treatment
Hydroquinone 4% is used in weight management. Whether it suits you depends on your medical history, your other medicines and your goals — which is exactly what a consultation is for.
Hydroquinone 4% is an authorised medicine in the EU, so a licensed doctor can prescribe it when it is clinically appropriate for you.
What can I take instead?
Our doctors review every Dermatology option and recommend what fits your history and goals.
See all Dermatology optionsWhat do the studies show?
Every trial behind Hydroquinone 4% is listed below with how many people took part and whether the results are peer-reviewed or a company announcement.
Jump to the studiesLocal consultation facts
Can I get Hydroquinone 4% in Stockholm?
Yes. People in Stockholm, Sweden, can request an online doctor consultation about Hydroquinone 4% with Hi-Doctor. A licensed EU doctor reviews the case and issues a prescription only when clinically appropriate. If approved, the EU prescription arrives as a PDF for a pharmacist in Sweden, who dispenses the locally marketed equivalent containing Hydroquinone.
Availability
Hydroquinone 4% is available to residents of Sweden through the online consultation. A prescription follows only if the doctor approves it.
- Country
- Sweden
- Language of service
- Spanish and English
- Prescription turnaround
- In less than 4 hours on average, only if the doctor approves
- Honoured locally
- PDF honoured locally for an equivalent containing Hydroquinone
How the EU prescription works where you are: In Sweden, show the approved prescription PDF to a pharmacist. They honour it under EU cross-border rules and dispense the locally marketed equivalent containing Hydroquinone.
VERIFIED EVIDENCE
Hydroquinone 4%: evidence and regulatory guide.
WHAT IT IS
How it works
A tyrosinase inhibitor that reduces the formation of new melanin in treated skin, so pigmented patches fade gradually as skin turns over.
DEVELOPMENT STAGE
EU-authorised medicine
Trial register2 registered trials
Every NCT identifier links to its ClinicalTrials.gov record. A readout is not the same as peer-reviewed publication.
| TRIAL / NCT | POPULATION | PARTICIPANTS | STATUS | READOUT / COMPLETION |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navarrete-Solís 2011 (niacinamide 4% vs hydroquinone 4%, split-face) | Adults with melasma, 8 weeks, double-blind | 27 | Read out | 2011 |
| Monteiro 2013 (hydroquinone 4% vs kojic acid 0.75%) | Adults with facial melasma, 12 weeks | — | Read out | 2013 |
What the studies reported
Results are grouped by source and evidence grade so journal data and manufacturer announcements cannot be confused.
Peer-reviewed
Navarrete-Solís J et al. Dermatol Res Pract 2011;2011:379173 · DOI: 10.1155/2011/379173| DOSE OR GROUP | MEAN WEIGHT CHANGE | WEEKS |
|---|---|---|
| Hydroquinone 4% cream | 55% good to excellent improvement | 8 |
| Niacinamide 4% cream | 44% good to excellent improvement | 8 |
A small split-face study of 27 patients; colorimetric measures did not differ between sides. Hydroquinone's authorisation rests on decades of use rather than a modern pivotal trial.
Regulatory document
AEMPS-CIMA · HQUIN 40 mg/g cream and Licoforte 40 mg/g gel SmPCs, sections 4.1, 4.2 and 4.4| DOSE OR GROUP | MEAN WEIGHT CHANGE | WEEKS |
|---|---|---|
| 4% once daily for 10-15 days, then twice daily | Recommended course 60-90 days; stop if no improvement at 2 months; never more than 6 months continuously | — |
Regulatory posology, not a trial result. Depigmentation is gradual and temporary; it can be maintained for some months after the course if sun exposure is controlled.
NAMED SAFETY SIGNALS
What has been reported with Hydroquinone 4%.
Exogenous ochronosis
Blue-black darkening of treated skin with prolonged hydroquinone use. The SmPC advises stopping if hyperpigmentation appears and does not resolve within a week, and limits continuous use to 6 months.
Local irritation and halo hypopigmentation
Burning, redness and dryness are common early; lightening of surrounding skin occurs if the product spreads beyond the patch.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Not recommended; no adequate safety data. Melasma of pregnancy is managed with sun protection and reviewed after delivery.
Sulfite excipients
The gel contains sodium sulfite and metabisulfite, which can rarely cause allergic-type reactions in susceptible people.
FormTopical cream or gel
FrequencyOnce, then twice a day
ResultsGradual, 60-90-day course
StatusPrescription only
About
What is Hydroquinone 4%?
Active ingredient: Hydroquinone · Dosages: 4%, once daily then twice daily
Hydroquinone is a prescription-only depigmenting agent. In the EU the 4% cream and gel are authorised for melasma, chloasma, lentigines and freckles. It slows the formation of new melanin, so its effect is gradual and reversible: pigment returns if sun exposure resumes.
The cream is the standard base; the gel adds glycolic acid in an alcohol vehicle, which some prescribers prefer for resistant patches on oilier skin. A licensed doctor confirms the pattern of pigmentation, sets the course length and reviews at 2 months.
How it works in the body
Hydroquinone inhibits tyrosinase, the enzyme melanocytes use to make melanin, so newly formed skin carries less pigment. Existing pigment is shed gradually with normal skin turnover, which is why fading takes weeks and why sun protection is essential to stop new pigment forming.
How it helps
How it fades patches.
Blocks new pigment
Inhibits tyrosinase so the treated skin makes less melanin.
Targeted use
Applied to the patches only, which limits lightening of surrounding skin.
Time-limited by design
Planned courses with breaks protect against long-term side effects.
What to expect
A supervised 60 to 90-day course.
Patch-test on the inner forearm for 24 hours first. Apply a thin layer to the patches once a day for 10 to 15 days, then twice a day if tolerated. Broad-spectrum SPF 50+ every day, reapplied outdoors, throughout and afterwards.
- Days 1-15 · Once daily to the patches; watch for irritation
- Weeks 3-8 · Twice daily if tolerated; fading begins
- Month 2 · Photo review; stop if no improvement
- Days 60-90 · Complete the course, then a planned break
Doses your doctor can prescribe
- CreamHydroquinone 4%, 30 g
- Gel (with glycolic acid)Hydroquinone 4%, 30 g
Your schedule is personal
These are typical steps only. Your doctor adjusts the plan to how you respond and tolerate it — and you can message them at any point.
Safety first
Safety, in full.
Hydroquinone 4% is an effective medicine — and like any medicine it carries risks. Your doctor screens for all of this before prescribing. Here's the honest picture, not just reassurance.
Applied sparingly to dark patches only, together with strict daily sun protection.
- Use only as prescribed on the affected skin.
- Follow the treatment plan and review schedule your doctor gives you.
Who should not use it
- Allergy to hydroquinone or any ingredient in the preparation.
- Pregnancy, broken skin or previous ochronosis.
When to seek urgent care
For severe, sudden or unexpected symptoms, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department. Then let your doctor know through your account chat.
PRICING
You only pay if treatment is approved.
€25/month for weight loss or €15/month (billed €45 every 90 days) for hair growth. €35 one-off is available for sexual health.
Weight loss
ONGOING PLAN
€25/month
Billed €25 every 28 days · cancel anytime
28-day treatment cycle
For ongoing treatment and doctor-reviewed renewals.
Renewals reviewed by your doctor
Start consultation
Full refund if a review is not approved
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- First consultation included
- Renewals reviewed by your doctor
- Ongoing care with your doctor
- Cancel anytime
Hair growth
ONGOING PLAN
€15/month
Billed €45 every 90 days · cancel anytime
For ongoing treatment and doctor-reviewed renewals.
Lowest monthly price we offer
Start consultation
Full refund if a review is not approved
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- First consultation included
- Renewals reviewed by your doctor
- Ongoing care with your doctor
- Cancel anytime
Sexual health
ONE-OFF
€35 one-off
One consultation, one doctor, one decision.
Nothing stored publicly, ever
Start consultation
Full refund if a review is not approved
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Consultation reviewed by an EU-licensed doctor
- Electronic prescription if approved
- Full refund if not approved
Full refund if a review is not approved
For a one-off consultation, we refund the €35 consultation fee. For a subscription review, we refund that period's fee and cancel the plan.
Note: The medication, if the doctor prescribes it, is paid separately at the pharmacy at the price it sets. Hi-Doctor does not sell medications.
HOW THE DOCTOR DECIDES
A licensed doctor reviews your case, not an algorithm
An EU-licensed doctor reads your questionnaire and answers in less than 2 hours on average.
If the doctor decides it is not safe to prescribe, the consultation fee is refunded in full.
Follow-up happens in the private chat inside your account, under GDPR. No WhatsApp, no SMS.
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Find out if it's right for you
See if Hydroquinone 4% is appropriate for you.
Answer a few questions and a licensed EU doctor reviews your case in less than 2 hours on average. Refunded in full if it's not right for you.