Is Arbutin safe during pregnancy?
Plant-derived relative of hydroquinone. A pregnancy skincare review lists it among ingredients to avoid; swaps: azelaic acid, vitamin C.
PregnancyNot recommended
BreastfeedingAsk your clinician
EvidenceLimited
What the sources say
Arbutin is hydroquinone bound to glucose, and a review notes caution is advised because hydroquinone may be released during product use. A 2025 review of skin care in pregnancy and breastfeeding lists arbutin among ingredients to avoid. No breastfeeding data were found, so ask your clinician; if used, keep it off the breast area.
Common alternatives
Also listed as
arctostaphylos uva ursi leaf extract, bearberry extract, beta-arbutin, hydroquinone beta-d-glucopyranoside, uva ursi extract
Sources
- NIH PubMed (peer-reviewed review): Photoprotection in pregnancy: addressing safety concerns and optimizing skin health (Front Med, 2025)
- NIH PubMed (peer-reviewed review): Arbutin as a Skin Depigmenting Agent with Antimelanogenic and Antioxidant Properties (Antioxidants, 2021)
Last reviewed . This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor or midwife about your own situation.