What to avoid while 
using Tri-Luma® Cream

You should avoid sunlight and ultraviolet light. Tri-Luma® Cream (fluocinolone acetonide 0.01%, hydroquinone 4%, tretinoin 0.05%) can make your skin more likely to get sunburned or develop other unwanted effects from natural or artificial sunlight (as from a sunlamp or tanning bed). Dark skin patches may also become darker when your skin is exposed to sunlight. Any level of sun exposure can contribute to or trigger melasma—you don’t have to be sunburned to make your melasma worse. 

It is important to protect your skin from the sun to help prevent further darkening of existing dark patches and the formation of new ones. 

Staying out of the sun is especially important for women who take birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy, and for people who have had dark patches in the past. 

Follow these guidelines regarding sun exposure when using Tri-Luma® Cream:

  • Use an effective sunscreen any time you are outside, even on hazy days. The sunscreen should have an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 or more. Use sunscreen year-round on areas of the skin that are regularly exposed to sunlight, such as your face and hands. If possible, protect the treated area from sunlight exposure.
  • If you spend a lot of time outside, be especially careful of sunlight. Ask your doctor what SPF level will give you the needed high level of protection. If you will be outside, wear protective clothing, including a hat.
  • Do not use sunlamps or any artificial source of sunlight (such as tanning beds) while you use Tri-Luma® Cream.

Skin treated with Tri-Luma® Cream may be more likely to react to heat and cold than untreated skin. Your doctor can recommend ways to manage your melasma under these conditions. 

While using Tri-Luma® Cream, you should avoid products that may dry or irritate your skin. These may include soaps and cleansers that are rough or cause dryness; certain astringents, such as alcohol-containing products, soaps and toiletries containing alcohol, spices, or lime; or certain medicated soaps, shampoos, and hair permanent products. 

Do not use any other medicines with Tri-Luma® Cream unless you have consulted your doctor. The medicines and products you have used in the past may cause redness or peeling when used with Tri-Luma® Cream.

Take the melasma check test