I don't know why I wait until the hyperpigmentation comes back to order this. I have been ordering about one bottle per year, and it lasts a little less than that, because I generally don't need to use it for a few months. This stuff works. Hyperpigmentation, melasma, these things will lighten gradually, but noticably with days. When if first receive it, I use it 3-4 times per day, rather than the manufacturer's recommended twice per day, and within four days, my face is peeling slightly, and very dry (I am normally quite oily). This discomfort is manageable with a moisturizer, and worth the visible lightening within one to two weeks. This contains 2% hydroquinone + kojic acid and azeliac acid. HQ + kojic acid have been clinically shown to work better together than either one separately (always look for peer-reviewed research by medical doctors). You MUST wear a UVA/UVB sunscreen with this product (just as you must after the fraxil laser treatments) or your hyper-pigmentation will return within days. My melasma looked like I put on a mask of too-dark foundation, from my upper lip to my jaw line, and the texture was almost leathery. With my last bottle, after using this product for about ten days, even my critical teen noticed that the contrast was considerably lessened and the leathery texture is gone (this is also a symptom of melasma). I do initially get a pinkish quality to my skin, but I don't mind since I am a bit olive-skinned. Once my skin gets used to it, it won't feel irritated and dry, and I will reduce my use to twice, and then once, per day.