It turns out this kind of hydroquinone discussions are actually Philippines-specific:

“…  Thousands of Filipino women are exposing themselves to the dangers of severe skin disorders and possibly even cancer through their desire to have paler skin. Skin whitening or lightening products are extremely popular in the Philippines, where pale skin is synonomous with beauty and high social status. “These products are very popular here. I’d say they come next to toothpaste on any young Filipina’s essentials list”, says dermatologist Victoria Dizon…Many of these cosmetics contain hydroquinone, ..”

That was from the Lancet n 1998. Here’s something from the BMJ back in 1992:

“…  As Schulz and and Sher pointed out, the amount of hydroquinone absorbed into the skin depends on the frequency and duration of the application, which are beyond the control of the chemist. This is why dermatologists have always regarded the safety of even the lowest concentrations of hydroquinone as doubtful…“

See the pdf files here and here.
posted by Paul “The Pageman” Pajo