Whether you were born with freckles or develop them after a day under the sun, chances are — especially if you’re reading this article — you’re looking for ways to remove these spots, or at least get them to fade somehow.
If you want to bid adieu to your freckles, know that it’s doable. But it may not be the results you’re thinking of right now.
Keep reading to learn more about freckles, including what they are, why they happen and how you can switch up your skincare routine to fade these stubborn freckles.
What are Freckles?
First things first, what are freckles?
The Cleveland Clinic describes them as small brown spots usually found on your arms and your face. Simply put, they are just small areas of pigmentation of your skin. Unlike moles, these small and dark patches are completely flat. Freckles are common and can occur on anyone.
Freckles are nothing to be concerned about since they don’t present any serious health threats. In other words, if you do have problems with freckles, they are purely cosmetic concerns.
What Causes Freckles?
As mentioned, freckles are common concerns that can happen in both men and women equally. They happen more often in people with fair skin and naturally red hair. But for most people, freckles tend to develop during childhood or throughout young adulthood.
One trademark of freckles is that they get darker when exposed to the sun’s rays. For this reason, it’s important to practice sun-protection measures regularly, such as applying sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher, reapplying sunscreen every two hours when you’re outside and refraining from going outside during the peak hours of the sun.
How to Get Rid of Freckles?
Can get remove your freckles? When you get rid of them, can you do it permanently?
Unfortunately, getting rid of freckles ASAP is not possible. If you want to cover them, makeup offers the best temporary coverage. But if you’re not a big fan of always applying concealer, embracing your freckles is the best alternative.
But don’t lose hope.
Research suggests that you can fade the appearance of your freckles over time. Some certain ways to fade these harmless pigmentation are:
- Laser treatment. This type of treatment uses pulses of intense and focused light to target pigmented areas of your skin. In general, laser treatments are safe and have low risk of scarring. Side effects of the treatment are often minor; these include redness, itching, peeling, swelling and changes in skin color.
- This treatment uses extremely cold liquid nitrogen to freeze and destroy pigmented skin cells. Cryosurgery is safe and does not require anesthesia. It also has a little recovery time.
- Topical fading cream. Also known as bleaching cream, fading cream is available both by prescription and over the counter. Many fading creams contain hydroquinone, an ingredient that lightens darkened skin areas by suppressing melanin production. Side-effects of this treatment include blistering, dryness, burning and inflammation.
To prevent freckles from getting darker, practice regular sun protection. Shield your skin from the sun, especially during the summer season. Also, don’t forget to use your favorite sunscreen when you go out! If you have more concerns about your freckles, talk to your dermatologist about them.
But know this, with or without the freckles, you’re always the most beautiful!