Are you fair skinned or do you have red hair? Are you planning to get yourself some tan or spend your time on the beach? Then think twice because you’re most likely prone to freckles or sometimes called “Sun Kisses”.
What are freckles?
Freckles do not indicate any form of a disease or skin disorder, they are simply pigmented skin cells or flat, red or brownish spots found mostly on the face caused by repeated exposure to the suns rays. However, having freckles can also be genetic and can be triggered when you are exposed to the sun for a long time.
The sun is the number one cause of freckles that’s why it’s also called sun kisses. Sun exposure thickens the outer layer and increases melanin production. That is how freckles are formed.
Types of Freckles
So what are freckles? There are two basic types of Freckles- Ephelides and Lentigines. Ephelides are red or brownish spots that appear on sunny days and fade during the winter. They commonly appear on individuals with fair complexion; while Lentigines, or also known as sun spots, are small, tan or black spots which tend to be darker than Ephelides and do not disappear on winter season. They form after years of exposure to the sun and are very common among older people.
Freckles Removal
There’s no way you can tell if freckles are going to appear, you’ll only know when it’s already there. There lots of ways to get rid of freckles. There are available freckle removers sold in the market and most of them are in the form of cream or bleach. These products can help lighten freckles in just a few months but if you want something with faster results, you can always undergo cyrosurgery treatment. This procedure uses light freeze that can help reduce freckles. But not all freckles respond to freezing. You may want to try chemical peeling, though it may be painful, but it surely gets rid of all the freckles.
But you can have the option to go all natural. There are lots of home remedies for freckles. First of all is the lemon juice. Just apply it on your fingers and place it on your freckles. Strawberries and apricots can also be used as mask. Smash the fruit into paste and apply it into affected area. Or try washing it with sour milk or apply heated honey on your freckles then wash it off with cold water.
Though freckles are completely harmless and there is no need for treatment, it is still best to avoid them by staying directly out of the sun as much as possible or put strong sunscreen when necessary. Because the sunlight contains two forms of ultraviolet radiation. UVA and UVB. UVB rays cause sunburn, skin cancer, wrinkles and premature aging of the skin, while the UVA rays cause tanning and may also lead to impaired vision or skin rashes and allergic reactions.
What are freckles? Freckles are not cancerous. But not all brown spots are freckles so if you see something unusual on your skin it is still best to go see your dermatologist to get it checked.
