How to get rid of freckles

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

There is only one way to forget about them forever.

What are freckles and where do they come from

Freckles are tiny, overpigmented areas of the skin. They appear when exposed to sunlight. It happens like this.

To protect itself from ultraviolet radiation, the skin begins to produce melanin. This pigment helps to scatter ultraviolet radiation so that it does as little harm to the body as possible. Melanin has a side effect - accumulating in the skin, it stains them brown. This creates a tan.

Most often, skin cells produce approximately the same amount of melanin, so we darken evenly. But in some people, individual cells, when exposed to UV rays, produce more pigment than their neighbors. And, accordingly, they look like small brown spots on a generally lighter background.

Scientists associate Freckles and solar lentigines have different risk factors in Caucasian women uneven production of melanin with two factors: genetics (which is why freckles are often inherited, from parents to children) and sunburns that injured epidermal cells.

How to get rid of freckles

In fact, the only way is to "erase" excess melanin cells from the skin surface. Here are the remedies and procedures that Freckles: Remedies, Causes, and More can do.

Attention! Whichever option you choose, be prepared to carefully hide your skin from the sun. Ultraviolet light that gets on the renewing epidermis, even in small doses, can lead to the formation of age spots.

1. Whitening cream

You can start with over-the-counter options that are available over the counter. There are more powerful bleaching products available that require a prescription from a dermatologist. But it is worth consulting with a doctor not only for the sake of the appointment.

Often, the main ingredient in whitening creams is hydroquinone, a substance that suppresses melanin production and brightens the skin. But it has side effects. Hydroquinone can cause:

• dry skin;
• the appearance of pimples and inflammation;
• discoloration of the skin;
• itching.

Therefore, it is advisable to select a whitening cream with a doctor, specifically for your skin type - this will help reduce the risk of trouble.

2. Products with retinoids

Retinoids (eg adapalene, tretinoin) are active substances based on vitamin A that accelerate skin renewal. So a scattering of freckles will quickly give way to a new, smooth and evenly colored cover.

Retinoid creams, masks, serums, and whitening products are also available with and without prescription. In prescription drugs, the concentration of retinoids is higher, which means the skin will renew itself faster. But the risk of side effects also increases:

• dryness;
• redness;
• inflammation;
• peeling;
• itching;
• excessive sensitivity.

3. Chemical peels

These are chemicals based on different acids - glycolic, lactic, trichloroacetic. They dissolve and exfoliate the top layer of the skin. This way you can lighten freckles, age spots and even smoothen acne scars.

But there is a nuance. Those peels that are freely sold in supermarkets and pharmacies have a low concentration of acids. It is quite difficult to get rid of freckles with their help. More effective are professional chemical peels, which are done by cosmetologists and dermatologists. However, they have a rather long (up to 2 weeks Chemical Peels) recovery period, during which the skin can ache, redden, and peel off a lot.

At this time, the renewing epidermis requires special care. The doctor who will perform the procedure will prescribe creams, ointments, and other medications to speed up healing.

4. Laser therapy

A laser beam with a certain wavelength selectively acts on cells stained with pigment, without injuring others. Under the action of a laser, melanin is destroyed. This method is considered one of the most effective: if the area occupied by freckles is not very large (for example, they appeared only on the nose), you can do with one procedure.

But, like the other methods listed above, laser therapy has side effects in the form of peeling, redness, and swelling of the skin.

5. Cryosurgery

In this case, the main active element is liquid nitrogen. A beautician or dermatologist applies it to freckled skin and extreme freezing destroys cells that contain excess melanin. It does not hurt.

The following side effects may occur:

• temporary hypopigmentation (skin lightening);
• the appearance of blisters on the skin.

But they rarely appear.

6. Home remedies

Experts of the medical resource Healthline remind Freckles: Remedies, Causes, and More: the effectiveness of "grandmother's recipes" in the vast majority of cases has not been confirmed. However, there are people who claim that simple home remedies have helped them get rid of their freckles.

Therefore, if you really want to, you can try folk recipes - fortunately, most of them are unlikely to harm the skin.

• Lemon juice … Apply a few drops of juice to a cotton pad, treat the area of skin with freckles with it. Leave for a few minutes, rinse with warm water.
• Honey … Mix it with sugar or finely ground salt for a homemade scrub. Treat your skin with it twice a week.
• Sour cream … This product contains lactic acid, which means it can act as an alternative to light chemical peeling. Apply sour cream on your face in the form of a mask, rinse off after 10-15 minutes with warm water.
• Onion … Cut a small onion in half and rub the juicy cut into the skin. Onion juice can act as an exfoliator.

Wash any of the above products off your skin immediately if you experience a burning sensation or see redness.

What to do to prevent freckles from appearing again

There is only one way of prevention: protect yourself from sunlight.

If you get freckles easily, buy a sunscreen with SPF30 or more and use it all year round.