Everyone aspires to have soft, smooth and blemish free skin. You may have it as a child but with time and age, the natural smoothness and glow of your skin gets affected by various factors. Your skin tone starts becoming uneven and even dark spots start appearing on the skin. These skin changes in the form of spots are a result of different types of pigmentation. One such common pigmentation is freckles.

So if you are curious about freckles, why do people have them and how can they be treated, then let’s learn all about it from a renowned dermatologist, Dr. Nivedita Dadu.

What are freckles?

Freckles are flat brown dots on the skin that usually appear on sun-exposed areas. They are particularly common among people with lighter skin tone and/or blond or red hair. Though sun exposure is the primary cause for this skin condition, if you have a tendency for freckles, they may develop even when staying indoors. This is because they can be caused by artificial light sources such as tube lights, light bulbs, laptops, or mobile devices.

Why do people have freckles?

Freckles are caused by the overproduction of melanin, the pigment which is responsible for your skin and hair colour.

According to Dr Dadu, there are two types of melanin in the skin - Eumelanin and Pheomelanin. "If Eumelanin is dominant, you’ll have dark hair, dark eyes and dark skin colour and if Pheomelanin is dominant, then the colour of your hair, eyes and skin will be lighter”.

She further adds that people with more Eumelanin have very less tendency to develop freckles. Eumelanin protects skin from UV radiations while pheomelanin does not.

What can be done to avoid freckles?

1. Use physical sunscreen regularly: Physical sunscreen offers greater sun protection than normal sunscreen hence it is very helpful in protecting your skin from freckles. You must apply it on your face and all the sun exposed areas like neck and hands after every three-four hours. If your skin has a tendency to develop freckles, you must use it even if you are indoors. Physical sunscreen can often leave a noticeable white cast on the face. To avoid this, you may consider trying a tinted sunscreen that has a peachy color.

2. Take a diet rich in antioxidants: Antioxidants like beta carotene act like an oral sunscreen and protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. 

3. Protect your skin from sunlight: Wearing full sleeves, carrying an umbrella on a hot sunny day or wearing a cap, mask or scarf while stepping out can help you to protect yourself from harmful UV rays.

How to get rid of freckles?

If you are already experiencing freckles, the aforementioned methods may not provide a solution. In such cases, Dr. Dadu recommends considering alternative approaches.

1. Applying Glycolic or lactic acid-based creams: These creams help to reduce pigmentation, dullness and uneven skin tone by removing the top layer of the skin.

2. Chemical peels: Glycolic acid or lactic acid based chemical peels are also pretty effective at fading freckle pigmentation. They may not completely remove the freckles but can lighten them to a great extent.

3. Q-Switched laser treatment: The most effective way to eliminate freckles is through laser treatment. This process involves applying a numbing cream to the face to anaesthetize the skin. This is followed by using a laser to burn away the freckles. You may have redness or scabbing for two-three days but after that your skin will be back to normal. If your freckles are dark coloured, then it may take 2-3 sessions to get rid of them. Many a times dermatologists also club the laser treatment with chemical peels for a better result.

Takeaway: 

Once you get rid of freckles, you must follow the right skin care routine which includes applying physical sunscreen and antioxidant serums like Vitamin C to keep the glow on your skin intact and avoid the growth of more freckles.

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