Freckles are small brown coloured flat, circular spots on your skin. Often, found in the areas that get exposed to the sun. Freckles are harmless in most of the cases and formed as a result of melanin overproduction. It is accountable for skin and hair colour called pigmentation.
What causes freckles?
Freckles might be developed randomly on the skin due to repeated exposure of the skin to the sun. They form when your skin exposed to ultraviolet light and typically fade in the winter. They mostly develop on the face, arms, neck, back, chest as these areas are more exposed to sunlight.
Genetics also play a major role in the development of freckles. People with red, blonde, or light brown colored hair and light-coloured skin and eyes are more likely to develop freckles. They might appear even for children of 1 or 2 years of age. Freckles are quite harmless, and rarely they may turn into skin cancer.
What Are The Causes Of Freckles?
There are two types of freckles
Ephelides
Lentigines
Ephelides: It is a Greek medical term for freckles. It refers to 1-2 mm flat tan spots that are slightly reddish or light brown which appears mostly during the sunny months. They may also appear as hereditary. People having reddish hair and green eyes are more prone to develop these types of freckles.
Lentigines: It is a Latin word and the medical term for certain larger types of pigmented spots. They are most commonly seen at previous sunburn and sun-damaged areas. Lentigines appear darker than the common freckles and may not usually fade in the winter. These kinds of spots referred to as solar lentigo or lentigo simplex.
How To Treat Freckles?
Freckles are treated rarely, but there were several safe methods available to lighten or reduce the impact of freckles. Usually, a combination of treatments is suggested for exceptional results. Freckles can re-occur even after the treatment with repeated UV exposures.
Retinoids: Sometimes retinoids are used in combination of bleaching creams, tretinoin, tazarotene, and adapalene etc. They can help to lighten the freckles when they consistently used for a period of time.
Bleaching or Fading Creams: Bleaching or fading creams most effectively protects your skin from sunlight. Products having hydroquinone and kojic acid are used in the treatment of freckles. Products with higher hydroquinone concentration, i.e. over 2% should use them under the guidance of a dermatologist. They help to lighten freckles if they are used over some time.
Chemical peels: Use of chemical peels can also help to lighten and improve irregular pigmentation of freckles.
Cryosurgery: Flash freezing with liquid nitrogen at frickles spot can be used to treat some types of freckles. It is one of the safest and high success rate procedures.
Laser treatment: Here, multiple types of lasers are used to lighten or decrease the appearance of the freckles safely and efficiently. Like cryosurgery, this is also a safe and simple procedure with a high success rate. Risk of scarring or skin discolouration is very minimal in this procedure.
Photofacials or Intense Pulsed Light treatments: These are other effective methods to lighten or remove freckles.
At the end of the day, our top dermatologists at Padma Clinic assure you to sort out your pigmentation problems. We can effectively provide treatment for any skin problem. Book an appointment you don’t have to live with pigmentation problems anymore.