What are Freckles?

Freckles are brown spots that may appear on the face, hands, arms, chest, and other areas of the body. 

Freckles are caused by a pituitary gland that produces too much ACTH; this then triggers the melanocytes to overproduce melanin, which is the body’s natural pigment. 

The brown spots are caused by excessive melanin in those areas. 

What Causes Freckles?

Sun exposure and tanning beds emit harmful UV Rays, which triggers melanocytes to produce more melanin – this forms the pigmented spots. Genes also play a big role as it may cause light-skinned individuals to develop more pheomelanin, which leads to the development of freckles. 

Can you get rid of freckles?

Yes, it is possible to get rid of freckles. Some freckles go away on their own, and some stay with you as you age. While freckles don’t pose any threat to the skin, people want to get rid of them for better, clearer-looking skin. 

If you want to effectively get rid of freckles and pigmentation, it is best to ask help from a specialist to determine the best treatment for you. There are medical treatments available that can permanently get rid of your freckles, such as laser treatments and medical grade topical creams.

Is it normal to get new freckles?

Too much sun exposure can trigger new freckles to develop. Fair-skinned people are more likely to develop new freckles as they have less melanin. When they’re exposed to the sun, this triggers melanocytes to make more melanin and lead to freckles instead of suntan. It is best to use sun protection if you want to avoid forming new freckles.

Are freckles permanent?

Some freckles stay for a long time, but most of them fade over time with the right treatment and through wearing sun protection. Most freckles fade as we age because our body produces less melanin, which means our hair turns lighter (grey), lips turn lighter, and freckles seem to fade. Too much sun exposure tends to make them worse. Treatments such as lasers, creams, and chemical peels can help get rid of freckles. 

What’s the Difference Between Freckles and Moles

Moles and freckles may be hard to distinguish from each other since they look similar. Freckles appear to be in smaller areas with the colours pale brown or red. While mole is a kind of freckle that appear to be darker and may be in the colours tan, brown, black, blue, and even pink. Freckles are simple skin cells that form melanin and protect the skin from exposure. Moles are a type of growth on the skin that is caused by melanocytes growing in a cluster.

While freckles can fade naturally over time, moles don’t fade and are not affected by sun exposure – instead, moles may change in appearance with a different colour and even have sprouting hairs. 

What’s the difference between freckles and sunspots?

Freckles are usually hereditary and are the skin’s natural sun protector. If any of your parents have freckles, then it is most likely you got it from them. They are not a sign of sun damage, but since they make the skin more sensitive to UV rays, sun protection is a must. Exposure to the sun can make freckles appear darker and may increase the number of it. Pigmentation freckles are generally less than 5mm in diameter, in which these cells produce melanin to protect the skin from harmful UV rays. They act as a natural blocker to stop ultraviolet light from reaching deep into the skin. 

Sunspots are also known as senile lentigines, liver spots, or solar lentigines. Sunspots usually appear later in life and tend to be larger than freckles. While freckles are hereditary, sunspots develop from repeated sun exposure. Areas that receive too much UV rays tend to form light pigmented cells but generally remain for a long time. The older you get, sunspots worsen and tend to be stubborn.