Freckles can be removed!
Some people are born with freckles due to genes, and some develop them over time due to excessive sun exposure. Freckles are usually tan or light brown spots that appear on the face, neck, shoulders and other areas of the body. This is common after teenage and accumulates over time.
If you have freckles and don’t wish to live with them, fret not! Getting rid of freckles is possible with the right treatments.
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.
Freckles on Face
People with lighter skin tend to have more freckles and pigmentation. Genes, sun exposure, and hormonal imbalance are the leading causes of freckles from developing. One of the common areas where freckles grow is on the face. Since the face has thinner and more delicate skin, it is best to seek help from a specialist if you want to get rid of pigmentations in this area.
Freckles on Hands
Overexposure to UV rays increases melanin production. Besides genetics being the reason for freckles, sun exposure is also a huge contributor to these brown spots. Hands are one of the most exposed body parts, which makes it prone to developing pigmentation such as freckles.
Freckles on Arms
Freckles on the arms may have developed from genetics or sun exposure. The best way to stop freckles from forming on the arms is to wear sun protection. If you already have freckles on your arms and wish to lighten them, bleaching creams and laser treatments are effective ways to breakdown pigmentation and trigger collagen production – leaving the pigmented spots lighter and the skin healthier.
Freckles Removal Treatment in Singapore - What are your Options and What to Expect?
While often admired for their skin, Asians produce more melanin compared to other races. This is no wonder why applying skin brightening treatments are normally included in an Asian’s skincare routine.
Singapore is a tropical country which makes it hard for people to avoid too much sun exposure. The UV rays trigger an overproduction of melanin which leads to the development of pigmentation and freckles. Besides sun exposure, genes are also a leading cause wherein if a gene is not working correctly; pigments can develop.
The good thing about these blemishes is it’s generally harmless and is considered more of a cosmetic issue. Pigmentation and freckles removal treatments in Singapore range from simple creams to more aggressive Pico Laser treatments.
Laser for Freckles – Options and Prices
Can laser remove freckles? Yes, the laser energy is attracted to the water in the skin and removes freckles by exfoliating the top surface layer of skin containing the freckles. Lightening creams can be used to lighten freckles, but do not generally remove them. Laser treatment is an effective freckles removal treatment in Singapore that uses advanced technology for targeting deep into the skin’s layers. The device emits laser energy to the pigmented areas – this is what breaks the pigmentation into smaller fragments. Specialists have more precision and control over the intensity level of the procedure. Several laser treatments effectively remove freckles: Ruvy Touch
This Laser delivers red, ultrashort picosecond pulses of laser energy deep into the skin. This energy is absorbed by the blood vessels causing Melanin to break down.ProYellow Laser
It releases laser energy deep into the skin for the blood vessels and melanin to absorb – this breaks down pigmented cells. ProYellow is priced from $180.Lutronic PicoPlus
uses a unique focus lens that delivers laser energy deep within the skin, creating micro-cavities that triggers the body’s natural healing process and collagen production. This costs from $180.It uses a unique focus lens that delivers laser energy deep within the skin, creating micro-cavities that triggers the body’s natural healing process and collagen production. This costs from $150.
How many laser sessions does it take to remove freckles?
Generally, 2-4 laser sessions are required to remove freckles. If you have a lot of freckles, you might need to do freckle removal treatments over multiple sessions to minimise social downtime of redness and temporary darkening of the freckles. As with all medical treatments, individual results vary.
Hydroquinone is a depigmenting agent that acts as a bleach on the skin which helps lighten pigmentation such as age spots, melasma, acne scars, and freckles. The bleaching effect decreases the number of melanocytes cells which are responsible for producing Melanin.
More controlled melanin production leads to an even skin tone. Dry and sensitive skin may get irritated at first but can improve as it will eventually adjust to hydroquinone.
Tri-Luma contains 4% of hydroquinone, making it an effective pigmentation cream for freckles. Since Tri-luma contains potent active ingredients, it can only be obtained by a prescription from a dermatologist.
Hydroquinone creams, such as Tri-Luma, costs around $150-$250 per 15g tube. Although generic hydroquinone creams may cost less.
- Kojic Acid contains properties that work on melanocytes and interfere with its production of melanin. It is known as an antioxidant and can fight off free radicals that may potentially cause damage to the skin and worsen pigmentation.
- Azelaic Acid is a compound that has the ability to make skin paler naturally.
- Ascorbic Acid is known for depigmenting dark spots such as freckles and other pigmentation. It is a useful alternative for individuals who cannot tolerate the side effects of hydroquinone.
Cysteamine Creams – Cyspera
Topical creams are effective freckle removal treatment in Singapore that can be acquired over the counter or through prescriptions from a dermatologist. They contain active ingredients that absorb deep into the skin to heal damaged cells, including pigmented cells. Freckles removal treatment creams also act as a natural toner for the skin and help even out skin tone. Apart from Hydroquinone, Cysteamine is another effective whitening ingredient that helps with depigmentation of freckles. Cysteamine, which is naturally present in the body, helps reduce melanin in the outer layers of the skin. This effectively reduces the appearance of freckles and other pigmented spots. Cysteamine costs around $250 to $300. It is found that combining laser treatments with topical creams give longer-lasting results. Freckle Removal Price / Cost in Singapore
Treatment | Price |
|---|---|
Lutronic Picoplus | $180 |
Pro Yellow Laser | $180 |
Ruvy Touch | $200 |
