Freckles
Freckle is a type of skin disorder that is yet to gain medical significance. In fact, this is really not a medical problem if it merely occurs in 2-3 areas of the skin as it can simply be cleared through over-the-counter remedies. Freckles appear on the skin in the form of spherical spots and can differ both in size and color. This happens when you are overexposed to ultraviolet rays of sun. You can easily distinguish freckles on your skin because they are always darker than your natural complexion. This complication neither causes any harm nor is contagious. It can affect people of any age-group but mostly it appears at tender age. The appearance conscious people way back in the past had tried many homemade techniques like application of oil of Greek clover on the spots to get rid of freckles. Even now, most females clear up their freckles by simply applying lemon juice at home. However, presently a number of modern treatment options are available for the severe form of freckles and one of the best methods is considered as light therapy.
Symptoms and Causes of Freckles
There is no specific symptom of freckles except the visible spots. However, those who have freckles are more prone to serious disease like skin cancer. Freckles can be divided into two parts according to their size and color. If this complication is reddish or brownish in color with flatter spots and frequently occur in summer while tend to disappear in winter then it can be termed as ephelides. An individual whose skin color is lighter is more prone to this type of freckles. This problem can also be transferred to the next generations through genes. Similarly, if the freckles are small with dark brownish or black in color and does not reduce or aggravate according to climatic conditions then they are termed as lentigines.
The major cause of freckles is excessive exposure to sun due to which the outermost layer of the epidermis becomes thick and its basal layer containing melanocytes start producing abundant melanin, a pigment that imparts color to the skin. If you have lighter complexion then the ultraviolet rays can cause overproduction of pigmentation in your skin. But those who have darker skin resist the sunrays to a great extent although they too get affected on continuous exposure. On the other hand, the albinos remain unaffected by UV light because they lack melanin pigments. Freckle can also target those with fair and dark skin colors whose melanin pigment does not distribute evenly on their skin.
Freckles Treatment
Treatment of this complication depends upon its severity. Some people prefer to conceal or lighten the spots by applying certain types of skin care products as well as bleaching agents instead of going to doctors for through treatment. However, these methods do not produce anticipated result because it is really not possible to maintain thick make-up in your day-to-day life. Similarly, bleaching regularly can rather affect the skin around the spots either making it light or dark. You can also go for peeling of the skin with certain types of chemicals. If you choose peeling just at surface level then you would have to repeat the process for a couple of times for better result. Hence, prefer deeper peeling process for excellent result. But it is advisable to take your doctor’s advice before choosing any peeling methods to ensure that it suits your skin type.
Freckles can also be removed effectively through laser therapy but since this technique removes the epidermis, an affected person experiences severe inflammation and pain after the treatment. In addition, you have to shell out a fair amount of bucks for the treatment. But the most modern method to treat freckles is intense pulse light therapy that uses intense broadband light instead of focused light used in laser therapy. Although, this therapy penetrates the deeper layers of the skin but it does not takes out the epidermis and hence carry no side effect. This is one of the useful way to removing freckles.
