Freckles are small brown spots on your skin, often in areas that get sun exposure. In most cases, freckles are harmless. They form as a result of overproduction of melanin, which is responsible for skin and hair color (pigmentation). Overall, freckles come from ultraviolet (UV) radiation stimulation.
Sun exposure
A person's skin cells produce extra melanin to protect the skin from sun damage. This is why freckles tend to appear after sun exposure. Freckles can appear over a large area of skin and can reappear or become darker in the summer months.
Freckles May Fade
Some people have freckles that fade away almost completely in the winter and return in the summer. Other people's freckles don't change much with or without the sun and can be seen year-round. Freckles also tend to fade as people get older.
Lemon juice is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants that reduce melanin production and lighten the freckles-affected area. It has anti-pigmentary and photo-reactive properties that protect against harmful sun rays. Mix a couple of drops of lemon juice with honey and apply on freckled skin with a cotton pad.
Focus on Freckle Prevention
And if you are soaking up sunlight, make sure you apply a 30+ SPF sunscreen to your skin beforehand and re-apply every couple of hours (or as directed). Additionally, you might try applying retinol cream to your freckled and/or sun damaged skin.
Its application can also reduce production of melanin and lighten the freckles affected area, says a research published in The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. You can apply lemon juice on the affected area using a cotton pad. Rinse off after 20 minutes. Repeat this twice a week.
Keep Your Skin Cool
"When the skin is exposed to heat from the sun, hot yoga, and saunas, this triggers melanin activity, resulting in darker freckles," Rouleau claims.
Buttermilk: Buttermilk is yet another kitchen regular that aids in reducing freckles. It also leaves our skin supple and hydrated. To use buttermilk for your freckles, make a thick paste out of it by using oatmeal. Mix these two ingredients together and apply it on your face and leave for 15 minutes.
Freckles often show up during childhood, and you may continue to get more until you're in your 20s. People with fair skin or red hair are most likely to have them.
With repeated sun exposure over years, the skin cells start to produce melanin, forming the sun spots. Additionally, the lifespan of freckles and sun spots is different. Freckles typically fade away with age and even seasons whereas sun spots tend to stick around longer.
The average age that children develop freckles is between two and four years old. “As kids get older, they start walking [on their own], doing more activities outdoors, and naturally have more sunlight exposure,” Teng tells Yahoo Parenting.
Retinol is a Vitamin A serum, and it can lighten your freckles. It's a great solution for freckle removal, because the serum is suitable for any skin type — even sensitive skin.
Have a proper diet rich in Vitamin C to make your skin lighter and brighter. Eat a lot of citrus fruits like lemons, lime and oranges, berries and leafy vegetables like spinach and tomatoes. Direct application of citrus fruits such as lemon juice on the skin is another great way to care for freckles.
Drink enough water
The benefits of staying hydrated are too many. Pooja suggests drinking at least 2-3 litres of water daily to fight pigmentation effectively. Drinking enough water will also help you ensure better skin health and keep dehydration at bay.
When topically applied, Vitamin C (a/k/a citric acid, an all-natural antioxidant) has a skin-rejuvenating effect that can fade freckles.
Freckles are beautiful
Some of the world's most beautiful people also enjoy flaunting their freckles, so feel free to do the same.
After a few months of continued application, your freckles should begin to fade. While lemon juice can be effective at fading freckles, any progress you make can be completely undone by a few days in the sun without any protection.
To fade your freckles, your dermatologist may recommend: Laser Therapy: Effective for many pigmentation irregularities, laser therapy can zap away freckles as well. The lasers can fade the extra pigmentation, boost collagen production, and resurface the skin with new cells.
Mixed with lemon squeeze, this is an extremely affective strategy to get rid of your freckles. Add Nutrients To Your Skin While Lightening Freckles: Vitamin E oil not just blurs spots quick, it contains supplements that saturate your skin and keep it sound.
Freckles fade because the skin cells are regenerating and the melanin build-up is disappearing. This is why we usually see freckles disappear or fade the most during the wintertime. As long as the skin isn't exposed to more sun, the freckles will remain light and fade.