Age spots on the face: how to deal with freckles

Pigmented spots on the face can have different causes and different color intensity, but freckles most often become the reason for a visit to a cosmetology clinic.  They are not dangerous and do not cause subjective discomfort, but they are very annoying to their owners. The intensity of the manifestation of freckles decreases in the cold season and increases under the influence of the sun. Even after a course of treatment, freckles become almost invisible, these age spots on the face can return due to active sunlight. The patient should know that getting rid of freckles is possible only with careful protection of the skin from ultraviolet radiation.

Freckles, or ephelids, are benign small pigment spots on the face. They have a clear contour, brown color of varying degrees of intensity, due to the hereditary predisposition of the skin – when the structure of melanocytes changes, and under the influence of ultraviolet rays they begin to produce melanin especially intensively, while the coloring pigment is unevenly located in the skin, forming small islands. Thus, freckles – this is a protective reaction of the body to the sun, but it does not manifest itself with an even tan, but with small spots.

Freckles appear for the first time  in childhood, can equally be in boys and girls, characteristic of Europeans and Asians, but more often people with the first and second skin phototypes are predisposed to such age spots on the face.

Methods to help reduce the appearance of freckles

Whitening creams. Traditionally used means with & nbsp; 2-4% hydroquinone, the course of treatment involves the use of the drug twice a day for about six months. Side effects can be itching and increased dryness of the skin. The patient should stop using the product if the skin becomes visibly lighter in areas without freckles.

Retinoids. In combination with other active elements of medicinal preparations, they provide effective exfoliation. Their use is limited because long-term use may cause side effects.

Chemical peels.  Effective peels with glycolic acid, with lactic and salicylic acid in combination with resorcinol (Jessner peeling). The effect is visible after 4-6 procedures, frequency – every 3-6 weeks. Can be supplemented with home care & nbsp; - products with alpha hydroxy acids. Strict sun protection is recommended for the patient during peelings.

Cryotherapy. High efficiency, but there is a high risk of hypo- and hyperpigmentation, relapses.

Laser treatment.  Neodymium, alexandrite and ruby ​​types of lasers are effective. Does not leave scars, most effective for dark freckles. Patients with dark skin may experience hyperpigmentation after treatment.

Features of freckles that appear in adulthood

If age spots on the face first appeared in adulthood, these may not be freckles activated by the sun, but manifestations of some kind of malfunction in the body. Reasons can be:

• hormonal imbalance;
• stress, too much physical activity;
• diseases of the kidneys, liver;
• lack of vitamin C in the body;
• taking medicines that make the skin more sensitive to the sun.

The appearance of freckles at any age should not be ignored. If after a visit to the doctor it turns out that this is only an aesthetic flaw, the decision to lighten them is made together with the cosmetologist.  When age spots appear on the face associated with an internal disease, the patient needs complex treatment.