Freckles

Freckles are a very non threatening, natural skin condition consisting of little dots of melanin throughout the body. Common in those with lighter skin tones and blonde or red hair, freckles can also be brought on or made darker by exposure to sun. The Greek word for freckles is ephelis. A freckle of this type gets darker in the summer months but fades during the winter months. They are often found on the face but can cover other parts of the body, consistent in size and overlapping at times. Then there are those who develop a single freckle on their body. These types of freckles are called lentigines. These appear year round and do not fade.

There is much in the way of myths and folklore about freckles. They are not contagious, they do not lead to or cause cancer and not everyone who is Irish has freckles. It is not a punishment or omen as believed in some cultures. Even though it is common in those with red hair, a freckle filled complexion does not always occur. Even if it does occur, the only thing red hair or freckle filled complexions indicate are a hereditary predisposition for hair that is red and uneven melanin distribution. Whereas sun exposure triggers melanin production typically resulting in a tan for some, the dots seen in freckled faced girls are merely places where melanin has decided to deposit in one spot more heavily than others.

Although not harmful and considered quite cute, freckles can be seen as unsightly by those who have them. While it can be common to see a redhead and freckles, there is a tendency for those with freckles to be taunted with names such as freckle face or freckle girl. This often leaves them wanting to do whatever they can to prevent or get rid of their freckles. Since freckles are nothing but melanin and melanin production is triggered by the sun, a daily sunscreen can help keep freckles from getting darker and more prominent. It is not realistic to expect them to completely disappear but girls with freckles can at least use makeup to cover areas on their face or neck.

Fading creams can be used to bleach away light cases of freckles. A Retin A cream is sometimes added to help produce better results. When using bleaching creams it is important to use a sunscreen at the same time. Some feel in order to be sexy, freckles must be banished altogether. There are those who do not want to cover their freckles as much as they want to know how to get rid of freckles completely. Removing freckles by laser therapy has been the most successful treatment thus far. It takes several treatments and follow up appointments to make sure the freckle removal is producing the desired results.