The skin is the largest organ of our body and it covers a very wide surface area. Skin diseases that are characterized by eruptions and lesions are diagnosed on the basis of their location and type. One such skin problem is freckles. Freckles are simple small dark colored brownish patches seen on the skin. These can occur due to skin tanning or at times without any apparent cause. Here we shall discuss some methods by which you can get rid of freckles fast and permanently. Some home remedies are explained here in details. These days, the latest mode of treatment of such freckles is laser treatment and microdermabrasion. Laser treatments are known to lighten the marks and are mostly effective but the cost involved is very high. The type of treatment will vary with the type of freckles. Darker the spots, the more is the time taken to treat them.
Types of Freckles
- By Birth: There are many people who are born with freckles and others who might get them due to exposure to the sun. They are very commonly seen and mostly harmless. They do not have any health implications. If you want to get rid of freckles fast then you will benefit by using some pure lemon juice and apply it all over the skin. Whenever you use any thing on the skin even if it of natural and plant origin, always ensure that it is of good quality and pure. Artificial ingredients will not give you the expected results and may also leave you with unwanted side effects.
- Post Tanning: Exposure to the sun can be a very major cause of the freckles. The freckles will appear as brownish colored spots on the skin and are more prominent in fair skinned individuals. If you are someone who is looking to get a tan on the beach, you might want to take caution as unnecessary exposure to the sun can lead to freckles. Some amount of beach tanning is good but exposure to the sun for a long time affecting the major parts of the body can lead to skin reactions.
A very effective way of tackling this is by using the correct sunscreen. The sunscreen that you wear should have an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 and above. This will ensure that you are protected from the ultraviolet rays of the sun.
- Dark freckles: There are some people who have very dark colored freckles that are mostly distributed over the face. The spots are much darker than the rest of the skin. These are commonly due to the exposure to the sun, hormonal disturbances and genetic tendency. People with fair skin are more prone to getting these skin troubles.
- Red freckles: If at any point of time you have noticed tiny red dots on your face, do not panic as you are not the only on to get this and nor are you suffering from any grave disease. These dots are known as red freckles. These are an indication that your skin is beginning to react and the superficial layers are getting damaged because of the exposure to the sun.
The well known treatments for red freckles is bleaching creams, chemical treatments like peels, laser therapy, cryosurgery and intense pulsed light therapy. These are all modern methods but they are high on the cost meter.
- Raised freckles: These are sunburn freckles and are slightly raised from the surface. They have irregular borders and are commonly seen on the back and the shoulders. This happens due to exposure to high intensity sun rays which are more focused on the back and shoulders when a person lies down on his stomach.
- Pregnancy freckles: These are also called as hormonal freckles and they affect the skin on the face. It is commonly also called as the mask of pregnancy or melasma. This discoloration is distributed in a butterfly pattern on the face affecting the checks, nose and forehead. The reason why it appears in pregnancy is the hormonal changes and fluctuations. Women with a darker skin tone are more prone to getting this skin condition. In most cases the discoloration will go away on its own once the pregnancy ends but at times the dark patches may remain and stay for life. This type of skin discoloration is also seen in women who take oral contraceptives which also causes some hormonal imbalance in the body.
- New freckles: Freckles are usually flat and small round spots on the skin. They are seen more often on the sun exposed areas of the body. These are common in fair skinned persons and seen more in the upper part of the body like the face, arms, neck and shoulders. They can appear in young children also from the age of 2 years.
- Genetic freckles: Heredity and the skin type of the individual usually decide whether the person will have freckles or not. The tendency to freckles is seen more commonly in fair skinned persons and blonds. There are some studies that show a rare disease called xeroderma pigmentosum that leads to a tendency to develop freckles. Dark haired persons are more prone to getting them and the number of freckles are excessive.
- Large freckles: At times, the freckles are large in size and each one is above 3 mm and there is normal skin in between two freckles. These freckles respond best to laser therapy. Chemical peels are also effective is dealing with this type of freckles.
How to get rid of freckles fasts
Here are some of the effective methods to deal with freckles that will make them go away fast and permanently.
(1)Cover the freckles with make up:
If you use the right kind of make up, you can cover the freckles with foundation and end up looking beautiful. Foundation and concealer creams are available indifferent formulas and types. You must choose a good brand and select the one that suits your skin type. Products come in a wide range for different skin types.
Oil free powders and liquids are also another option that give you a matte complexion and a clear skin. This is useful for oily skin. In case you have a dry skin type, you can use moisturizing creams and foundations that will keep the skin moist too. If your skin is normal and does not have any specific problems then you can use any type of product.
Some people have a very sensitive skin, and they are benefitted by using mineral foundation that has all natural ingredients. They mostly come in the form of powder formulas and the liquid version is also available.
(2)Laser freckle removal surgery:
Laser therapy is a type of cosmetic surgery. The use of lasers these days is very common for various skin procedures right from skin resurfacing to teeth whitening. The lasers that are used could be ablative or non ablative. Ablative lasers are used to treat skin conditions by removing the superficial layer of the skin. This type of treatment usually requires time for the skin to heal. Non ablative laser therapy is on the other hand much less invasive and it makes use of heat to stimulate the cells which lead to thickening of the collagen and ultimately improved skin tone and elasticity.
(3)Bleaching or skin lightening:
This method is useful to lighten the freckles in a week. Here hydrogen peroxide is used commonly for clearing up the freckles which is known to have bleaching properties. Soak a cotton ball in hydrogen peroxide and then use it to wipe the freckles. Do this around bedtime as this procedure cannot be performed at any other time, especially when going out in the sun.
Another very helpful measure is keeping the skin well hydrated with a good quality Vitamin E supplemented moisturizer. Using a good moisturizer every day or every alternate day can make the freckles on the face smaller.
(4)Exfoliation:
There is one very effective way of taking care of the freckles is by means of exfoliation. Exfoliation masks and home remedies using honey, lemon and natural oils are also very effective in taking care of the freckles. You must always give a try to the natural remedies before going for any invasive procedure.
How to get rid of freckles on the face
The freckles on the face are the most irritating as they interfere with your look and image and you would always want a flawless complexion. Lemon juice is a very strong fruit acid that can bleach the dark spots on your skin. To remove or lighten the freckles and brown spots on the skin, simply squeeze some lemon juice and apply it on the face or affected part of the face using a cotton ball. Massage the skin gently for some time and then rinse it using lukewarm water. If you continue to do this for a few weeks, you will notice that the freckles have disappeared in a month or two.
How to get rid of freckles in one day
Natural ingredients like honey have got very good bleaching properties and is very good for the treatment of freckles especially the red spots on the face. To lighten the freckles, make a paste of honey and water by mixing both of them together. Warm the paste a little and then apply it to the affected part of the face. Leave the paste on for about 10 minutes and then rinse it off using lukewarm water.
If you are planning to get rid of the freckles in one day using make up then you must remember that these marks can come back if you are exposed to the sun rays for a long time. So it is not a permanent solution. Freckles removal services also have a major drawback and that is the skin tends to become dry and patchy and the uniform skin texture and color is lost leaving the skin paler in some places.
Laser treatment is the perfect procedure to get rid of the freckles in one day. It is also effective in the freckles that have been caused by the excessive exposure to the sun rays.
How to get rid of freckles permanently
Freckles can be treated very effectively using home remedies but if you want to remove them permanently and forever then you will have to take help of cosmetic procedures like laser removal, chemical peels, skin lightening creams and microdermabrasion.
- Laser removal surgery: The laser therapy is a procedure that takes about 50 minutes. The patient is required to clean the face very thoroughly. A few photos are taken of the pre treatment appearance. The eyes are then covered with cotton pads. Then a cool gel is applied all over the face. Thereafter the laser light will be focused on the areas of the skin with the freckles. After the treatment is completed, the doctor will apply a post laser cream and a sunblock. You will be advised to use a sun block after the treatment as the skin gets peeled off making you more vulnerable to the strong rays of the sun.
- Microdermabrasion: This is a skin exfoliation procedure that is the safest and easiest solution to skin lightening and spot removal. If a deep exfoliation is performed then the darkened skin is peeled off and the new skin that comes is clear and free from marks and freckles. You will need s series of sittings for getting optimum results from this procedure.
Home Remedies to get rid of freckles
There are many natural and homemade food ingredients that can help to get rid of the freckles in a safe and long lasting manner. Here we shall discuss some of them in detail.
(1)Honey: Honey is a very effective method for treating freckles. It contains enzymes that help to lighten the skin pigmentation. It is also a natural humectants and helps to moisturize the skin naturally.
How to use: Mix some honey and water together and boil it. Use the reduced mix on the affected area and allow it to rest for a few minutes. Rinse the skin completely with warm water. Repeat the process daily for a few weeks.
You can also make a herbal mask by mixing wheat germ and some warmed honey. Use the mask on the face and allow it to cool down on the face for about 15 minutes. Rinse of the skin using warm water and then wash it again with some cold water. Repeat the procedure two to three times a week for a few months.
(2)Sour cream: The most important ingredient present in sour cream is lactic acid and it is very useful in clearing up freckles in people with sensitive skin.
Apply some sour cream on the affected part of the skin and allow it to dry for about 20 minutes. Do not rinse it off, instead wipe it off with a soft tissue or soft towel. After that use a moisturizer. This will prevent the skin from getting dry. Repeat the process everyday till the freckles clear off. You can also rinse of the affected part using some sour cream. The alternate to sour cream is yogurt.
(3)Lemon juice: Lemon juice contains citric acid which is one of the best ingredients that can help the freckles to fade away. It is also very effective in reducing any other brown or dark spots on the face. This is so because it has very strong bleaching properties. This property is seen in other citrus fruits as well like oranges. If they are applied on the face directly then the skin tends to become clearer and the freckles get cleared up.
You can take the extracted lemon juice and apply it directly on the freckles. If you feel that this is too strong for you then you can add the juice to some yogurt and then apply the solution on the face. The most effective method is cut a lime in half and place it directly over the freckles and leave it there for about 15 minutes. Then wash it off and repeat the procedure daily for about two weeks till the spots fade away.
(4)Onion: Onions are very helpful in clearing up brown spots and freckles because they have a high sulphur content that has effective exfoliative properties. The best results can be obtained by using red onions.
How to use: Cut a red onion into thick slices and then rub them on the freckles directly. Repeat the process twice daily and continue doing it till the freckles clear up. Another way of using the onion is to grate the onion and extract the juice from it. Apply the juice on the affected part of the skin twice a day. For best results you can add vinegar to the onion juice and repeat the same procedure daily for about two weeks to get rid of the freckles fast.
(5)Orange juice: Fruit and vegetable masks are very helpful in clearing the freckles. You can mash up cucumbers, strawberries etc and extract their juice. Mix a small amount of lemon juice in it if you have an oily skin. A mixture of equal parts of lemon juice, red currant juice are also very effective if used under the regular face cream. All these natural ingredients help to lighten the freckles very safely and effectively.
(6)Lime juice: Mash up some unripe currants and add 1 tbsp of honey and 1 tbsp of lime juice to it. Mix it up very nicely and now apply the mix on the freckles and dark spots. After a while rinse it off using warm water after 30 minutes. Dab the skin dry and do not rub it otherwise the effect will ware off. This is very useful in clearing up freckles.
(7)Green tea: Green tea has become very popular due to its anti oxidants factor and excellent health effects. It has a mild taste and is very good for health. The anti oxidants help to clear the system of all the toxins and leave the skin glowing and fresh.
How to use: Place the tea bag in a cup of hot water and leave it in for about ten minutes. Now using a cotton ball soak up the juice that comes out of the tea bag. Place the cotton balls on the freckles directly and repeat the process everyday till you can see the results.
(8)Cucumber (Recommended) :is one very well known remedy for removing freckles fast and permanently. It is a very helpful kitchen ingredient and has many health benefits. It helps to revitalize the skin. It contains some bleaching properties that help to remove dirt from the skin and leave the skin glowing.
The juice of cucumber is also very useful in removing freckles and skin blemishes. The most important ingredient in cucumber is phenylalanine which is found inside the seeds. This is the factor that is responsible for reducing the effect and storage of melanin in the skin and leaving it clear and glowing. Cucumber oil also has phytosterols which help to nourish and stimulate the skin and rejuvenate the damaged skin cells. Vitamin E and oleic acid also have similar healing properties on the skin.
If you are wondering how to use it, here is the procedure. Grate some cucumber and apply it on the face as a pack. Now extract the juice by pressing the grated cucumber between your palms and use this juice on your face. You can also use cucumber oil to take care of freckles.
How to get rid of sun freckles or sun spots
Sun freckles or sun spots are seen very commonly in people of tropical countries where the skin is exposed to the sun and the rays of the sun are very strong. There are some methods that you can try to lighten these sun spots.
(1)Buttermilk: Buttermilk is used mainly for cooking and it is known to give a very good texture to the food preparation. It is also used as a cooling drink in the scorching summers. Another very good use of buttermilk is on the skin. It contains lactic acid which is a very good skin exfoliator. By removing the dead cells, it helps to resurface a new layer of the skin that has fresh new cells, giving you the rejuvenated look. It is very safe to use on the skin.
How to use: Take a small amount of the buttermilk in a cup and using a cotton ball, absorb some of it. Then apply it on the skin using the cotton ball and leave it on for a few minutes. Wash it off using warm water. Do this every day till you see the results.
(2)Vitamin E: Vitamin E is very essential for the good health of your skin. It helps the skin and also the hair. Apart from the freckles, vitamin E also helps to reduce the scar marks from the skin.
How to use: Open the vitamin E capsules and place the gel directly on the sun spots. Massage gently using the tips of your fingers. Leave it on overnight and repeat the process everyday till you see the results.
(3)Castor oil: Castor oil is a very good home remedy used for multiple problems. Stomach problems like constipation also respond well to castor oil. Castor oil can be effectively used to clear the sun spots.
How to use: Place a small amount of the oil in a bowl and soak it up using a cotton ball. Place the cotton ball directly on the sun spots and leave it on for about 4 hours. Wash it off using warm water and repeat the process twice a day for a few weeks to get rid of the sun spots.
