How To Get Rid of Freckles?

February 17, 2022 3 min read

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What causes freckles?

Although freckles are usually considered genetic but one important fact to note is that no one has freckles when they're born. Sure they may be genetic, however in most cases they're triggered due to excessive sun exposure. Freckles aren't a cause of concern since they don't cause pain or anything like that. While some people actually want to get freckles because they just find them cute, but people that have them consider ways to get rid of them. Here are some practical ways to get rid of freckles:

1. Natural methods

While you'll find plenty of home remedies online to get rid of freckles but the truth is none of them are scientifically proven. People that use these remedies swear by them and rave them about a lot. There's actually no harm in trying natural remedies first, which is why most people prefer them and they even work in a lot of the cases. Some of the common natural remedies include applying the following directly to your skin:

  • Yogurt
  • Onion
  • Sour cream
  • Honey
  • Buttermilk
  • Lemon juice

2. Freckle fading creams 

These are simply known as bleaching creams. These creams contain an ingredient called hydroquinone, which is considered a depigmentation or a skin lightening agent. Since freckles are caused due to pigmentation melanin, these creams can help you lighten the darkened areas of your skin. While the low concentration of these creams might be considered safe, but there are some common side effects that include:

  • inflammation
  • dryness
  • burning
  • blistering
  • skin discoloration

3. Retinoid creams

Retinoid creams are based on Vitamin A and are considered extremely effective in dermatology these days. It is capable of repairing sun damaged skin which in turn helps lighten the freckles. Retinoid creams are also capable of absorbing ultraviolet B radiation, which means that it can even prevent new freckles from occurring. This process is also known as photoprotection.

You can get topical retinoid creams with or without prescription. The only difference would be the concentration. Since freckles are not a serious skin disorder that requires extremely high concentration, you may simply start with an over-the-counter retinoid cream and see how it works for you. Make sure to do a patch test first, just in case you're allergic to retinoid creams. Common side effects include:

  • redness
  • dryness
  • skin irritation
  • peeling
  • sensitivity

4. Chemical peels

If you're into skin care routines and stuff, you may have tried these in the past. Chemical peels are used to peel off the damaged skin to generate the new skin. For freckles, you can simply use some light to moderate chemical peels that contain glycolic acid or trichloroacetic acid. You'll need to make sure that you avoid sun exposure until your skin has completely healed. The healing process can take up to two weeks and you'd also need an antiviral (prescription based) for two weeks as well. Other than this, applying topical ointment and soaking your skin each day is also highly recommended.

Side effects of chemicals peels are usually temporary and go away as your skin heals and the new one generates. The common side effects that you may experience include:

  • stinging
  • peeling
  • redness
  • irritation
  • crusting
  • swelling

5. Cryosurgery

This one is considered really good actually. You hardly get any scarring, there's very little recover time, and no anesthesia is required either. Cryosurgery involves using liquid nitrogen to freeze off and get rid of abnormal skin cells. It is one of the safest methods out there. There's even freezing kits available nowadays that you can use at home. They may not be as effective as doing it professionally of course because the DIY kits may not have the temperature that's needed to get rid of freckles. Some potential side effects of cryosurgery are hypopigmentation, bleeding, and blistering.

6. Removal devices

Aven Buzz Freckle Remover Pen is also a good idea if you're looking to get rid of freckles from the comfort of your home. It includes 9 different sensitivity levels, so you can choose the sensitivity that works the best for you. It is a device similar to those used by dermatologists and has the latest nano needle technology.



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