Freckles on the face: how to get rid of them?

Freckles( ephelin) are small multiple pigmented spots on the skin.Their shape is always rounded, and the color varies from light yellow( shade of light tan) to yellow-brown( ashberry).Localized these specks, mainly on the face and hands.Some people have them on their bodies( mostly on the shoulders and back).

Contents: Where do freckles come from?Norm or pathology?How to prevent the appearance of freckles?How to get rid of freckles

Where do freckles come from?

The appearance of ephelin is due to the accumulation of melanin.In contrast to moles and large pigment spots, the number of cells producing this pigment is not increased in freckles.

For the first time freckles become noticeable in childhood( 3-6 years), and the maximum number of them is fixed in adolescents in the puberty period. By winter they become a bit pale, but in the spring and summer they become brighter again, which is directly related to the sun's ultraviolet skin exposure.Under the influence of light, even new specks may appear.After 30-35 years, there is a tendency to reduce their number, and by the age of 40 years the ephelds remain noticeable in very few people.

Appearance of freckles is determined to a certain extent by hereditary factors;Their number is "embedded" in the genes. Very often an excess of pigmentation in the form of specks is transmitted from one of the parents to the child .

Interesting! Studies have shown that most people with red or fair hair and fair skin( namely, they most often have ephelids) have an altered( melanocortin-1-receptor) variant of the MC1R gene. This gene acts on the structure of melanocytes, causing them to synthesize the pigment in an increased amount.

Factors that affect the appearance of ephelids:

• chronic liver pathology;
• of gallbladder disease;
• lack of vitamins( in particular - hypovitaminosis C and PP);
• hormone reorganization;
• endocrine diseases;
• psychoemotional stresses;
• work with aggressive chemical compounds;
• frequent cosmetological procedures( peelings).

Note: freckles can appear during pregnancy, which is due to active hormonal restructuring of the female body.In most cases, the pigmentation of the skin disappears without a trace even before the end of the lactation period.

Norm or pathology?

Ephelds are not regarded as a cutaneous pathology or genetic disease, and do not have the property of being malignant, that is, they do not represent health threats by themselves. At the same time, they represent a kind of marker of a person more vulnerable to the negative impact of solar ultraviolet radiation.In light-skinned people a relatively low concentration of photoreceptive melanin, therefore the probability of getting burns with prolonged insolation is very high.They are advisable to use sunscreen and limit the time of sunbathing.

The appearance of freckles is the same protective skin reaction as the appearance of an even tanning .Accumulations of melanin are designed to protect the body from UV rays, in some cases provoking malignant cell degeneration and the development of dangerous new growths.

Note: some people consider freckles as a cosmetic defect and try to fight them.Even if it was possible to get rid of ephelids during cosmetic procedures( with the use of bleaching creams and laser peeling), this does not guarantee that the melanin accumulations will not appear again.

How to prevent the appearance of freckles?

If you do not want the pigment spots to become bright and noticeable with the onset of spring, try to consume more foods rich in vitamin C and nicotinic acid( PP). Deficiency of these biologically active compounds becomes one of the main causes of seasonal enhancement of skin pigmentation.

Ascorbic acid is found in fresh vegetables and fruits.An excellent source of this substance is the freshly squeezed Orange Juice .One glass covers the daily requirement of an adult person in vitamin C. Alternatively, you can take chemotherapy drugs "ascorbic" in tablets or pills.This compound is water-soluble and quickly leaves the body through the kidneys, so the likelihood of an overabundance( hypervitaminosis) even against excessive consumption is low.

Nicotinic acid is present in considerable quantities in buckwheat, poultry meat( especially chicken meat), beef, as well as beef and pork liver.

It is believed that the appearance of freckles contributes to the lack of folic acid( B9 ).The lack of this connection can be replenished by consuming fresh leafy greens and legumes( peas, beans).

It's important to get used to the active spring sun gradually, so that the melanin synthesis in the cells flows more evenly. In clear weather, it is advisable to wear a hat with wide margins.If possible, walks should be avoided from 11 to 16 hours - that is, during the period when the sun's rays are directed to the surface at a practically right angle.

Starting from March until mid-autumn, it is recommended to apply a cream containing milk and celandine juice.Powder that contains salol or quinine also provides effective protection.

After evening hygienic procedures, a whitening cream can be applied to the cleansed skin.It is not necessary to lubricate the entire face - pay special attention to those areas where the amount of freckles is greatest.

How to get rid of freckles

Effective folk remedies

There are a number of old folk recipes to reduce the severity or eliminate ephelids.They include only natural( vegetable) components, which have bleaching properties.

The easiest way is to wipe the skin with a solution of citric acid .A few lemon slices need to be kneaded in 200 ml of cool water, and wipe the resulting liquid face and hands in the morning and evening.

Parsley juice also helps. Take fresh herbs( leaves and upper parts of stems), chop, and pour 2 tsp.Parsley 200 ml of boiling water.The finished product should be used during the day;Long storage is not recommended.Shredded parsley leaves can be mixed with honey and to achieve a greater effect add a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice.

For bleaching, you can use grapefruit juice, black currant, strawberry, onion or cucumber .The active substances contained in these plants contribute to the oxidation of melanin, therefore, penetrating deep into the skin, they make it lighter.

Note: , a deficiency of herbal preparations from freckles, can be considered a somewhat irritating effect.If the skin is dry, then use, for example, of lemon juice, will lead to peeling.As a consequence, there will be a need for softening creams.

Carefully bleach the skin with fermented milk products.From freckles help mask with kefir or koumiss.It is preferable to use homemade curdled milk, in which various kinds of chemical additives are not guaranteed.

To prepare a cosmetic mask, you can use mixed in equal proportions cottage cheese and sour cream with the addition of 1 tsp.5% hydrogen peroxide solution( at the rate of 1 tsp for half a cup of the mixture). The composition is applied for 10-15 minutes, after which it is washed off with hot water with baby soap.

In areas with increased pigmentation it is useful to rub strong tea brew .After 10-15 minutes after the procedure, it is useful to wash the skin first with sour milk, and then with usual warm water without soap.

Take a few nuts of almonds, boil them for 20 minutes, and then chop to the state of gruel .Add 1 tsp.Natural honey and 1 tbsp.L.Boiled water and mix well.The resulting mixture is an excellent remedy for freckles.It is applied in the form of a mask for 15-20 minutes.

Caffeine lotion helps to get rid of ephelids.It is better to cook it yourself.To do this, take 2 tbsp.L.Cucumber seeds, pour 70% ethanol solution( medical alcohol) or even ordinary vodka, and insist in a dark place for 2 weeks.The resulting extract is diluted 1:10 with water.A ready-made lotion is used for daily rubbing or masks.The duration of the procedures should not exceed 10 minutes to avoid drying the skin.

Quickly lighten the skin allows infusion of dandelion flowers. 3-4 tbsp.L.Fresh vegetative substrate you need to pour 200 ml of boiling water, cool, strain and apply a cotton swab on the areas where freckles appear.A good effect allows you to achieve a mask of grated fresh dandelion leaves.

As an effective tool for removing freckles, folk medicine recommends a horseradish mask with sour milk .50 ml of milk is mixed with a tablespoon of oatmeal and ½ tsp.Fresh grated horseradish.The mask should be kept for 15-20 minutes, and the procedures should be repeated every day until the pigmented areas are brightened.

Important ! Any lotions and masks should be applied in the evening.After daylight treatments it is undesirable to appear in the sun, otherwise the effect from them will be zero.

The effect of the procedures usually becomes noticeable after 2-4 weeks.After using lotions, it is recommended to rub softening creams on the vitamin base into the skin.Their remains should be carefully removed during the morning wash, so that the skin breathes normally.

What do cosmetologists recommend?

Since the appearance of ephelids is due to the uneven distribution of pigment in the skin, you can also remove freckles only together with the outer layer of the epidermis.

The main method that is currently practiced in cosmetology to remove pigment spots is chemical peeling.Skin whitening is achieved using a special complex of organic acids.

A hardware peeling with erbium or alexandrite laser can quickly achieve the desired effect.

To exfoliate and whiten the upper layer of the skin, lotions with a mixture of fresh squirrel, salicylic alcohol, mercury ointment and phenol( 20% rr) are widely practiced.

Important: preparations containing mercury compounds can be used for no more than one week, and only after preliminary consultation with the attending physician.There are contraindications to their use!

For the removal of epheldides, it is also practiced to irradiate the skin with a quartz lamp.Quartz procedures are performed every other day. In most cases, ten sessions are enough.This technique allows you to reduce the overall sensitivity of the skin to UV radiation, so it is especially recommended for those who are forced to spend a lot of time in open spaces.Quartz is carried out under the supervision of an experienced cosmetologist.Before each repeated procedure, an objective evaluation of the skin condition is imperative.

Radical method for controlling skin pigmentation - cryodestruction .The essence of the method is the effect on its individual sections of ultra-low temperatures( liquid nitrogen is used).

Important: any bleaching and exfoliating procedures provoke dryness and premature aging of the skin.Think about whether it is worth removing freckles, thus provoking the appearance of wrinkles on the face?

The method of phototherapy consists in the regular exposure of the skin to light rays, which stimulate uniform pigment production in all areas.As a result of repeated procedures, the skin acquires a uniform shade.

No method - popular or modern high-tech - does not give a 100% guarantee of getting rid of freckles once and for all.Excess pigmentation is always easier to prevent than to eliminate.

Vladimir Plisov, medical reviewer