Whether you have freckles or have always been envious of a beautifully freckly friend, could you explain what freckles actually are?
Spoiler, they’re more than just an aesthetic thing and can actually signal how your skin is doing and how well you’re protecting it.
In this blog, we’re looking at the cause of freckles, what to look out for, and how to properly take care of freckly skin!
What Causes Freckly Skin?
Freckles are more than just random spots appearing here and there. While genetics play a part in them, they’re actually caused by sun exposure. When the skin is exposed to UV rays from the sun, skin cells called melanocytes produce more melanin to protect the skin from damage, resulting in freckles.
We all have different types of melanin in our skin and those with pheomelanin are more likely to develop freckles because this kind of melanin doesn’t protect the skin from UV rays at all! (Scary, we know.)
There are also two types of freckles, ephelides and solar lentigines.
Ephelides
Ephelides is the medical term for freckles and these types can appear on the face, arms, upper chest, neck, back, and back of the hands.
Usually red, dark brown, or light brown in colour, these kinds of freckles can fade with reduced sun exposure or ageing and regular use of sunscreen can also help inhibit their development.
Solar Lentigines
Also caused by sun exposure, Solar Lentigines are another type of freckle that have some differences from Ephelides.
First of all, they’re larger than ephelides, usually wider than 5mm, and can be yellow-brown to dark brown-black depending on skin tone.
Whilst ephelides can fade with time and less sun exposure, solar lentigines don’t tend to fade, and appear more commonly on areas of the body that are exposed to the sun including the left cheek, backs of the hands and forearms.
What To Look Out For
While freckles are usually harmless, it’s important to know what irregularities to look out for and when you should seek medical advice - it’s always better to be safe than sorry!
Along with the above, if a freckle is sore, raised, itchy, or bleeds, be safe and book an appointment with a doctor.
How Can I Protect My Freckly Skin?
As mentioned earlier, depending on the type of melanin in your skin you could be walking around with 0 protection against the sun so SPF is crucial!
And that goes for everyone. No matter what kind of skin you have or what time of year it is, SPF is a must-have skincare product for protecting your skin from UV rays.
Along with this, wearing sun-protective clothing like long-sleeved shirts, pants, and wide-brimmed hats is a great way to protect your skin from the sun. Plus, you can even look for clothing with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) label for extra protection.
You should also avoid tanning beds and getting sunburned, and after sun exposure always remember to moisturise the skin to keep it soft and smooth.
Vitamin C products are also a brilliant addition to your freckly skincare routine. Vitamin C helps to inhibit the production of melanin, meaning less melanin production due to sun damage.
Add our Vitamin C Illuminating Skin Duo to your everyday skincare routine for extra protection and love for your skin!
No matter what kind of skin you have, it’s important to keep it protected and loved, especially when it comes to the sun!