With the beginning of summer and rising temperatures, some people begin to suffer from the increasing appearance of freckles on the face and other areas of the body.
The reason behind this is that these dark spots appear frequently as a result of the increased production and accumulation of melanin, which is the pigment responsible for skin color in the body.
Freckles often appear increasingly in the summer in people with very white skin and red hair.
In this report, we will review with you the reasons for the appearance of freckles in general, the factors that increase the severity of their appearance in the summer, as well as the methods that help reduce them.
What causes freckles to appear in the summer?
The main reason behind the appearance of freckles on the skin is due to rare disorders in the body, which occur due to genetic factors, due to a defect in the function of the “MC1R” gene, but they are generally harmless.
The places where freckles appear on the body vary, but the most prominent ones are the face, back, and arms. They are often strong during childhood and begin to disappear and fade with age.
In adults, freckles tend to fade away during three seasons of the year but become more prominent in the summer. This is due to excessive sunlight exposure, which triggers an increase in melanin production, resulting in concentrated freckles. Melanin plays a crucial role in protecting the skin from harmful ultraviolet rays by absorbing them.
The appearance of freckles in the summer shutterstock
Melanin gradually accumulates in specific areas of the body, resulting in the formation of dark spots. The colors of these spots may differ from person to person, ranging from red to light brown or even dark, depending on the individual’s skin color and type.
The body can produce two types of melanin, namely pheomelanin and eumelanin, as the first type of melanin protects the skin from ultraviolet rays, but pheomelanin does not do that.
Types of freckles and their differences
You should know that two types of freckles appear on the body, which explains the appearance of different forms of them from one person to another.
The first type is called ephelides, and it is written in English as “Ephelides”, and it is the most common, especially among people with light skin.
This type is the one that appears due to genetic factors and frequent exposure to the sun, as explained in the previous paragraphs.
These types of freckles are generally harmless to the skin. However, when there are abnormal changes in the gene responsible for freckles and an increase in melanin concentration, it can potentially lead to certain skin diseases, with melanoma being the most notable.
The second type of freckles, which is less common, appears in places that were previously exposed to deep wounds, burns, or injuries.
The reason for the strong appearance of freckle spots in these places is excessive exposure to sunlight, which leads to dark pigmentation in the skin.
Ways to protect the skin from the appearance of freckles
You can follow a set of tips that help reduce the appearance of freckles on the face and body, which are considered simple tips that do not require much effort to apply.
The first and most important of these tips is to protect the face and body from the sun’s rays, by using sunscreen continuously and reapplying it every two or three hours.
It is important that the degree of protection be more than SPF 30, and the sunscreen must be able to protect against ultraviolet rays, which penetrate the skin and lead to irritation of melanin.
You should also avoid the sun as much as possible, and stay in a place with shade when the rays are strong, that is, between 10 am and 2 pm.
In addition to working to cool the skin as much as possible, whether by placing sun and skin care creams in the refrigerator to use them to cool and refresh the skin, or using special cooling sprays, which contain sunscreen, and are often sold in makeup stores or pharmacies.
A 2012 study, as reported by the medical journal “Medical News Today,” found that products containing trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and phenol can effectively lighten freckles.
Home methods to reduce the appearance of freckles
Some home methods help reduce the appearance of freckles in general on the skin, including:
Lemon:
Place a small amount of lemon juice on a piece of cotton and wipe the skin with it. The vitamin C in lemon juice may help lighten dark spots, although its concentration may be significantly insufficient to make a visible difference.
Honey:
Apply a thin layer of honey on the skin, leave it for 5 to 10 minutes, then wash it off with warm water. This method helps lighten freckle spots over time because honey contains antioxidant properties.
Aloe vera:
Aloe vera contains salicylic acid and aloin, which may help fade freckles when applying its extracts directly to the skin.
