Those small little dark circles covering your skin, those are freckles. As children we often consider these cute however as we get older freckles can distract from our natural complexion and make us appear older, tired and dull.
Freckles are flat, beige, brown circular spots that typically are the size of the head of a metal nail. The spots are multiple and may develop on sun-exposed skin after repeated exposure to sunlight. These are particularly common in people with red hair and a fair complexion. They may appear on children as young as 1 or 2 years of age.
Many people are not confident in how their freckles make them look. There are ways to remove freckles from the skin. One method is laser, which is the single most effective way to remove freckles. Laser stands for intense pulse light. This treatment is suitable for those that are wanting to remove freckles or reduce excessive freckling from the skin or want an even skin tone.
The benefits are of having laser freckle treatment done is there is no surgery involved and patients can often return to their daily activities as soon as the procedure is finished. Secondly, it is quick on the skin. Often the skin looks more fresher and skin tone will be more even.
Most freckles are generally uniform in colour but can vary somewhat- they may be reddish, yellow, tan, light brown, brown, or black — but they are basically slightly darker than the surrounding skin. They may become darker and more apparent after sun exposure and lighten in the winter months. Freckles are due to an increase in the amount of dark pigment called melanin and an increase in the total number of pigment-producing cells called melanocytes.
