Freckles – The Biology of freckles and what you should know about
Most people think of freckles as only being seen on individuals who are red headed. This is not entirely the case. The truth is that freckles can be seen on just about anyone no matter what that individuals genetic background history is. However, the freckles are genetic and can be found when someone has a MC1R gene, known as the melanocortin 1 receptor. Freckles are then formed when someone is exposed to direct sunlight. When someone is exposed to the UVB of the sun, the sunlight then activates the gene and then causes the freckles to darken in color.
Freckles are more commonly found on the face however, the freckles can be seen any place on the body that someone has exposed their skin to the sunlight. You may see that freckles are more commonly seen on the face and shoulders since this is the area that is exposed most to sunlight. You should know that freckles are not seen very often on infants but can be seen on children who have not yet reached puberty.
The freckles that have been treated and cared for with such things as creams and lasers, will see that often the freckles will resurface once again when exposed to the sun. The freckles will most likely fade away once you begin to age and is not considered to be a skin disorder in medical terms. Typically someone who has freckles, will be seen to have a lower level of melanin and therefore are seen to be more susceptible to the UV’s sun’s radiation. Someone who has been seen to have freckles, should avoid a high level of sun exposure and should have a high level of sunscreen on when exposing themselves to the sun for extended amounts of time.
When looking to find out what types of freckles there are, you should know that there is several types of freckles. A freckle that is genetic and can be seen as a light brown or red flat freckle and will fade during the course of winter is a ephelides. These are the most common type of freckle and can be seen on someone who has a light skin tone. However, they can be seen on individuals who do not have a light skin tone as well. With the use of the proper amount of sunscreen applied, you can limit the way that the freckles develop when being exposed to sunlight.
The other type of common freckle that can be seen are what are referred to as liver spots. These spots are also called lentigines. These types of freckles do not fade during the course of winter and can form when exposed to the sun over long periods of time. The freckles can be seen more commonly in older individuals as well.
When looking at the size of freckles, you will see that most commonly the freckles can be seen as the size of the head of a nail. The freckles can be seen in large quantities in one area or can be seen individually on someone who has freckles. The spots of freckles will develop not in patterns but will develop where-ever the sun can be seen on people. When looking to see if someone has freckles, you may find that they have freckles on their face areas such as the cheeks and nose as well as the arms and upper shoulder blades.
When looking at the color of the freckles, you will see that most freckles are the same color or shade of brown. Sometimes freckles can be seen as being brown, black or can even be a red shade. The more sun exposure that you have, the darker the freckles will become. If you are truly unhappy with the color of your freckles or want to get rid of the freckles, you can use fading creams which will help to lessen the color or appearance of the freckles. You can purchase these creams without a script from your doctor however, if there is a higher level of hydroquinone, you will need to have a script from your doctor. You may choose to use the method of freezing the freckles as well.
This type of removing freckles can be seen to treat a number of freckles but will not remove all freckles. Some freckles will respond to freezing or burning and some may not respond to it. When all else fails, you may choose to have the freckles lasered to remove or decrease the appearance of the freckles as well. This is a procedure that has been seen to have a significant level of success for removing the appearance of the freckles.
