While sun-kissed skin often has positive, desirable connotations, reality doesn't always quite match up. In addition to dealing with sunburn, melasma, acne, and other common skin concerns during the summer, many of us also struggle with a number of other sun-related phenomena like sunspots and freckles.
Whether you accept them or not, understanding the differences and knowing how to care for them can keep even the most "sun-kissed" skin happy and healthy. Read on to learn everything you need to know.
How to care for freckles. Whether your skin tone spreads spots just on your cheeks or spreads across your face, chest, and arms, all freckles are a type of hyperpigmentation. These tiny dots are darker than your skin tone and are brown, red, gray, or black, and usually appear in areas that are frequently exposed to the sun.
As you may have guessed from your family tree, freckles are hereditary. They are caused by the MC1R gene, which, by the way, happens to be present in people with red hair (which explains why these two traits often appear together).
Although freckles are part of our DNA, they only become visible on the skin years later, when they are "activated" by UV radiation - which is why most baby photos don't show your freckled complexion - and It comes and goes when the seasons change.
Although anyone can get freckles, they are usually associated with skin types that burn easily. This is because the body produces two types of melanin: pheomelanin and eumelanin, which are inherited. Eumelanin naturally protects the skin from UV damage, while pheomelanin does not.
People with freckles happen to produce more pheomelanin than eumelanin, making them particularly vulnerable to sun damage.
Whether you have freckles or not, everyone needs to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen (we recommend our Guards Up Daily Mineral SPF 35, which also protects against blue light damage and provides several benefits for aging skin) to keep skin safe and healthy. Protect.
What are sunspots? Sun spots, age spots, liver spots…whatever you call them, these dark spots are similar to freckles but slightly larger in size and often become more noticeable as the skin ages.
Unlike freckles, sunspots are not hereditary but appear when the skin is regularly exposed to the sun and therefore produces more melanin to protect itself from damage.
If it looks like your freckles are turning into sunspots (but they're not, as they are two different types of spots), that's because freckles tend to fade with age, which is when sunspots appear when.
Since sunlight increases the formation of sunspots, you can prevent them by applying sunscreen daily, staying in the shade, and covering exposed areas. If you already have sun spots (and freckle reduction if you don't like them), treat it just like you would with any other form of hyperpigmentation:
Exfoliate regularly to release some of the pigment, and use a whitening product to incorporate it into your routine in life (Weekend Glow Daily Brightening Solution is a community-favorite toner that contains AHA and Vitamin C, the best of both worlds).
While freckles usually fade naturally with age, sun spots can be more stubborn: Choose a facial peel, like Short Cut, to reshape your skin and reveal a refreshed complexion. Freckles and sunspots are both benign and harmless.
However, it is important to check your skin regularly for irregularities or moles (large, raised, dark spots). Watch for spots that look asymmetrical, have irregular edges, or change in size, color, or appearance, and see a dermatologist if you have any questions.
pregnant? These heat-induced dark spots may be melasma. Here's how to deal with melasma and other hormonal skin conditions.
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