How To Fade Away Freckles And Unwanted Brown Marks

Lindsay Lohan

Some of you may look at the above and say "Hey, I love my freckles - they are cute." And you would be right - freckles are indeed a sign of beauty, but for some too many brown marks or dark freckles on the face can be distressing. Sometimes it's a case of having spent too many hours sunbathing, or during pregnancy brown marks can appear on the face which do not totally disappear after the baby is born. Later on in life age spots can appear on hands and face - ie on areas which have sometimes been overexposed to the sun.

What Causes Freckles And Brown Marks On The Skin?

Freckles and age spots are caused by exposure to the sun - the easiest way to ensure you don't develop age spots later in life is to limit the time you spend in the sun - we're not saying don't enjoy your beach holidays BUT do make sure you use a good sunscreen of SPF 15 or preferably higher. You will still tan, but at a slower rate, without burning, which also prevents premature aging - yet another bonus.

How Can I Treat Freckles and Brown Marks Now?

If you have dark freckles or brown marks that you would like to fade away you can either wait and ensure that you wear a sun-screen all the time when outdoors, which means your freckles and brown marks will slowly fade away or you can try some of the following treatments:

  • Glycolic acid - this is a treatment which can be carried out at either a salon (where the treatment used will be slightly stronger than that available for the home market) or you can purchase home treatment kits. Glycolic acid is derived from sugar cane and it's part of the Alpha Hydroxy Acid family (AHAs) which can be derived from fruits, plants and dairy products. It works when applied to your skin by breaking down the bond which keeps all the sticky, dead skins cells attached to the surface of your skin promoting shedding of the top layers, along with your freckles.
  • Kojic acid is a natural product derived from mushrooms and was discovered in Japan in 1989. It is used to lighten skin discolourations and freckles and is a natural inhibitor of melanin production in the skin. It can be found in various skin creams and treatments for curing freckles and brown spots.
  • Wash your face with sour milk - hmmm.. not to everyone's taste, but the milk does contain lactic acid which will encourage gentle peeling without irritating or drying your skin.
  • Make your own fruit mask by mixing together peaches, strawberries, papaya, honey and enough oatmeal to make a paste. Leave the mask on for 10 minutes and the fruit acids will attack and remove your dead skin cells along with any freckles and marks - when washed off you will have a smooth and hydrated glowing skin.
  • Along with these treatments, make sure you use sunscreens and facecreams with a minimum SPF 15 so all your hard work isn't wasted.

    • If you have any remedies for fading freckles or sun-spots let us know by sharing at fashion-Tips.