Frustrated by Freckles? We Can Help

Their medical name is ephelides, but you know them as freckles, those tiny, tan dots that pepper your skin in areas where it’s exposed to the sun. Freckles are common and benign — but that doesn’t mean you must love them.

At Vivash Medspa, our team uses a special type of laser treatment called intense pulsed laser (IPL) therapy to help fade those unwanted freckles. Here’s how it can help you enjoy a clearer complexion.

Why freckles happen

Freckles are a type of hyperpigmentation or over-colorization of a tiny part of your skin that happens when your skin is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays. To protect itself, your skin ramps up melanin production, the pigment that gives color to skin and hair. 

Melanin fragments clump together, forming freckles and other types of hyperpigmentation, like sunspots or age spots. Freckles tend to be more common among people with light-colored skin and hair.

While UV exposure tends to trigger freckle formation, it’s not the only reason why some people get freckles and others don’t. Some freckles have a genetic component, which means if your close relatives have freckles, you’re more likely to have them, too.

The best way to avoid freckles is to limit UV exposure and damage. Staying out of the sun when it’s most intense, wearing long-sleeved clothing and wide-brimmed hats, and using sunscreen daily (yes, even if it’s cloudy) can reduce your risk of freckles. But what if they happen anyway? That’s when IPL can help.

Fade freckles with IPL

IPL uses focused broadband light to trigger natural healing responses inside your skin. These responses help eliminate freckles and other irregularities, like age spots, birthmarks, and even some tiny varicose facial veins.

When the beam of broadband light is absorbed by your skin, it gently heats the pigmented areas, causing the pigments to “break apart” and be replaced by normal, healthy skin over time. Energy is delivered in tiny “bursts” that may feel like a rubber band snapping against your skin.

Each treatment session takes about a half hour or so, depending on how many freckles you have treated. Afterward, there’s no downtime, but you can expect some mild redness and swelling, similar to the effects of a sunburn. 

You should avoid sun exposure while your skin heals. Our team provides complete care instructions before you leave the office.

Another bonus: IPL also helps stimulate collagen production, a special protein that helps skin stay firm and resilient. After IPL treatment, you may notice the skin in the area appears rejuvenated and firmer.

Pay attention to freckles

One more note: While nearly all freckles are benign, some freckles can be an early sign of skin cancer. If you have any new or unusual freckles or freckles that appear different from your other freckles, it’s important to have them evaluated before any treatment.

If you have freckles you’d like to see fade away, IPL could be the solution you’re looking for. To learn more, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Vivash Medspa in Mahopac and Cold Spring, New York, today.