What are the ways to get rid of freckles?

Freckles - Freckles look bad on the face.
@oindy54 (3445)
India
February 29, 2012 5:09am CST
Though I had flawless skin, of late I have acquired a few freckles on my cheekbones and I am extremely depressed because of this. Could anyone suggest home remedies or natural ways to treat freckles? Does the application of any fruit juice or pulp help get rid of the marks? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance to all who respond.
1 person likes this
5 responses
@bostonphil (4459)
• United States
29 Feb 12
Are you certain that they are freckles? Maybe I am wrong but I do not know if you would get freckles just on your cheekbones. Are they on both cheekbones. I thought you were kind of born with them or had them early one. I did not know that you could get them as an adult. Maybe you should see a health care specialist or skin care specialist and be certain that they are just freckles. And see what they say. If they are freckles and you are concerned about freckles, just wait until you get lines in your face and wrinkles and most awful of all, age spots.
@oindy54 (3445)
• India
7 Jun 12
I have oily skin so I hope the wrinkles will take time to come in.Yes only few brown spots I have on one cheekbone and they just came about within the span of a few days.My dermatologist diagnosed them as freckles and asked me to apply a sunscreen daily.I think I could call it pigmentation too.They are few on the right upper cheekbone.I am applying the sunscreen rigorously now and new ones have not shown up thankfully.I think these have come about due to sun exposure as I never used to wear sunscreen whenever I stepped out of the house.Now I have learned from my mistake.
1 person likes this
@oindy54 (3445)
• India
7 Jun 12
Yes now even I am thinking it is pigmentation.They are like few brown spots,not what we call Melasma.My doctor advised me sunscreen only to prevent them from occurring further.He said they will not remove the existing spots.However he advise laser which is too costly according to the price they are asking for each sitting.I have just started applying a mixture of lemon juice and cucumber juice.I will wait to see if any improvement comes about.How about Paidviewpoint?Were you able to reach payout?
• United States
7 Jun 12
It does sound more like a pigmentation than freckles but you say that your dermatologist described them as freckles. I think that I heard that lemon juice can help. I believe that there are also creams that can be bought. Did your doctor prescribe sunscreen to prevent getting more or to help get rid of the ones that you have gotten? Could you ask your dermatologist how to get rid of them. Also, do a search of freckles and see what you get. However, even if your doctor called them freckles, it sounds like it is more of a pigmentation. That's a different story.
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
29 Feb 12
Really the only way to avoid freckles, if you are prone to them, is to keep out of the sun or to use a high factor sun cream. Freckles are a natural reaction of the skin of some people to sunlight. They are often associated with fair/red hair and a skin which does not tan as readily as some. In fact, they are caused by much the same mechanism as tanning except that the skin tans in small patches rather than all over. There are certain creams and natural remedies which claim to reduce freckles by bleaching them. Among ones I have found are: - A paste of mint leaves mixed with banana. - Regular applications of pastes made from cucumber, strawberries, or red currant - Soak four to five almonds throughout the night and the grind with milk. Apply this paste on your face. - Apply fresh buttermilk to your face, leave it for a while and then wash with warm water. - Lemon juice is supposed to be an effective and gentle bleaching agent. - Rub a slice of onion on the affected area. - Apply castor oil to your face before sleeping. - Take a table spoon of lentils and soak it for one night. The next morning grind it with milk and then put this paste on your face. Apparently helpful for oily skin. I imagine that a paste of gram flour and milk would have a similar effect and wouldn't need the soaking overnight or the extra work. - A paste of yellow mustard and milk used as a face pack overnight and washed off in the morning. It is notable that nearly all of these remedies involve some kind of mild acid - either fruit acid or lactic acid.
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
29 Feb 12
I have also heard that washing the face with your own urine (or, sometimes, cow's urine) can help to give a fine complexion. Again, urine is acidic, so this may be part of the reason why it is effective. Make sure that the urine is fresh and clear and that you don't have a urinary tract infection, which might do more harm than good, though UTIs involve specific bacteria which probably don't survive on the skin when urine is used in this way.
• Sweden
29 Feb 12
I think I definitely prefer keeping my freckles!
@oindy54 (3445)
• India
7 Jun 12
Many thanks for such a detailed and informative answer! It proved very helpful to me.
@speedy1279 (2665)
• United States
29 Feb 12
I'm sorry to tell you, but there is no way to rid your skin of freckles. Freckles are a skin pigmentation. The only way that could possibly remove them would be laser removal and even then it may not be successful. Having freckles does not mean you no longer have flawless skin. Having flaws in your skin would be referring to pimples, moles, skin tags, etc. Best of luck!
@oindy54 (3445)
• India
7 Jun 12
My dermatologist has suggested laser removal but said the spots will not go in one sitting.They will need some sittings and each sitting is quite expensive!So I was looking for some home remedies for the problem.Of course I have learned the hard way and started applying sunscreen which I never did earlier and new ones have not come about thankfully.I am just concerned now about the removal of the existing brown spots.
@tessa9 (1085)
• Philippines
29 Feb 12
You are so lucky that you have freckles. I would do anything to get one or two lol. But seriously, a friend of mine have freckles and I think it looks absolutely beautiful specially when she does not wear any make up or just wear light make up. I think it just makes her look young (in a good way) and glowing. The fruit pulp that you are talking about is a lightener. People use the juice and the pulp as a natural remedy to lighten the skin. I think you are suppose to leave the juice for 5 minutes and rinse it with warm water after applying it on the skin. I don't think it will eliminate it, it could make it less noticeable but won't let it disappear. If you really want it not to show then make up will be your friend.
@oindy54 (3445)
• India
7 Jun 12
I am amazed that perspectives differ so much between people.You say you would love to get freckles!This is the beauty of the word 'perspective'!
@lil_toni (206)
29 Feb 12
I'm afraid I don't have any to suggest when it comes to home remedies or natural ways to treat freckles.What is really in and common nowadays is the laser treatment.It is expensive but its really effective.
@oindy54 (3445)
• India
7 Jun 12
I agree with you friend.Even my dermatologist has recommended laser but as you said it is really costly and results will not appear overnight but in the course of some sittings,each of which is quite expensive.