Fade Freckles

Freckles are tan, flat, round spots usually common on people who have fair skin. These freckles are relatively harmless and are the result of genetics and the low amount of melanin in the skin. Some freckles, like sunburn freckles, are irregularly shaped, dark spots that usually form on the back and shoulders due to too much sun exposure. You can fade both of these freckles, but the best way to treat or prevent more freckles is by using sunscreen and avoiding excessive sun exposure. There is also no permanent solution to fade freckles, as any exposure to the sun will likely make them reappear.

Steps

Fading Freckles at Home

1. Use lemon juice. Lemon juice works well as a bleaching agent, and just like it works to bleach your hair, you can also bleach your freckles with it. Lemon juice won't completely remove your freckles, but over time it should fade them as it bleaches your skin. Apply lemon juice by squeezing the juice out of fresh lemons, and then using a cotton ball to dab it on your freckles.
   • Continue this process, applying lemon juice every few days for several months. Overtime you should see that your freckles have faded. However, because it is only a temporary solution, you will have to continue applying lemon juice to keep your freckles a lighter shade.
   • Any exposure to the sun during this time can erase any progress you've made, so make sure you apply sunscreen when going outside and wear protective clothing. If your freckles are exposed to the sun, even if you have been treating them with lemon juice, they will likely reappear.
2. Apply sour milk, sour cream, or buttermilk. All of these dairy products contain lactic acid, which may help to bleach your skin, thus fading your freckles. Use sour milk as a facial cleanser, applying it to your skin and then washing it off with water. Sour cream or buttermilk should be applied as a face mask, once a day for about 15 minutes. Then, wash your face with water.
   • When treating your face with sour cream, begin by applying the sour cream once a day, and as fading begins, reduce treatment to once or twice a week.
   • Buttermilk not only has lactic acid, but also has a peeling effect which may allow you to remove layers of skin with sun damage. It may be better to soak a cheesecloth in buttermilk and lay it across your face, at five minute increments, re-soaking after each five minute mark.
3. Purchase a bleaching or fading cream. You can often find these at your local drug store in the cosmetics department, and they help reduce melanin in your skin. Look for a bleaching or fading cream that has kojic acid and arbutus, if you want a more organic product. Make sure you buy a cream that won't irritate your skin. Some popular products are Meladerm, Revitol, and SkinBright.
4. Create a fruit peel. These peels will dry on your skin, and once peeled off will peel off the top layer of your skin, thus removing the skin affected by the sun. You can use many types of fruits, but some of the best to create a dry mask are strawberries, papaya, cucumber, and pineapple blended together. Once applied, let it dry and then peel or wipe the mask off with a damp rag.
   • To create a fruit peel blend two strawberries, a small piece of papaya, and a few pieces of cucumber and pineapple. When these fruits are blended together they create a gummy mask, which will glue to your skin as it dries. So, when you wipe away the mask the layer of skin underneath it will be wiped away also.
5. Use a self tanner. One way to fade freckles is to help them blend in with the rest of your skin. You can use a sunless tanner to help darken skin and achieve a natural glow without damaging your skin. Choose a shade that is somewhat close to your natural skin color, so that as your skin gradually gets darker it will look natural.

Fading Freckles with Professional Treatments

1. Visit a laser resurfacing clinic. A somewhat expensive treatment, laser freckle removal is a satisfactory way to remove or fade freckles from your face. The laser essentially removes the melanin pigment in your skin that causes freckles. Following the treatment you may experience crusting or bruising on your skin, but after a week or two your skin should recover.
   • Although not completely permanent, laser treatments do a better job of fading or removing your freckles than other treatments or creams, but before you have laser removal it could be beneficial to talk to a dermatologist or doctor.
2. Use chemical peels. Chemical peels also do a decent job of removing or fading freckles. Usually these treatments are not a one-time treatment but occur over a period of time. The chemical peels use intensive exfoliation techniques to remove the top layer of skin. After the treatment has been applied and the top layer of skin peeled off, a new layer of skin will grow that has little to no sun damage.
   • These peels can be very harsh on your skin, and it may prevent you from going out in public for a time as your skin heels. Also, after your new skin has grown back, your freckles can easily come back with a small amount of sun exposure.
3. Try Intense Pulse Light Therapy. This treatment is relatively new, but has proven to help remove or fade freckles from your face. Light pulses penetrate the skin, creating heat in your skin tissue. You body then removes the tissue through natural processes, and this results in a more even skin tone and appearance.
   • These treatments usually last one to two sessions, and you may experience some redness a few hours after your treatment. The beneficial thing about these treatments is they only last 15 to 30 minutes.

Covering Freckles with Makeup

1. Moisturize your face. Before you apply any makeup to your face it's important to moisturize your face. Choose a lotion that is suited for your skin type to help restore natural oils to your face and to keep it from drying out. You might try a anti-aging moisturizer or tone correcting moisturizer to help begin fading those freckles and evening out our your skin tone.
2. Apply concealer to heavy areas. Taking a concealer that is a slight shade darker than your skin tone, swipe lines of it under your eyes, across your forehead, on your chin and cheeks, essentially wherever you have a lot of freckles. Gently dab it into your skin by using your middle finger to smooth it out.
   • You don't want to use too much force here, because if you rub it in too much it won't be able to cover up your freckles. You want the concealer to look as natural as possibly while still doing the job it is intended for. Using a corrective concealer may be more helpful than a generic concealer as it is designed to even out your skin tone.
3. Use an airbrush makeup. After you have applied your first layer of concealer, to better cover up your freckles, try using a concealer or foundation in liquid form that can be used with an airbrush. Lightly spray the makeup onto your face for even coverage. This type of makeup is helpful because it won't create a "caked on" look like it might if you used a thick layer of concealer.
   • If you don't want to add any more concealer to your face you can choose to use a bronzer here, which will also be effective in fading those freckles as it should darken your skin a little.
   • Make sure that when you apply concealer and makeup to your face that you apply some to your neck as well, especially if your neck has freckles.
   • You can also do this step before you apply the first layer of concealer if you prefer to apply your foundation first.
4. Set your makeup with powder. The final step to fading those freckles is applying powder to your face. Choose a powder that is a similar shade to your natural skin color. Then, taking a thick makeup brush, dab it in the powder, and gently brush over your face, including your eyelids and your neck area. This will help the powder blend in with the rest of your skin.
5. Apply makeup as usual. After you have concealed your freckles you can proceed to apply your eye makeup and blush as usual. Your freckles may still be noticeable, but with concealer and powder you should have been able to fade them somewhat.

Taking Care of Your Skin

1. Avoid sun exposure. Because freckles often appear when the skin has increased exposure to the sun, the best way to avoid getting freckles, or to at least prevent your freckles from becoming more pronounced, is to avoid too much sun. When going outside, try to wear a hat and clothing that will cover up areas of your body that are prone to freckles.
   • Of course, if you are someone who has a redhead complexion or whose skin always has freckles, you can't avoid them completely, but to keep from getting more freckles and from damaging your skin, avoid the sun when you can.
   • The sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., so during these times seek shade.
2. Use sunscreen. This is the obvious answer to keep your skin from being damaged, but it is often neglected when it shouldn't be. No matter what your skin type, you should always wear sunscreen. Choose a sunscreen that has an SPF of at least 30 and is water resistant. Your sunscreen should also be broad-spectrum protection, protecting against both UVA and UVB rays.
   • People often neglect sunscreen on cloudier days, but even on those days your skin can be penetrated by up to 80 percent of the sun's rays. Be careful around sand, snow or water because they can easily reflect the sun's rays, increasing the risk of damaging your skin.
   • Reapply sunscreen about every two hours, or according to the directions on the bottle. If you are swimming, make sure you leave enough time for the sunscreen to dry on your skin before you get into the water.
3. Be careful when using treatments. Many treatments and some natural products like lemon juice make your skin more susceptible to sun damage, as the pigmentation is affected. If you are receiving a treatment from a clinic, always consult with your dermatologist about how to best care for your skin. When possible, avoid going outside shortly after treatments so your skin can heal before exposed to the sun.
4. Love your freckles. If you have freckles because of genetics or fair skin, as opposed to sun damage, then you should learn to love them and embrace them. Don't feel ashamed by your natural skin -- you'll deal with a lot less hassle if you just accept them as they are, rather than trying to find ways to cover up your freckles. Also, freckles tend to fade over time so if you feel yours are too dark, take comfort in knowing that as you get older their color tends to fade.

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