What to Do About Unwanted Freckles

There’s a lot to love about summer — from longer days to opportunities for fun outdoor vacations. But if you live with unwanted freckles, all of the extra sunlight can present a problem. The added exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays makes freckles appear — and can make ones you already have darker.

If you want to get rid of your freckles as summer comes to a close, talk to Robert Mirabile, MD, and Vivia Hsu, MD. Here at Best Impression Medical Spa in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, they offer specialized treatment to reduce the appearance of brown pigmentation, or freckling. 

To do away with those unwanted visible spots caused by summer sun exposure and aging, talk to us about your options.

Why freckles get worse in summer — and what you can do

Freckles appear when your skin sustains sun damage as a result of UV exposure. Because most people get more sun during the summer, freckles tend to worsen in the warmer months.

The added UV exposure causes your skin to make more melanin in an attempt to better protect you from further skin damage. That melanin appears as tiny patches of brown pigmentation and darkened skin. These are particularly visible in people with light skin. In some people, this extra melanin looks like age spots. In others, it looks like freckles.

Both can be equally unwelcome. That’s why Dr. Hsu and Dr. Mirabile offer treatment specifically designed to break up this excess pigment and fade your freckles. It’s called intense pulsed light (IPL). 

Using IPL to reduce unwanted freckles

IPL provides a way to target the melanin in your skin and break it up using safe, noninvasive light energy. With pulses of targeted wavelengths of light — a little like the flash from a camera — we can penetrate into the layers of your skin.

The pigment of your freckles absorbs that light energy, converting it to heat. That heat breaks up the melanin in your freckles, helping to lighten their appearance. 

To give you the best results, Dr. Mirabile and Dr. Hsu usually pair IPL with topical treatment to further help break up your freckles. We also generally recommend repeated sessions. Most people achieve their optimal look with 3-6 IPL treatments, each spaced a few weeks apart.

Because IPL is noninvasive, you don’t need to worry about any downtime. At most, you might have a sensation similar to a sunburn for a few hours after treatment or minor scabs that should heal within a week. We can let you know what to expect based on your skin.

Ultimately, if you have freckles you don’t want, a tailored plan using IPL is the best way to clear them up. To explore this option, contact our office by phone or text, or request your appointment via our online form.