Freckles are cute, but only when they are at the right spots to flatter your face. While you are beautiful with or without the spots, not everyone is comfortable embracing it as a part of their beauty. These pesky little devils make themselves a part of your personality and there does come a time when you wish to get rid of them. That’s when remedies come in handy, because a chemical or surgical option may not be viable every time. So here we are, with some home remedies for freckles that you will definitely like.
Let’s start and understand what we can do about those freckles at home, shall we?
- What are freckles
- What causes freckles
- Home remedies for freckles
- 1. Apple cider vinegar for freckles
- 2. Lemon for freckles
- 3. Aloe vera for freckles
- 4. Turmeric for freckles
- 5. Honey for freckles
- 6. Yoghurt for freckles
- 7. Eucalyptus oil for freckles
- 8. Cocoa butter for freckles
- 9. Eggplant for freckles
What are freckles
The first thing that you need to know is what freckles are, and how you can differentiate them from temporary spots or even pimple marks. A valid question, because each of those has a separate remedy if you wish to get a spotless and clear face.
Freckles are light brown circular spots that can be seen on the face, arms and even on the neck and shoulders. They usually occur due to overexposure to sunlight. Mostly, freckles happen due to an imbalance in melanin and are harmless in nature.
What causes freckles
There are two main reasons for freckles: genetics and sun exposure. As far as genetics are concerned, there is not much help there, but you surely can control your sun exposure by either limiting your time out in the sun and using a good SPF as protection.
Freckles usually happen due to overexposure to the sun’s UV rays, and the melanin gets produced and accumulated in certain places, leading to light brown spots. People who usually get these spots predominantly have fair skin, blonde or red hair and light eyes.
One important thing to note is that freckles, if not genetic, only happen due to sun exposure. If you are getting such similar spots otherwise, it may be a symptom of skin cancer and not freckles.
Home remedies for freckles
Many specialists and dermatologists offer solutions for freckles. But there are quite a few home remedies that can do the deed too. Let’s take a look at those.
1. Apple cider vinegar for freckles
Apple cider vinegar has one of the most important ingredients that can work its charm on the freckles and lighten them; malic acid. This acid helps in exfoliating and lightening the cells that are darkened due to accumulated melanin. It lightens and eventually gets rid of freckles.
Method:
- Take one teaspoon of honey
- Take one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- Mix the two well together and apply on the freckles
- Let it sit for around 15 minutes
- Wash it off with lukewarm water
- Use it once every day for best results
2. Lemon for freckles
Lemon is an age-old and much-loved remedy for lightening spots and evening out the skin tone. The high content of vitamin C present in it does the deed efficiently, as it gets rid of all the dirt in the skin and regulates melanin production to reveal radiant skin beneath. Obviously, it is very good at lightening freckles too as it is efficient in reducing pigmentation.
Method:
- Squeeze one lemon’s worth of juice in a bowl
- Take a cotton ball and use it to apply the juice on the freckles
- Let it sit for around 15 minutes
- Wash it off using lukewarm water
- Do it twice a week for best results
3. Aloe vera for freckles
Aloe vera is one multipurpose ingredient that you should definitely have in your beauty kit. It is good for skin, health and hair, making it an all-rounder product that enhances your beauty with every use. How is it good for freckles? Let us tell you. Aloe vera is known for triggering the production of metallothionein, which is known to prevent the damage that the sun’s UV rays cause. It also reduces the activity of tyrosinase. Reduced sun damage automatically reduces the number of freckles and their future occurrence.
Method:
- Scoop out fresh aloe vera gel
- Apply it on the freckles and massage it in for 2 minutes
- Let it sit for 10 minutes
- Wash it off
- Use it every day for best results
4. Turmeric for freckles
Turmeric’s primary component is curcumin, which inhibits melanogenesis. This in turn helps reduce the accumulation of melanin in one particular place that leads to the formation of freckle spots.
Method:
- Take about one teaspoon of turmeric powder
- Take one teaspoon of lemon juice
- Mix the two to form a paste
- Apply on the freckles and wait for it to dry
- Rinse off with lukewarm water
- Use this once a week for best results
5. Honey for freckles
Honey is one of the most gentle yet effective agents that work on almost any skin ailment. Of course, it is effective against freckles as well. In this case, it is the presence of compounds like flavonoids and phenolic acids in honey that inhibit tyrosinase activity, thus regulating the production of melanin in the skin. This helps reduce the freckles.
Method:
- Take about one teaspoon of honey
- Take one teaspoon of lemon juice
- Mix to make a paste
- Apply this on the freckles and let sit for 15 minutes
- Rinse it off
- Use it twice a week for best results
6. Yoghurt for freckles
Another effective alternative is yoghurt. Much like lemon, yoghurt too is rich in its acidic content that helps clear the dirt that makes its way onto our skin due to external exposure. Yoghurt is a rich source of lactic acid which is known to treat hyperpigmentation and thus reduce the appearance of freckles.
Method:
- Take around two tablespoons of yoghurt in a bowl
- Apply it and massage it for 15 minutes on the freckles
- Rinse off with lukewarm water
- Do this daily for best results
7. Eucalyptus oil for freckles
Essential oils can be truly miraculous and eucalyptus oil certainly is, when it comes to freckles. It is known to inhibit tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis. This, in turn, helps decrease hyperpigmentation on the skin, thus reducing the formation of freckles.
Method:
- Take a few drops of eucalyptus oil
- Add any carrier oil to it (like almond oil)
- Apply the mix to the freckles and let sit for around 20 minutes
- Wipe it using a wet cloth
- Do this daily, preferably before hitting the bed at night
8. Cocoa butter for freckles
Presenting a delightful solution to your freckles and spots; cocoa butter. It is rich in bioactive compounds and also offers photoprotection. This considerably reduces sun damage and even reverses existing damage, treating hyperpigmentation and melanin imbalance that happens because of it.
Method:
- Take two teaspoons of cocoa butter
- Apply it gently on the freckles and massage it in
- Leave it on overnight
- Wash off the next morning
- Do it daily for three weeks for best results
9. Eggplant for freckles
Eggplant is a pretty versatile vegetable, but eggplant as a beauty product? Yes, snap out of that reverie because it is true! Eggplant is indeed beneficial in treating skin ailments, including freckles. It is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and phenolic acids, all of which have photoprotective properties and reverses sun damage, thus helping reduce freckles.
Method:
- Cut one eggplant into thin slices
- Rub these on the freckles in gentle circular motions
- Let the juice sit on the skin for 15 minutes
- Rinse it off
- Do this every day for best results
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Written by Kadambari Srivastava on 27th Aug 2021
A finance professional by degree who jumped into the world of content creation 7 years ago, Kadambari is a pro at spinning words, whether it's beauty, business, entertainment, or anything else. Better separate your 'its' from 'it's' when she is around. When she isn't writing, she can be seen with a cup of tea in one hand and a book in the other, keeping up with her book challenge of the year.