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Freckles

Definition: Macules located on the epidermis of brown, ochre, or sometimes even slightly orange color, overloaded with melanin pigment (phaeomelanin). They are flat and vary between 1 and 5 mm in diameter. Freckles most often appear during the first three years of life and intensify with age due to exposure to UV rays, which stimulate the melanocytes. These small pigmented spots are therefore primarily visible on the parts of the body most strongly and frequently exposed to sunlight (cheeks, bridge of the nose, chin, forehead, shoulders, décolleté, backs of hands...) in a symmetrical manner. People with red or very blonde hair and fair skin (phototype 1) are the most prone. This pigmentation can intensify with the sun, and conversely lighten after exposure. Absent in infants and appearing during childhood, they tend to disappear in adulthood in some cases with an accentuation between 5 and 15 years, while for others, they continue to be stimulated following sun exposure. Contrary to popular belief, freckles are not a sign of an abnormality or a health threat, and are not carcinogenic either. However, their presence is an indicator of the skin's sensitivity to solar radiation. Thus, the more freckles one has, the more sensitive the skin is to the sun and the greater the risk of developing skin cancer, if the skin is not well protected from UV rays.

Internal and external causes: Genetic origin (inactivation of the MC1R gene; transmission in an autosomal dominant manner), sun exposure.

How to reduce or eliminate: Treatments based on hydroquinone or kojic acid, sometimes combined with tretinoin; aesthetic treatments (chemical peeling, cryotherapy, laser, pulsed light).

Preventative steps to take: Protect skin cells from UV radiation with sunscreen to limit their stimulation.