Sun Spots

Where Do Sun Spots Come From?

In one episode in “About a Boy”, Minnie Driver, wearing a sleeveless sundress, was talking seriously to her son, Marcus (Benjamin Stockham). I can only guess that it was a serious moment – I was too distracted by the numerous sunspots that peppered Driver’s shoulders and exposed chest area. Was the exposure deliberate or was her make-up artists just inept? I’m sure women’s advocate would scream at me for obsessing on some skin discoloration, but there are deeper issues connected to freckles. Before we delve into them, let’s discuss first how sun spots are formed.

Brown spots that appear on the skin are called chloasma, melisma or hyperpigmentation. It’s more commonly known as freckes, sun spots, age spots or liver spots. The last is actually a misnomer since it actually has no association with the liver. The name sun spots is the most accurate as its formation has everything to do with overexposure to sun, although there are other reasons for the hyperpigmentation (e.g. pregnancy, birth control pills etc). Regardless of the source, the issue is the same – increased production of melanin, the coloring agent of the skin. How do they develop?

In general, freckling occurs because of sun exposure and genetic predisposition. Simply stated, no two people will have the same reaction to some time under the sun. For example, dark-skinned people do not burn as much as fair-skinned people. The freckles form because of the uneven distribution of melanin in one spot of the skin. The longer the exposure, the more freckles form on the skin. The number of freckles largely depend on genetic factors. As a general rule, freckles are harmless and do not become cancerous (except in rare instances when you should consult your doctor).

Nonetheless, it’s not a pretty sight. You It’s not your fault, though. Freckles could be prevented by limiting sun exposure, or if you really must go outdoors, by wearing sunblock. But that’s a pretty recent learning. A few decades ago, it was cool to spend lots of time under the sun without protection. Sunblock was expensive and sold separately. The SPF protection was pretty low, and required numerous applications, which of course, was usually forgotten in all the excitement of going out. At the same, make-up companies did not add SPF to their products back then. Wearing sunscreen was considered tedious.

Now that you have all those discolorations, you probably regret all those time under the sun and want to get rid of your sunspots. While its not easy to remove sun spots, it’s not impossible. It will take time. The best way of course, is to limit your time under the sun, and to always make sure that you are wearing sunscreen, even if its just a trip to the grocery. Other than that, the good news is that numerous companies have come up with a product that you use. If you want to know how to get rid of sun spots, read on and you will find the best way to lighten that skin pigmentation.

 

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