I have dark brown small circular spots all over my cheeks and nose. Few skin specialists say it could be freckles which are not very common for Indian skin. Please tell me what products to use. I am really worried.
Answered by our expert Dr Kiran Lohia.
Freckles or sunspots are increasingly common in Indian skin and are a result of excessive sun exposure. As the sun is very strong in India, even a little bit of exposure or the sun that comes through windows can affect you. It is vital to reduce your sun exposure and wear a lot of sunscreen and reapply it every four hours. Remember to apply it at least 30 minutes before leaving the house. Also, look for products containing alpha-hydroxy acids to help reduce the appearance of your freckles. Finally, you should see a dermatologist who can prescribe you stronger medications for your pigmentation if it still persists.
Health.india.com tip
Skin pigmentation and tanning on the face can have a negative impact on your self-esteem and confidence. While wearing sunscreen and shielding yourself from harmful sun rays by covering your face with a scarf are essential in preventing pigmentation, you also need to treat existing freckles.
Aloe vera can be effective in lightening your spots. Mix some rose water in aloe vera gel and apply it on your freckles. Keep it for 10 minutes and then wash it off with cold water. You will have to do this regularly to see any visible change.
Another home remedy to get flawless skin is multani mitti or fuller’s earth. To erase dark spots and pigmentation, mix yoghurt (dahi) and mint leaves (pudina) in multani mitti powder and apply this paste on the pigmented area. Keep it for half-an-hour and then wash it with lukewarm water. Do this weekly once to get rid of freckles.
Potato is a natural bleach and can help remove tanning and spots. You can also use concealers to cover them.
