Freckles are little brown spots on the skin that are caused by the sun. We all have pigment-producing cells in our skin called melanocytes. These melanocytes produce melanin pigment and feed it to keratinocytes, the normal skin cells that form the outer barrier of our skin. This barrier protects us from the insults of nature, and importantly, from the sun. This pigment prevents us from being damaged by the sun’s powerful rays. When our melanocytes become damaged by the sun, we produce freckles, which are simply abnormal collections of melanin pigment in the skin.?
Freckles are little brown spots on the skin that are caused by the sun. We all have pigment-producing cells in our skin called melanocytes. These melanocytes produce melanin pigment and feed it to keratinocytes, the normal skin cells that form the outer barrier of our skin. This barrier protects us from the insults of nature, and importantly, from the sun. This pigment prevents us from being damaged by the sun’s powerful rays. When our melanocytes become damaged by the sun, we produce freckles, which are simply abnormal collections of melanin pigment in the skin.
Symptoms
Ephilides (freckles)
Ephilides are small, discrete, hyperpigmented macules on the sun-exposed skin of fair-complected individuals, usually redheads and blonds.
Ephilides are not growths per se; they represent focal increased melanin in the skin, and they tend to darken in the summer with increased sun exposure and lighten in the winter. When present in large numbers, they indicate excessive sun (photo) damage and an increased risk of sun-induced skin cancer, including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.
Lentigines (liver spots) tend to occur on the sun-exposed skin of the face, neck, upper trunk, forearms, and hands. Unlike ephilides, lentigines are the result of epidermal hyperplasia and of variable proliferation of melanocytes and subsequent melanization. Lentigines are benign, but they occasionally transform into lentigo maligna (superficial melanoma). If change occurs in a lentigo (e.g., rapid growth, change in color or surface contour), a dermatologic evaluation is warranted and a biopsy may be necessary. Many lentigines indicate excessive photodamage and increased risk of sun-induced skin cancer.
Causes
“And the Culprit is…
The Sun! Freckles are away our skin tells us: “Hey, I’m getting damaged by the sun!” When the melanocytes in the skin get damaged by the sun, we produce freckles which are abnormal collections of melanin pigment, packaged in a different way than a normal melanin pigment is packaged. They sit on the top layer of our skin which is called the epidermis.
Tanning
Yes, tanning will always make freckles get worse. Lying in the sun is really what makes freckles become worse. Going in the sun a lot during the period when you’re getting treated for freckles with laser also makes it much more difficult for the treatment to work.”
The laser / light energy is selectively absorbed by the melanin in hair follicles and converted to heat, diffusing to and injuring stem cells in the bulb and bulge.
Effective hair reduction can only be achieved during the active growth phase, only 25 % of hairs are in this phase at a time. Hence multiple treatments are required.
Hair reduction is considered permanent when a significant amount of hair does not return for a period of time longer than the complete growth cycle.
After a series of treatments, 80-85% of hair should be removed. However, if hair does regrow it will be finer and lighter than before.
How many hair removal treatments will I need? 6-12 would be typical. Some areas don’t respond as well as others eg female facial hair
How far apart should treatments be? 6-7 weeks
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– Excel V About Treatment For most noninvasive medical aesthetic procedures, results become visible over a course of treatments. But with excel V, both practitioners and patients are saying “WOW!” for a broad range of applications where the results are immediate. See for yourself why excel V is so great at producing “WOW”.
Treatment used for Precisely Versatile The award-winning excel V™ is the only tunable laser system on the market that combines two ultra-precise, best-in-class laser wavelengths (532/1064 nm) in one device. Delivering precision treatment parameters with unmatched versatility, excel V has the flexibility to treat any case, from superficial and deep vascular conditions to benign pigmented lesions.
Procedure Why does excel V have such a loyal following amongst medical aesthetic practitioners globally? Consider all of the cases requiring correction of Red, Purple, Blue and Brown lesions. With the capability to treat nearly 20 different indications on all skin types, excel V offers the broadest capabilities to treat the widest range of vascular to benign pigmented lesions.
