Freckles

Ephelides commonly known as freckles are small, light brown or tan marks on the skin. There can be hundreds or thousands of them on the exposed skin. Freckles are an inherited characteristic and are particularly common in light skinned individuals. The pigment-forming cells, melanocytes, produce more pigment than usual in ephelides. The pigment is packaged as melanosomes and distributed to surrounding keratinocytes. Their appearance in the light skinned is part of an inherent mechanism to avoid sunburns. Therefore they become more prominent on exposure to sun. Even though no treatment is necessary for the condition, their appearance can be prevented to a great extent by proper sun protection methods. Cosmetic camouflage and pigment lasers can be used to treat freckles too.