How to Fade Back Freckles

If you have back freckles that you don’t like, you have several options when it comes to fading them. Back freckles are caused by sun exposure. The sun’s UVA and UVB rays reach the skin and react with melanin there. Whereas melanin produces an overall darkened skin tone in many people, often a bronze tan, it creates freckles in some individuals. If you are fair-skinned with light-colored eyes, you are more prone to freckling. You can, however, get rid of your back freckles through a bevy of different treatment options.

Things You'll Need

• Lemon juice
• Unpasteurized honey
• Bleaching cream
• Retin-A cream
• Sunscreen

Instructions

1. Create a mixture with equal parts lemon juice and unpasteurized honey. Apply the gel-like solution to your back and let it sit there for about 20 minutes before rinsing it. The acidity of the lemon juice and the remaining pollen in the unpasteurized honey have been shown to lighten freckles.

2. Apply a bleaching cream to your back freckles. These are available at most beauty supply and drug stores. They gradually lighten dark areas on the skin so they blend in with surrounding areas. You may need to enlist the help of a friend if your freckles are in hard-to-reach areas of your back.

3. Talk to your dermatologist about Retin-A creams. Also used as anti-aging treatments, Retin-A creams encourage cellular regeneration. This means that new skin cells are produced more efficiently to replace your freckled skin cells. When used regularly, you'll notice your freckles become lighter and your skin looks more even in tone. As with many regeneration creams, your skin will be more sensitive to the sun when you use Retin-A, so it's imperative that you protect it.

4. Get a chemical peel on your back. Commonly used on the face, chemical peels are appropriate on most body areas. The chemicals used essentially burn away the superficial layers of skin, revealing the less damaged skin below. You may notice that your back freckles are significantly lighter after one peel or you may need a series of peels to achieve the results you're after.

5. Consider laser therapy to fade your back freckles. Lasers have been shown to be the most effective way to get rid of freckles and sun spots. Your dermatologist will use a laser which breaks up the pigment in your freckles. The laser's light also stimulates collagen production so your skin will look firmer and younger as an added benefit. Most people need several treatments to completely fade their freckles.

6. Protect your back from the sun. If you successfully fade your freckles, they will merely come back when you expose your back to the sun. Wear a broad spectrum sunscreen daily or cover your back with sun-protective clothing.

Tips & Warnings

• Stay out of the sun, even in the winter months. The sun's rays can penetrate through fog and clouds.

• Laser therapy can be expensive and painful.