A reader asks: I am 30-years old. I have fair skin and some five years ago, I had some freckles on my cheeks due to sun burn.
Initially I didn't pay attention, but after passage of time they became permanent. It create bad effect as the rest of my skin is fair and clear. These freckles are on my cheeks and nose area. Later I took the advise of a dermatologist and started using medicines and creams. However, the medication didn't help. As soon I stop using the medicines, they appear again.
Please tell me what to do.
Dr Iftikhar Ahmad Saifi (Unani Medicine and Surgery and Doctor of Naturopathy), replies: Freckles are indication of sun damage, they collect over time due to extended and frequent sun exposure. They are generally harmless. However, if they are of concern to you cosmetically, here's some good news for you: Freckles can be prevented, diminished and even eradicated.
Unani Solutions
There are a few old grandmothers’ remedies for tackling freckles at home with common foods, and they're amazingly effective.
- Wash your face with sour milk (laban). Washing your face in sour milk may not make freckles go away completely, but it will at least lessen their tone. The main ingredient is lactic acid, and there's an elevated concentration of lactic acid in sour milk than the regular milk. Simply wash your face with sour milk and water.
- Another method is a sour cream mask. Apply the thick cream on to the face; let it stay there for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the lactic acid to absorb into the skin. It can then be washed off with water. It's a good idea to apply moisturizer afterward to prevent dryness.
- Another useful freckle "cure" is to rub them with lemon juice. As we know, the active ingredient in lemon juice is citric acid, which is a natural bleaching agent. In fact, citrus extracts are often used in skin care products because they're a skin "equalizer," or pigment and spot reducer.
- Safi Syrup (Hamdard) or Khoon Safa (Tibya College Dawakhana) is highly recommended for cellular cleansing resulting in healthier skin tone. Either of these has to be taken for three or more months for a better results.
- Another important phytonutrient is Vitamin A or Retinol. It's an anti-inflammatory substance, making it suitable to treat freckles, which are miniature inflammations of skin cells. Get some face cream or lotion with Vitamin A (Retinol) for yourself. These creams or lotions have to be applied consistently and regularly to achieve the required result and one side effect is that it may lighten the skin around the freckles in addition to the freckles themselves.
Prevention
- Since, freckles are caused by sun exposure, and people who are more predisposed to sunburn are more likely to accumulate freckles. Vitamin C not only prevents germs from infecting you and making you sick, it also prevents the sun from negatively affecting your skin. Make sure to consume at least the daily-recommended vitamin C dosage either from fruits and vegetables or as a supplement.
- And, of course, wear sunscreen of at least SPF 15 whenever you're going to be out in the sun for even a short amount of time or you may even want to consider covering your face as many of my patients succeeded in keeping the freckles away after they started wearing hijab for religious purpose.
Disclaimer: This blog is a conversation and is not an alternative for treatment. The recommendations and suggestions offered by our panel of doctors are their own and Gulf News will not take any responsibility for the advice they provide.
