What to do about freckles and blood vessels

[Grant Fan]

C-Dot..... we are in the same boat I wasn't as strict this summer as I should have been either, not that I spend tons of time in the sun but it still game me some freckles. I have them on my nose and my my eyes. I hate them, no one will convince me they are cute they are awful on me and I want them gone. I have always gotten them there since I was a child and i have always hated them. That being said they fade if you start sunscreening again. And I use the yellow makeup that helps under eye circles, and then regular concealer after my regular foundation. Then with a thin layer of powder you can hardly see them. I hope they fade fast I know it is frustrating, just starve the little buggers of sunlight.

 

[C-dot]

C-Dot..... we are in the same boat I wasn't as strict this summer as I should have been either, not that I spend tons of time in the sun but it still game me some freckles. I have them on my nose and my my eyes. I hate them, no one will convince me they are cute they are awful on me and I want them gone. I have always gotten them there since I was a child and i have always hated them. That being said they fade if you start sunscreening again. And I use the yellow makeup that helps under eye circles, and then regular concealer after my regular foundation. Then with a thin layer of powder you can hardly see them. I hope they fade fast I know it is frustrating, just starve the little buggers of sunlight.

Ahh I'm so glad to hear that. Every person I've asked/complained about them to has said "Oh don't get rid of them, they're so cute!" and its like nails on a chalkboard. Thank-you for the tips

I've been exfoliating every night, and in the car mirror this sunny morning they did look a little faded (plus my sunscreen is 50spf, so it's really white.) Mine usually fade by about December on their own, so I'll starve them and keep scrubbin' and they should go away a little faster. What I need is patience - Then I won't have to resort to a chemical peel (which, truth be told, I'm slightly afraid of.)

 

[Clabbergirl]

I'm suffering from some hyperpigmentation near my hair line and on my cheek due to medication too. Do you think you need to use a really high sunscreen after a peel as i have heard it can make the problem worse if you don't. I do wear daily sunscreen, usually a 30. Aloe vera gel is very good i heard for hyperpigmentation.

I've not heard anything about aloe vera as far as lightening properties, but it's certainly good for the skin to moisturize. I think moisture is good in any case. If you peel, you most definitely should use a high SPF - your outer layer of skin is taken off and the underneath is baby skin that will burn very easily. Peels, by the way, cause the 'glue' that holds the skin cells together to fall apart. After a peel, your skin might look like you've put plastic wrap over it (at least, the places the peel was applied). About day 3 or 4, the skin darkens (cells no longer receive blood supply) and sloughs/peels off. Not the prettiest look, granted, but brand new skin in 5-6 days. Using a heavy moisturizer like Vaseline, Aquaphor, or even Aloe will help keep the 'peelies' from looking like leprosy as they appear! But above all, you must use high sunscreen during and after the process.

And another thing about natural products for lightening - most of them do the same thing (exfoliate/prevent melanin) on a much slower scale. Vitamin C is purported to be a good lightener, but it's not a very stable ingredient. Shelf life is short and although it may be in a lot of over the counter creams, it won't maintain its properties for very long. I don't remember its potency life. I used to mix Vitamin C powder with purified water and apply with a cotton swab 1-2 a day and I swear I saw lightening results withing weeks. It was also great for those beginning wrinkles, and made my skin glow. The reason for mixing daily was to preserve potency. If I can find the links for all of this, I will post them. They're on another PC.

 

[Miss sofia]

ooh thanks for the info love, i must invest in some higher sunscreen then if i do take the plunge with a peel.

Should i start with a low percentage glycolic peel as i'm only going for a few areas on my face, or just go big guns?

 

[Clabbergirl]

ooh thanks for the info love, i must invest in some higher sunscreen then if i do take the plunge with a peel.

Should i start with a low percentage glycolic peel as i'm only going for a few areas on my face, or just go big guns?

It really depends on what kind of result you want. I would go with a moderate glycolic acid concentration (aka 25-35%) if this is the first time you've ever done one. Apply with a Q-tip for spot treatments, or a fan brush for all over your face. You won't get a real peel with this acid, but it does improve minor imperfections. If you want heavier removal, or big guns, use the TCA but moderate to low concentration and be careful. This is the stuff that truly peels off freckles. I've never got that kind of peel out of glycolic acid, even with 50% concentration. I suppose if you applied it over and over in the same setting, the skin would frost and it would eventually peel, but I'm not sure. The TCA will irritate your skin and you will look worse before you look better.

Here is a link I referred to for the first peel I did. I cannot find any of my previous links, but this one has a lot of anecdotal info as well as photos of before, during, and after that you might find helpful.

 

[Miss sofia]

Thank you Clabbergirl, most helpful. I think i might try the glycolic peel and spot treat the areas just to see, as i'm a little apprehensive about doing anything stronger for the moment.

Thanks again x

 

[C-dot]

Well, I've been scrubbin' and peelin' and applying copious amounts of sunblock every day for weeks now, and the &%$#@ freckles haven't even faded a little bit.

I still refuse to go the foundation route (I might as well send an engraved invitation for acne to visit me, and bring all his friends.) I'm wondering if I should change my hair colour to a more crimson red, so the freckles with "go" more with my look?

 

[fortworthgal]

Have you tried a vitamin C serum?

I'm covered in freckles and while I personally love them, they do go nicely with my complexion - which has warm undertones, dark brown eyes, and naturally auburn hair. I color my hair now and I keep it more orangey rather than burgundy or cool red, it seems to work better with the freckles and looks much more natural.

I don't think freckles necessarily equate "cute." Julianne Moore & Dita both have them, and I don't think either of them fall into "cute" territory. lol

This is pretty similar to my own freckling:
http://broadwayworld.com/photoops/pillowmanarrivals/julianne_moore.jpg

With makeup hers are less visible, but obviously still there. I think they give her face character, and her hair color works really well with them.
http://www.hotfreckles.net/high_res/julianne_moore_freckles_02.jpg

 

[C-dot]

I haven't tried Vitamin C serum, I'll give that a shot. Thanks!

I have cool undertones to my skin and gray-green eyes, but I've worn orangey-red hair before and it looked nice. If the Vitamin C doesn't work, I'll probably go that route.

 

[fortworthgal]

Dang, I was editing my post while you posted. lol I don't think there's any home method to fade them quickly, but on the bright side it is an excuse to try out another hair color!

 

[fortworthgal]

Hmm, what about something like this? Olay Professional Pro-X Discoloration Fighting Concentrate

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...f_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1315024382&pf_rd_i=3760911

 

[C-dot]

Dang, I was editing my post while you posted. lol I don't think there's any home method to fade them quickly, but on the bright side it is an excuse to try out another hair color!

Ahh, that happens to me all the time lol

I didn't know Dita had them until I saw her "no make-up" photos. She otherwise has such perfect, unblemished skin. Julianne looks great with them, you're right. The hair colour helps.

I'm not disparaging anyone who has freckles and loves them, I just can't get used to them. I've been getting them all my life and always hated them, and I've never changed my mind about that, no matter how many times I see a great looking lady with freckles, or people tell me they're attractive. I suppose it's natural to want what you don't have!

 

[fortworthgal]

^ Oh, of course! I love my freckles, but every now & then I do think it would be nice to have perfect unblemished porcelain skin a la fully made-up Dita or my sister, who has naturally pale unfreckled skin & dark hair. Grass is always greener & all that. lol

 

[Clabbergirl]

They're deep within the layer of your skin. It will take time to fade. Even with an Rx of Retin-A, most dermatologists will tell you not to expect results for 3-4, even 6 months.

 

[C-dot]

They're deep within the layer of your skin. It will take time to fade. Even with an Rx of Retin-A, most dermatologists will tell you not to expect results for 3-4, even 6 months.

Grr, why couldn't I have been smart and just used sunscreen!

Speaking of dermatologists, I have a referral to one, I might visit her and check out my options.

 

[zombi]

I've known gals to use lemon juice to try and fade freckles. To do this you squeeze a lemon, apply juice with fingertips, let it dry, then put moisturizer over. Sleep with it on, wash off in morning. You can also try using a fading cream with hydroquinone as an ingredient. It's a skin bleaching agent. If you use products to fade freckles, please make sure to be vigilant about your sunscreen -- actually, gals, we should all be vigilant about this even in winter and in the rain!

You can also increase your intake of vitamin C via fruits and such.

 

[Juliet]

It's better to mix lemon juice with buttermilk a bit of chopped parsley - it's milder than plain lemon juice. I've gotten results after about 4 applications, and I've kept it on about 20 minutes each time.

 

[C-dot]

I was reading over this thread and found cashun's post about colour corrector again, and I thought "what the hell." So I mixed some bleaching powder in 20 volume peroxide, dabbed it on my freckles, and after twenty minutes - Gone. I suffered no burns, dryness, or other ill effects. I couldn't be happier

 

[Miss sofia]

Oh good! So you won't be needing my 13th century recipe i found for freckles, using hare's blood and swallow's eyes boiled up and applied overnight then?

 

[C-dot]

Oh good! So you won't be needing my 13th century recipe i found for freckles, using hare's blood and swallow's eyes boiled up and applied overnight then?

You mean the tongue of nightingale and lady's tear one is the wrong one?