Over the last couple of years, we have seen people drawing on their very own set of freckles, either using henna, fake tan, or some form of makeup pencil. 

As a natural redhead, I have so many questions about these tiny dots that can appear all over someone’s body, and I am sure some of you do too! So, I have conducted a small investigation, to bring these answers to you.

Just think of this as ‘all you need to know about freckles’…

What are freckles?

According to professionals at the Cleveland Clinic, “Freckles are the result of an overproduction of melanin. Melanin is a pigment that gives your hair, skin, and eyes (your ‘complexion’) its colour.”

What do freckles do?

Freckles help protect you from sun damage, by absorbing and reflecting ultraviolet light rays (UV rays). 

Can you develop more freckles? 

If you have a fair complexion, you are more likely to have freckles. This is because the sun can reach your skin more intensely, and the melanin cells develop in the sun. Instead of developing a bronze tan in the sun, you are more likely to develop even more freckles!

What makes freckles different to moles?

The main difference between a mole and a freckle, is that moles are raised from the surface of the skin, whereas freckles are flat on the skin. Another difference is that moles can appear pink, freckles tend to be brown dots that all look the same. 

However, like moles, freckles can turn cancerous – but this is not as common!

Are freckles genetic?

According to Medical News Today, “Genetics and sun exposure are the primary cause of freckles”. 

So yes, freckles are carried in your genes, but this all depends on the genetics regarding your skin type. This makes complete sense when considering that freckles are more likely to appear on people with fair skin (because of the sun developing the melanin cells more in fair skin). 

Freckles are also genetic because they are associated with a variant of the MC1R gene. This explains why people with red hair are more likely to have freckles as it is responsible for both traits.

What makes having freckles so desirable?

Well, freckles are actually very common. Although you are more likely to have freckles if you are redheaded or blonde, because of the fairer skin tone – but freckles can appear on any skin tone. 

But many people still view them as unique and interesting…especially on your face. This is the main reason to why people want to brand themselves with faux freckles. It is viewed by many that having freckles makes you look younger, plus having lots of freckles gives the illusion that you are ‘sun kissed’ too.

Another reason is because freckles make you appear like you don’t have any face make-up on at all – they create the illusion of a ‘natural’ look. 

And let’s be honest, they are pretty cool!

You should count yourself lucky for being blessed with these beautiful speckles!