Freckles are cute on kids – but unfortunately as we grow older, most of our cuteness fades while our freckles remain! There are few over the counter treatments for freckles that have any effect at all, and even cosmetics start to look a bit strange as your freckles multiply. However, laser freckle removal has proven to be an effective and safe treatment. Here’s everything you need to know about how laser freckle removal works!
What are freckles?
Freckles are simply uneven clusters of melanin (your skin’s natural pigmentation), produced in response to sun exposure to protect your skin from UV light.
How does laser freckle removal work?
Lasers used for the removal of freckles emit specific wavelengths of light that is attracted to melanin. There are several specific wavelengths that are attracted to melanin – some work best on smaller freckles which have formed deeper in the skin, others work best on larger freckles composed of shallower melanin pigment. When the laser light contacts the melanin cluster, the light energy is transformed to heat energy, and also produces photo-acoustic energy. The heat and sound energy denatures the melanin molecule, causing it to break down and disperse throughout the surrounding cells. Your lymphatic system will remove the pigment naturally over the next few days.
How many treatments will I need?
It depends on how deep within the skin your freckles are located, and how widespread they are. Around half of common pigmented lesions are removed with a single treatment – others could require a few more.
Does laser freckle removal hurt?
Since the effects are localized to the freckle itself, the result is very even and you’ll feel very little. The Candela laser also has an inbuilt cooling feature which helps greatly reduce discomfort. At clinics that don’t use the Candela laser , other laser freckle treatment providers can give you topical anaesthetic (numbing cream), and some can administer laughing gas to help with the pain. However, a large proportion of people treated with the Candela laser don’t use either of these methods – the cooling feature is enough.
What happens afterwards?
In some people, freckles will darken, scab and peel off in the first and second weeks after treatment. Other people notice only a gradual fading of the freckles as the treatment course progresses.
Is laser freckle treatment permanent?
Freckles will only reappear if you repeatedly stay in the sun without sunscreen or shade – without new sun exposure, your laser freckle removal is permanent!
Are there any side effects?
Laser freckle removal is one of the only treatments that has very noticeable positive side effects! Laser therapy also stimulates new collagen production in the skin, so you’ll notice that the area treated becomes fuller, softer and less wrinkled. Unfortunately, while the freckle removal is permanent, the anti-wrinkle effect is temporary!
hi how much is each session?
Craig,
It really depends on the area being treated. We have some common areas fixed prices which can be found at http://www.laserclinics.com.au/treatment/pigmentation-removal/1/
Alternate areas are charged at $70 per 5 minutes. I hope this helps.
I’m located in the Sunshine coast, Queensland. Where is the nearest clinic to me for this treatment?
My questions are for the freckle removal on very fair skin, can you do other parts of the body besides the face? I am wanting my face, shoulders and chest done, do you do this and if so how much? How long would all those areas take to do? How long is recovery? Will i need to take time off work? I live in QLD so i dont have a clinic close by, Do i book a consultation and then have to come back again for the actual treatment?
Thanks so much,
Sarah
I am very freckly, and although mum tells me that girls don’t notice, I know they do. My arms, legs and shoulders are covered in freckles, and as a film actor I know I cannot get leading man roles. I need this to change. I didn’t know they could be removed, and I’m excited about wearing short sleeve shirts for the first time in my life. Please provide a real price to remove 34 year deep freckles over the whole body permanently, or advise if melanin can be increased so that I am permanently tanned instead. I will save up for either if I know the real prices of each. I probably won’t enquire further if you tell me that ‘it depends’ and you’ll need to see my skin to quote accurately. In round figures, how much please? I’m six feet tall, but I haven’t yet measured my skin in square metres. I hope this is sufficient information
Hi Paul,
Firstly, taking melanin is definitely not recommended. You will end up looking orange and your freckles will still stand out.
You need to follow the two pronged (Nicole Kidman) approach. Firstly, remove your freckles using laser. Secondly, avoid sun exposure.
You will require three sessions to remove around 80-95% of your freckles. The cost of each treatment will be approximately $1,000. If you would like freckles removed from your face, you will require an additional three sessions in this area. Please note that the laser will also (permanently) reduce your hair by the order of 50% after three sessions (assuming you are not a redhead).
We certainly hope this helps.
Kind regards,
The team at Laser Clinics Australia
I really hope that someone from Laser Clinics Australia answers Paul’s question above. I think that if a doctor really does have a lot of experience with freckle removal, he or she would be able to give a ballpark figure based on the information he provided. I’ll be checking back too to see the answer, as I am curious.
Hi
Does the treatment totally remove the freckle or does it just lighten the freckle? I’ve had freckles on my face as long as I can remember and I suppose they have lightened a bit but I want them completely gone. They also have kind of blended together rather than being the usual 1mm spots that are very common on most people. Would this make it difficult to get them removed?