First of all, freckles are normal. With baby bumps and hair makeovers, the bare-faced freckle reveal has become an Instagram moment. Christina Aguilera, Lady Gaga, Kylie Jenner and Bella Hadid all shared theirs with fanfare. Kesha even used her revelation to send a self-esteem message in the New Year.
A handful of freckles look youthful and soft, like the signature of pretty makeup, but, one wonders, where do they come from? “Freckles are caused due to an overproduction of melanin as your skin tries to protect you from the sun,” says Annie Chiu, MD, a dermatologist in the Los Angeles area. When UV light is absorbed by the cells called melanocytes, they produce more melanin as a defense mechanism, hence the tan. Why some people have freckles while others don’t? According to New York dermatologist Carlos Charles, MD, this is usually due to a specific gene…
