What It Really Means When You Have Freckles On Your Hands

While many people consider their freckles to be cute, little marks that are often found spread across their face, others try their best to cover them up. As Nivea explained, freckles are tiny brown spots that are smooth to the touch and usually found on the face or wherever the skin is most exposed to the sun. The skincare company revealed that the color of the freckles is caused by melanin, which is a pigment. But your DNA can also play a role in whether you have freckles or not. 

It may surprise readers to know that no one is born with freckles. Instead, they usually develop when you are a young child and can just as quickly vanish as you grow into an adult. Naturally, people with a light skin tone and red hair are much more prone to freckled skin. But, whether you have freckles or not, you should make sure to take wonderful care of your skin and use suntan lotion to prevent any further sun damage.

While the face is prime real estate for freckles, many men and women might also find that they appear on their wrists and hands due in part to the small fact that your clothing is not always covering your wrists. Healthline explained that there are two types of freckles: Ephelides, which are primarily genetic-based, and Solar Lentigines, which are brown and usually appear after age 40 due to extreme exposure to UV rays. Some have even reported having the same freckles in the same place on their wrist and questioned the coincidence. 

Luckily, Healthline put readers at ease, sharing that, since most people forget to put lotion on this part of the body, many would be able to say they have matching freckles. The latter is more commonly known as age spots. The Mayo Clinic warns that liver spots can look like cancerous growths, so it is important to keep an eye on them. If freckles start to annoy you, a patient can have them removed or have them lightened for cosmetic reasons, but real age spots don't require any treatment since they are just a sign that you may have enjoyed the warm sun a bit too much in your youth.

Preventing freckles, for the most part, comes down to your willingness to protect your skin. Healthline suggests that using sunscreen with at least an SPF of 30 will help to keep you safe from the dangerous ultraviolet rays. This includes using sunscreen every day, even if it is cloudy. It is also important to note that sunscreen does wear off, so you will need to make sure you reapply every two hours, if not sooner. 

The CDC advises staying in the shade and avoiding direct peak sunshine hours whenever possible. Wearing protective clothing such as a hat, which can also protect your ears and neck or even sunglasses, can make a huge difference since they can help fight cataracts. Readers may not know that the sun's rays can cause damage to your skin in just 15 minutes. It is always nice to spend some quality time outside in the sun and nature, but everyone must remember to do it safely if you want to protect your skin from freckles or worse, like cancer.