Freckles. Caused from exposure to UV-B radiation. If you are a fellow freckled person, I doubt you were enamored of them when you were a child.
I was fair-skinned, had dark brown hair and light blue eyes. I even won a contest for the most freckles at a fishing contest when young (mortified.) I usually had zinc oxide on my nose as it always got burned. I'm waiting for it to fall off. People wanted a tan when I was growing up - no one used sunscreen. I burned after about 15 minutes.
Every freckle is a friend I'd hear - no they were not. I tried a freckle cream; it did not work. Not only were they on my face, my legs and arms are covered with them - even today.
Now, they are calling them liver spots. Ick. But, I have found a way to get rid of the most heinous ones. Freeze Off, the same liquid nitrogen aerosol the dermatologists use, takes them off. They now like to take them off with a laser (quite a bit more expensive), which will cause you to walk around with scabs all over the back of your hands, but I am not a happy camper with liver spots on my hands. Period.
Addendum ~ I just read a Harper's Baazar magazine yesterday and it seems that the models walking the catwalk are painting freckles on their faces. Will wonders never cease?
Addendum ~ I just read a Harper's Baazar magazine yesterday and it seems that the models walking the catwalk are painting freckles on their faces. Will wonders never cease?
40 comments:
I remember the term liver spots. My mom had them on the back of her hands and reading your post made me remember her fondly :))
I don't have freckles but did do damage I'm certain as a child and teen. There was no such thing as sunscreen, just baby oil, and then tanning cream (moisturizer?) from France became popular. We would even sit in class with legs stuck sideways out the glass doors - it was a lovely all-girls school - to get tanned on our legs. Of course the upside - which then to us was really the downside - was there weren't a huge amount of really hot sunny days in England! Of course we now know though that sunburn can happen even on cloudy days - no way of getting around skin damage unless you are good about slathering on the sunscreen every day! I do always use on my face and I never sunbathe.
Mary - a paleface and proud of it, haha!
Yes, I'd rather hear freckle than liver spot. I bet she didn't think of them fondly, but glad to hear of your fond memory.
I'm glad you lived in cloudy England at the time Mary. My daughter is the same and never sunbathed. Her skin is porcelain. I don't like the feel of lotion on my skin. Oh no, another quirk.
I remember the days when a tan was desirable. And slathering ourselves in baby oil and lying outside and cooking.
Sigh. Some freckles, but not many. And these days I largely avoid the sun.
Wish I had my freckles. They were across my cheeks and nose.
They were small so I guess that is why I liked them ?
I thought liver spots where you got older (like me ) and you got spots on your hands.
cheers, parsnip
Yes, I hear they push sunscreen down under. I slathered it on my kids.
I am old Gayle and I guess once you pass a certain age, they call them liver spots. I had them all lasered off of my hands once, but now, I'm taking them off myself. I once even tried a Dremel tool on them. I told my friend and she went out and bought one. I had neglected to tell her it hurt ;) Sorry MK.
I looked much like the girl in this photo, growing up. My freckles went away as I got older. No liver spots, yet. I am sure they will appear, eventually!
I used to admire my dad's liver spots. Now I have my own. My mother's hand I cannot remember.That's sad.
Hopefully not Michelle. The ones on my face disappeared too. I wonder why that is?
I'm certain she would not have wanted you to remember liver spots. I understand though. My Mom died when I was 17 and I can't remember things about her today. The memory fades.
My daughter had freckles when she was young, but no longer has them (have no idea why not) - she is porcelain-skinned as well. I always wanted to have a tan. I was so envious of friends who had brown legs in the summer. I do remember Johnson's Baby Oil being slathered on and basically basting oneself, turning intermittently. -Jenn
I had a few but they faded with age.My oldest sister would try to tan ad just get more freckles.I use lots of sunscreen, I am out all the time. I got pink last month
AWWW---she's precious! Like a perfect Normal Rockwell come to life. I've always thought the pale eyes and freckles combination lovely, and envied several little girls of my childhood. And I would have KILLED for one friend's copper hair---I still envy that today.
You're such an outdoors girl, with all the land and the animals and your love of all growing things, I've always imagined you as exactly who you just described, and think you must be simply beautiful.
And don't you know every freckle is where an Angel kissed you?
r
Zinc oxide was the only sure thing when I was young. And wide brimmed hats.
When the season changes it seems we aren't ready. I do need to use sunscreen cause the sun causes wrinkles too. One only needs to look at the people who live near the beach to see their skin has tanned to leather. No offense, I am just not going to be one of them. Luckily, I am just beginning to see some lines in the corners of my eyes.
Heard that one too Rachel. You're so sweet. Isn't she precious? I googled her. When you have lots as a kid, you stand out and I wanted to be invisible. Yes, spent nearly all my time outside and still prefer it. The freckles don't bother me anymore, but big liver spots are coming off.
Ohmygosh..we mixed iodine w/ baby oil and used a reflector..my friend bought a sun lamp and I had to go to the doctor:(
My dad was red haired and all over freckled..Oli..Max and Noah have them..Lucas has his dad's glorious olive/brownish skin..not one freckle.
Here they burn..growths..liquid nitrogen I guess..Jacques has had many removed..it always looks awful for a week..lucky men they don't care..
there is a prescription for age spots/discolorations that works remarkably well not instant..takes a while..worth it.
My hands have spots too..but hey I am a gardener..my daughters hands are flawless..they don't garden lol.
My face freckles disappeared too..
I wear high sunscreen..hats and glasses..
Michelle..in that tiny profile pic..I can tell you did look just as cute as that girl:)
Same thing. My friend's dad even took some pill that could cause liver damage and got very dark. He's come out to their pool with all us little teens in a speedo. We were so grossed out. I haven't gone to the dermatologist in so long, so I'm not sure what that prescription is. She is always down on my list. I have had skin cancer so I should be going. Kids don't sunbathe! I think Michelle must have looked like that little girl too. I am not vain, but no liver spots.
I had freckles as a child. Received a severe sunburn on my face while snow skiing - several layers of skin peeled off. No more freckles.
Oh My goodness that is so funny, painful but funny.
I keep hoping they grow together and I can have a great tan !
You know, when I was reading this yesterday, by sheer coincidence I'd seen a LONG-ago friend on Facebook after all these years---she was the little girl that most of the others DIDN'T want to look like, and who didn't have little boyfriends. Her hair was a ruddy blonde, and she had more freckles than anyone I've ever seen. Some of the catty girls even made her name a sort of icon for "not attractive," and I just couldn't understand it. I just don't get why Rob Lowe is so gorgeous, and dear brilliant Ron Perlman is looked at askance.
She was sweet and smart and I LIKED her, and she was my friend. So I was SO pleasantly surprised to see a picture of her and her sweet husband of 54 years, on a cruise and having a marvelous time. Living well, and all that, and I'm so glad she's had such a wonderful life.
Hope you're warm and well---we four GIRLS are headed out to a marvelous Mexican place for lunch!
r
I know Ry. I have received so many severe sunburns. Most freckles went away on my face too.
Yes Rachel, I was very self-conscious about them. Kids can be cruel. Love you found your friend on Facebook. I haven't done it, but my sister stays connected and always is looking at it on her phone. Glad you are out as I heard some places are dangerous on the roads. Love Mexican food.
Google freckle photos and you won't believe it. You'll understand why some of us didn't like freckles.
I didn't freckle but I have tons of ugly spots on my hands and arms.
I sure remember the tan thing.
I don't have a lot of freckles, but I've got a healthy sized age spot on my cheekbone. Grrrrr.
That picture is sooo cute.
Enjoy your weekend with your son and Penny Lane:)
Hugs
I freeze them all off Ellen. At least, the ones I can reach. My kids did not inherit my freckled skin type, but did all have blue eyes.
Oh Sandra, thank you. I don't do anything on the face yet, except the other day. I only did it for half the time on my forehead, and it didn't work. But, that sucker is coming off.
Dang, I am getting some Freeze off! I freckled as a child and burned like crazy. But now, my arms are covered in freckles from my constant exposure to the sun while gardening. I had a laser job on my arms and it worked great for about 5 years. Now I have new ones. Have you tried the Freeze off?
I love the photo, she looks like a Norman Rockwell model. I've always been freckled but not enough to ever bother about it and I have always loved being out in the sunshine. I think liver spots are a bit different from freckles, they are larger, more blue-tinted areas of pigmentation. Now I've got old lady, liver-spotted hands. (But since I am, technically, an old lady then, hey, that's alright!)
Yes, Jeri. I use it all the time. The laser is much more expensive. Still get scabs for a week, but lots cheaper. But I'm not recommending it for the face until I try it again and get good results. For most people (except the crazy ones like me) I think you should go to a dermatologist for your face as you wouldn't want to risk scarring.
As I said, I'm not vain at all, except for liver spots on the back of my hand. I have lots of freckles on my hands, but the big dark ones are coming off.
And the little girl is precious. I thought the same thing about her.
Hope you enjoyed your weekend with the fam and that your week is great.
Isn't it funny how those with freckles hate them and those without want them !!! I never had freckles and always wanted them and, in the '60's I used to paint them on my nose like Twiggy !!!! XXXX
Thank you dear Sandra.
I do remember Twiggy's freckles. Wonder if they were real now. I most remember her short hair and skinny. I think she started all that anorexic look in models. I should have tried painting them over with concealer.
Hope you're having a great one, Donna;)
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