Freckles and Solar Lentigines: The Two Most Common Epidermal Pigment Targets

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MEDICAL AESTHETICS · TECHNICAL GLOSSARY

01

Telling Them Apart

Feature Freckles (Ephelides) Solar Lentigo
Onset Can appear in childhood Increases after middle age
Morphology 1-3 mm dots, even light brown 3-10 mm patches, variable depth
Sun relationship Darker in summer, lighter in winter Persistent, slowly enlarging
Nature Hyperactive melanocytes (same number) Focal melanocyte proliferation
Malignancy None None itself; differentiate from actinic lesions
02

Treatment Path

  • Energy-based first: classic targets for 532 nm Q-switched, IPL and picosecond — shallow, well-defined lesions clear in 1-2 sessions.
  • Crust care: pinpoint micro-crusts shed in 5-7 days; never pick them off.
  • Relapse: freckles recur (genetic), lentigines depend on sun protection — post-treatment photoprotection is half the result.
03

Devices and Parameters

Light skin: 532 nm or IPL 560-590 nm cut-off filters. Darker skin: 1064 nm or low-fluence picosecond to lower PIH. Endpoint is slight graying/darkening of the lesion, never epidermal splatter. LEIJEX’s dual-wavelength Q-switched platform and OPT platform cover these indications.

04

When to Refer

Lesions that are irregular, variegated, rapidly enlarging or raised need dermatologic exclusion of seborrheic keratosis or lentigo maligna before cosmetic treatment.

05

FAQ

Do pigment treatments scar?

Properly dosed epidermal treatments do not reach the dermis and cannot form true scars; the risks are PIH and temporary hypopigmentation, tied to fluence and sun care.

IPL or laser for pigment?

Many shallow spots: IPL covers broadly and efficiently. Few deep stubborn ones: Q-switched or picosecond. Clinics usually run both complementarily.

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