White Freckles on the skin are medically named “Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis” (IGH). ‘Idiopathic’ means the cause is unknown, ‘guttate’ means resembling tear-drops, and ‘hypomelanosis’ refers to the lighter colour of the affected areas. They are normally found on the shins or forearms (And sometimes the face, neck and shoulders) in sun worshipers or after the age of 40 and are generally genetic! The white marks are usually smooth with a reduction in the normal skin markings, but they may be slightly scaly. They appear as part of the ageing process, becoming quite common in those over 40 years of age, however they are more common in women than in men prior to this age.
Biopsies of IGH have shown that they are non cancerous and the skin is just lacking in pigment (melanin) in those particular skin cells! What causes the protein melanin to be absent isn’t fully known, however studies have shown prolonged UV Radiation and a genetic components are key factors in the development of these white freckles.
Some people may find the aesthetics of IGH unpleasant, and there has been some success with fractional lasers; however the best treatment is daily SPF 50 to protect the skin from further UV damage. The reason why IGH is more prominent in summer or whilst on holiday is due to the missing melanin in those cells, as the rest of the skin tans, the white freckles become more pronounced!
