• Question: why do we have freckles?

    Asked by ryantm to Helen, Jenni, Mark, Martin, Stu on 21 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Jenni Tilley

      Jenni Tilley answered on 20 Jun 2011:

      Similar to the reason are hair goes lighter in the sun.

      In the case of our hair, the sun’s UV rays damage the melanin in our hair – since this is our natural dye, we lose the colour associated with it.

      In our skin, the UV rays cause our skin cells to produce melanin. This is our body’s reaction designed to protect our skin from the harmful rays. People are not born with freckles.

      Moles are slightly different – in this case, the melanocytes (cells that produce the pigment) cluster together instead of spreading out across the skin. While freckles are causes only by the sun, moles can be genetic or congenital (present at birth)

    • Photo: Helen O'Connor

      Helen O'Connor answered on 21 Jun 2011:

      What Jenni said!

      I am afraid that apart from having freckles, I am no expert on skin and melanin.

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