EPHELIDES

Ephelides or freckles are small light brown macules appearing in sun-exposed skin of fair-skinned individuals, often with red or blond hair and Celtic ancestry. They are more pronounced during spring and summer and fade during the winter period. They appear in early childhood and often regress later in life. Histopathologic examination shows a normal number of sometimes hypertrophic melanocytes but increased melanin in the basal epidermal layer