The sun and sun tanning lights emit ultraviolet rays, which are very harmful to the skin, and their effect is manifested in the form of sun damage. Freckles can arise as a result of the uneven distribution of the melanin pigment in the skin following exposure to the sun. After exposure to sunlight, the epidermal layer thickens, and the melanocytes (pigment-producing cells) produce melanin at increased rates, giving some protection against future sun exposure.

Anyone can be susceptible to sun-damage. People with comparatively fairer skin are more vulnerable to sun damage when compared to people with darker skin. Many studies show that the appearance of freckles could be under some genetic control as well.

Freckles primarily pose no health risk at all. Their treatment is more of a cosmetic concern rather than medical. Intense pulse light technology, quite similar to laser, works exceptionally well in the removal of freckles. A beam of light is pulsed through the new handpiece; this light is absorbed by the pigment and converted into heat. The freckle will initially become dark and raised; after a few days, a scab is formed, which is sloughed off naturally as the skin exfoliates.