One of the common skin problems that many people have is freckles. These are dark spots that usually occur on the face, and which are darker compared to the rest of the skin. Their number tends to vary from a few to quite a significant number of them. It has been postulated that they darken after prolonged exposure to the sun. The presence of freckles on one’s face can result in self-confidence issues, as they are easily noticeable.  This is why most people who have them try to find ways to get rid of them. There are many expensive remedies touted to be extremely effective, but using a simple skin bleaching agent can work as well without being overly expensive. How Freckles Form Freckles can be genetically inherited from one’s parents or other ancestors. They represent clusters of areas on the skin where melanocytes produce an increased amount of melanin, particularly when exposed to sunlight. Most people assume that freckles contain an increased amount of melanocytes, but this is not true. The concentration of melanocytes is even across the skin, only that those found within the freckles are more active in producing melanin. Despite this, however, individuals with freckles have been found to be more susceptible to skin changes arising from ultraviolet radiation. This is why many of them are usually advised to avoid spending too much time in the sun without proper sunscreen. The Role of Bleaching Agents As has been explained, freckles represent areas where melanin production is accelerated compared to the rest of the skin. It therefore makes sense to use products which inhibit this action, which is the domain of bleaching agents. These agents contain chemicals which inhibit some of the enzymes involved in the production of melanin. After using bleaching agents, the freckles are likely to start reducing in intensity. In some cases, they may disappear entirely, while in others they may fade to a point where they are hardly noticeable. What route they take depends on the type of bleaching agent you use as well as the nature of your freckles. Other Extra Steps Even without using bleaching agents, people with freckles have a higher risk of being affected by ultraviolet radiation. Once bleaching agents are used, this risk goes up slightly higher. This means that individuals with freckles should make it a habit to use facial creams which contain sunscreen with an SPF of more than 30 to ensure that they are safe from ultraviolet radiation. This should be done every time they go outside, even if there is heavy cloud cover. In addition to increasing the risk of UV damage, exposure to UV radiation also increases the risk of the freckles reappearing. In summary, you can use bleaching agents to treat freckles. In fact, it is one of the best methods of doing so, since it directly targets the cause of the freckles directly. Quality of outcome is usually determined through the nature of the bleaching agent used as well as how you follow the instructions of use.