Here’s What Your Freckles Tell About Your Skin Health According To An Expert!
Are freckles just beauty spots or a signal of your skin health? Well, we've packed some answers for you!
Freckles are tiny brown spots on the top layer of the skin, often appearing on sun-exposed areas like the face, hands, chest, back, and/or legs. While freckles may naturally disappear in some people, they continue to remain visible in most others. The cause of freckles is melanogenesis – the clustering of melanin-producing keratinocytes (skin cells).
An increase in the size or number of these cells results in hyperpigmentation – patches of dark-coloured skin. Freckles are one such manifestation of hyperpigmentation. Freckles (ephelides) are genetic, and what we sometimes call age spots (solar lentigines) result from sun exposure. However, hyperpigmentation (spots on your skin that are darker than others) can be a sign that you’re not getting enough vitamin B12.
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Freckles do not cause any harm – their significant impact on one’s quality of life is relegated only to their appearance. Essentially, they do not cause any bodily changes. However, it often helps to be more cautious when freckles persist for longer or are associated with other serious skin issues, such as:
- Itching: Inflammation within the freckle may cause the skin to itch and become tender.
- Bleeding: Bleeding freckles is a sign of more serious skin issues like benign or malignant skin cancers.
- Growing freckles: The freckles in one area may spread to other parts due to the body’s heightened response toward a skin lesion and sun damage.
- Changing shape: Freckles do not have a distinctive border and may appear to expand in chronic (long-term) conditions.
- Changing colour: The skin colour around the freckles may change and cause brown pigmentation or darken and tan easily.
About the author:
Inputs by Dr. Piyusha Bhagde, Founder and Chief Dermatologist at Skin Ethics Clinic in Akola, Maharashtra.
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First Published: May 18, 2025 8:09 PM
