Written & reviewed by Dr Rupinder Singh Walia — MBBS, FRACGP, Dip. Dermatology (Cardiff, UK) · AHPRA MED0001647256 · special interest in skin cancer medicine & dermoscopy
The signs that mean “get it checked”
New
a new, unusual spot
Changing
size, shape or colour
Growing
getting bigger
Bleeding
or crusting, or itching
Won’t heal
a sore that keeps returning
Any one of these is worth a doctor’s eye — skin cancer is often painless early on.
Freckles are harmless flat tan spots that appear with sun exposure and often fade in winter. They matter mainly for two reasons: lots of freckles can signal sun-sensitive skin (a risk factor), and occasionally a melanoma can hide among them. A “freckle” that behaves differently deserves a doctor’s eye.
FrecklesSmall, flat tan spots on sun-exposed skin
Clinical image · Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Example only — appearances vary; see a doctor for any concerning spot.
What a harmless freckle looks like
Small, flat and uniform tan to light brown.
On sun-exposed skin; often fades in winter.
Looks like your other freckles.
When a “freckle” is worth checking
Have a spot reviewed if it is darker or larger than the rest, changing, has uneven colour or an irregular border, or stands out as the odd one. Get your spot reviewed — $49.
Most skin-cancer advice tells you to watch for change. Skin360AI helps you keep photos of one or more spots connected over time. A spot can be a mole, freckle, mark, lump, sore, patch or any skin area you want to watch. It is not a diagnosis and cannot rule skin cancer in or out.
Check and watch the spots you care about over time
Use the free AI-assisted skin check to save photos of moles, marks, lumps, sores, patches or other skin areas you want to watch. A photo record is not a diagnosis or a cancer all-clear.
A structured photo record is not a diagnosis, cannot exclude skin cancer and does not replace an in-person examination.
Medically reviewed by Dr Rupinder Singh Walia (MBBS, FRACGP, Diploma in Dermatology — Cardiff University, UK; AHPRA MED0001647256). Last reviewed August 2026. This information is general and is not a diagnosis; it cannot rule skin cancer in or out. See your GP or a skin-cancer clinic in person for anything that concerns you.
FrecklesSmall, flat tan spots on sun-exposed skin