Mole vs freckle: what’s the difference?

Moles and freckles are two of the most common pigmented spots that appear on the skin. Although they can look similar, they form in different ways and behave differently over time.

Understanding the difference between moles and freckles can help you recognise when a spot is harmless and when it should be checked by a doctor during a skin cancer check.

What’s the difference between a mole and a freckle?

Freckles and moles are different in several ways:

• Moles may be flat or raised, while freckles are flat.
• Freckles are usually brown in colour; moles can be brown, black, pink, the same colour as the surrounding skin, and even blue or grey.
• Moles are genetically determined, and they can grow on any part of the body. They start appearing in childhood, and new ones continue to appear for many years. The rate of new development tends to slow down or stop at about age 40 for most people, but for some, it can continue to appear for their whole life. Exposure to the sun in early life can increase the number of moles, but in general people tend to have as many moles as their parents.
• Freckles appear after sun exposure. They appear most commonly (but not always) on areas of skin that have been exposed to the sun repeatedly over a long period of time.

Some moles and freckles can be removed with minimal scarring using treatments such as radiofrequency surgery or BBL (Broadband Light).

Concerned about a spot on your skin?

Moles and freckles are usually benign, but it can be difficult to tell the difference between a benign spot and an early skin cancer without medical training.

If you notice a spot that is new, changing, or looks different from others on your skin, it is sensible to have it checked by a doctor experienced in skin cancer detection.

A doctor can examine the area using dermoscopy during a skin check to help determine whether it is a mole, a freckle, or another type of skin lesion.

What are moles?

Moles are collections of melanocytes, the cells which produce melanin (skin pigment). Melanocytes are spread throughout normal skin; in a mole they tend to cluster together.

What are freckles?

A freckle, also sometimes known as a lentigo or ephelis, is a patch of normal skin where the melanocytes are producing more melanin than the surrounding area.

People often call freckles “sunspots”, but skin cancer doctors usually use this name for solar keratoses, a potentially pre-cancerous form of sun damage common on exposed areas of skin.

Fair-skinned people often start developing freckles in early childhood.

Larger freckles that appear later in life are sometimes called lentigines, “age spots” or “liver spots”, but they aren’t related to liver function.

Can moles and freckles be cancerous?

Strictly speaking, melanomas and skin cancers are separate from moles. Their structure and behaviour are different—although their appearance is sometimes very similar. To a skin cancer doctor or dermatologist, moles and freckles aren’t “cancerous” by definition. They are normal non-cancer growths or pigmentation of the skin. But people without medical training often think of their skin and moles differently from skin cancer doctors and dermatologists. They might consider any spot or lump to be a “mole”.

This means some of the spots or lumps which patients think of as “moles” are actually skin cancers.

The “moles” which are more likely to actually be skin cancers tend to be “ugly duckling” spots that don’t resemble other moles or freckles elsewhere on the skin. Irregularly-shaped or coloured and growing or changing moles might also be cancers.

Other common skin lesions can also be confused with moles or freckles.

Other spots and lumps

Skin tags and other benign lesions can resemble moles. An assessment can establish what a spot is before treatment is considered. Treatments for freckles or other pigmentation, such as BBL, are different from mole removal.

When to have a spot assessed

Most moles are benign, but melanoma can develop in an existing mole or as a new spot. Have a new, changing, bleeding or unusual spot checked. A doctor can advise whether it needs monitoring, biopsy or treatment.

See our spot assessment options.