FreckleFAQ

WHAT KIND OF FRECKLES DO I HAVE?

There are two basic types of freckles -- both with somewhat strange names -- ephelides and lentigines:

Ephelides (singular: ephelis, the Greek word for freckle): This term refers to flat spots that are red or light-brown and typically appear during the sunny months and fade in the winter. They are most often found in people with light complexions and in some families, they are an hereditary (genetic) trait. The regular use of sunscreen during times of sun exposure helps to suppress the appearance of the ephelis-type freckle.
Lentigines (singular: lentigo, from the Latin word for lentil): Children may develop a small tan, brown, or black spot which tends to be darker than an ephelis-type freckle and which does not fade in the winter. This kind of spot is referred to as lentigo simplex. Although occasionally lentigines are part of a rare genetic syndrome, for the most part they are just isolated and unimportant spots.