Skin symptoms in pictures: spots on skin and their possible causes
This tool is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified dermatologist.
The pictures and answers on this page are free. SkinAI Lab is a paid AI analysis; pricing is shown before you scan.
What can spots on the skin be?
Spots on the skin have many possible causes, and the colour is the easiest place to start. Pictures can help you describe what you see, but they cannot tell you which condition you have. First, how urgent is it?
- Call emergency services now for a rash that does not fade when you press the side of a clear glass firmly against it, sudden swelling of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue, or struggling to breathe.
- See a doctor about a new or changing mole, or a mole that is painful, itchy, inflamed, bleeding or crusty; a growth on your skin that is getting bigger or has changed colour or texture; or a growth or area of skin that hurts, itches, bleeds, crusts or scabs for more than 4 weeks.
- Often harmless: freckles, sun spots (lentigo), seborrheic keratoses and milia are harmless, and cherry angiomas need no treatment. Check the warning signs first, and see a doctor if you are not sure what a spot is.
What each page shows
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Starts from the colour
These pages start from what you can see: the colour of a spot or patch.
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Atlas photos
Each one shows atlas photos of conditions that can look that way.
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Quoted descriptions
With a description quoted from the atlas article.
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Warning signs
And the signs that mean you should see a doctor.
Not a diagnosis. Pictures cannot identify or rule out a condition.
Choose by what you see
One page per colour. Each card is one look from that page, with an atlas photo of it and the conditions pictured under it. Groups overlap, so look through all of them.
How urgent red spots on the skin are, what can cause them, and atlas pictures of each cause with a quote from its article.
Conditions: 6
Photo: Nummular eczema
Patches, often scaly
Atopic dermatitis, Nummular eczema, Psoriasis, Pityriasis rosea, Ringworm, Tinea versicolor
See the pictures ›
Conditions: 3
Photo: Contact dermatitis
Conditions: 12
Photo: Hives
Spots, bumps and welts
Hives, Chickenpox, Scabies, Folliculitis, Acne, Lichen planus, Rosacea, Pyogenic granuloma, Basal cell carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma, Bowen’s disease, Actinic keratosis
See the pictures ›When to see a doctor about white spots or patches, what can cause them, and atlas pictures of many causes with a quote from each article.
Conditions: 3
Photo: Vitiligo
Conditions: 7
Photo: Milia
Raised bumps or white scale
Milia, Closed comedones, Molluscum contagiosum, Lichen nitidus, Psoriasis, Basal cell carcinoma, Melanoma
See the pictures ›When to see a doctor about brown or dark spots, what can cause them, and atlas pictures of many causes with a quote from each article.
Conditions: 2
Photo: Lentigo
Conditions: 3
Photo: Seborrheic keratosis
Raised, rough or firm brown spots
Seborrheic keratosis, Dermatofibroma, Actinic keratosis
See the pictures ›
Conditions: 5
Photo: Mole
How the colours differ
A summary of the pages above. Many conditions overlap, so this table cannot tell you which one you have.
| Colour | What it can be | See a doctor about | Often harmless |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | Many skin conditions, from hives and eczema to infections and some skin cancers | A new or changing mole; a growth that is getting bigger or has changed colour or texture; skin that hurts, itches, bleeds, crusts or scabs for more than 4 weeks. Emergency: a rash that does not fade when you press a clear glass against it | Heat rash usually gets better on its own after a few days; most insect bites get better in a few days; cherry angiomas need no treatment |
| White | Often areas of skin that have lost pigment; others are small raised bumps | A pale or reddish patch that feels numb or where you have lost feeling; an itchy white patch on your genitals or skin; a new or changing spot or mole | White sun spots and milia; pityriasis alba usually clears over time |
| Brown | Sun spots, freckles, moles, seborrheic keratoses and marks left after acne or a rash; some skin cancers, including melanoma, can also look brown | A new mole; a mole that has changed size, shape or colour; a spot with uneven edges or several colours; a mark that has not gone away after a few weeks | Freckles, sun spots (lentigo) and seborrheic keratoses; moles unless they change |
Sources: NHS — Meningitis · NHS — Anaphylaxis · NHS — skin cancer symptoms · NHS — melanoma symptoms · WHO — Leprosy · NHS — Lichen sclerosus · Cleveland Clinic — White spots on your skin · AAD — Melanoma signs · Cleveland Clinic — Age spots
Spots on skin: FAQ
Can I tell what a spot is from a picture?
No. Pictures can help you describe what you see, but they cannot identify or rule out a condition. Many conditions overlap. If you are not sure what a spot is, see a doctor.
When should I see a doctor about a spot on my skin?
See a doctor about a new or changing mole, or a mole that is painful, itchy, inflamed, bleeding or crusty; a growth on your skin that is getting bigger or has changed colour or texture; or a growth or area of skin that hurts, itches, bleeds, crusts or scabs for more than 4 weeks. Don’t wait 4 weeks for a new or changing mole. Each page above lists the signs for its own spots. Sources: NHS — melanoma symptoms, NHS — skin cancer symptoms.
Which skin spots need emergency help?
Call emergency services now for a rash that does not fade when you press the side of a clear glass firmly against it, sudden swelling of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue, or struggling to breathe. Meningitis does not always cause a rash: get help at once if someone is unwell and you think something is seriously wrong. Sources: NHS — Meningitis, NHS — Anaphylaxis.
Can a spot on the skin be skin cancer?
Some can. Skin cancers appear among the red, the white and the brown spots on these pages: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Have a spot diagnosed by a doctor rather than by its colour, and see a doctor about a new or changing mole or a growth that is getting bigger or has changed colour or texture. Sources: NHS — melanoma symptoms, NHS — skin cancer symptoms, Cleveland Clinic — Age spots.
Which spots are usually harmless?
Freckles, sun spots (lentigo), seborrheic keratoses, white sun spots and milia are harmless, cherry angiomas need no treatment, and heat rash usually gets better on its own after a few days. Moles are usually nothing to worry about unless they change. Check the warning signs first, and see a doctor if you are not sure what a spot is.
Where do the photos come from?
From our dermatology atlas. Each photo links to the atlas article it comes from. Every atlas article is reviewed by a board-certified dermatologist and has its own photo gallery.
Is the AI skin check free?
The pictures and answers on these pages are free. SkinAI Lab is a paid AI analysis; pricing is shown before you scan. AI output is not a medical diagnosis.
For a clear photo: daylight, close and in focus, no filters. Upload a photo for an AI skin check. AI output is not a medical diagnosis.
Check my skin ↑SkinAI Lab is a paid AI analysis; pricing is shown before you scan.
Prepared by the SkinAI Lab editorial team · Updated . Apart from the quoted atlas text, this page has not been reviewed by a doctor. It is general information, not medical advice.