What are freckles on the skin technically referred to as?

Freckles on the skin are technically referred to as macules. A macule is defined as a small, flat, distinct, colored area of skin that differs from the surrounding tissue. Freckles, which are small brownish spots that usually appear on sun-exposed areas, fit this description perfectly, as they are flat and typically less than 1 centimeter in diameter.

The term 'spots' is more general and does not convey the specific characteristics that define freckles as macules. 'Lesions' is a broader term that encompasses any abnormal change in the structure of an organism's tissues, including spots like warts, moles, or skin cancer, so it is not specific to the nature of freckles either. 'Hyperpigmentation' refers to a condition where some areas of the skin become darker than the surrounding skin due to excess melanin production, which can include freckles but does not exclusively define them. Therefore, the most accurate and specific term for freckles is macules.