Pigmentation refers to the coloring of the skin, and freckles are a specific type of pigmentation characterized by small, flat, and typically light-brown spots on the skin. Pigmentation is the result of melanin, a pigment produced by melanocytes in the skin. Freckles, in particular, are concentrations of melanin that are triggered by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
Melanin is responsible for the color of the skin, hair, and eyes. It is produced by melanocytes, which are specialized cells in the skin.