Black spots suddenly appearing on skin

Flat purple-black dots can represent small areas of bleeding, while dark marks after bumps may be pigment left by acne, folliculitis, bites, or irritation. Raised rough spots, crusted lesions, and smooth moles have different possibilities. Folliculitis typically presents with bumps around hair follicles rather than isolated flat pigment. Colour alone cannot establish the cause, especially when spots appeared quickly or occur alongside illness.

Photograph the spots in natural light with a size reference and check whether they are flat, raised, tender, itchy, or blanch when gently pressed. Record when they began, where they first appeared, recent injuries or infections, and any new medicine or skin product. Avoid scratching, picking, bleaching creams, and vigorous exfoliation until the cause is clearer. Do not stop prescribed medicine without medical guidance.

Seek urgent medical care when rapidly appearing dark or purple spots do not fade with gentle pressure and occur with fever, severe illness, unusual bleeding, breathing trouble, confusion, or marked weakness. Prompt assessment is also appropriate if spots spread quickly, blister, become very painful, or follow a new medicine. Arrange a skin examination for any individual mark that grows, changes shape or colour, bleeds, or does not heal.

Show the timeline in your photographs and provide a complete list of medicines and supplements. Ask whether the spots appear to be blood beneath the skin, post-inflammatory pigment, blocked follicles, or separate lesions, and whether examination of the rest of the skin or additional testing is needed.