Skin Horn

A skin horn is a hard, conical projection made of compacted keratin. It can form on sun exposed skin and may develop from a variety of underlying lesions. While many skin horns arise from benign causes, a significant number are associated with precancerous or cancerous changes.

Appearance

• Hard keratin spike protruding from the skin
• Variable size from a few millimetres to several centimetres
• Often tender at the base when inflamed
• Common on face, ears, scalp and hands

Because the underlying cause may be a precancerous lesion such as an actinic keratosis or even a squamous cell carcinoma, every skin horn requires proper assessment.

Treatment

• Excision biopsy to remove the horn and analyse the base

If you notice a hard projection on the skin, please arrange an urgent assessment through the contact page.