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Cutaneous Horn

This patient information and photograph on Cutaneous Horn is provided by John L. Meisenheimer, M.D. a board certified Dermatologist and skin care specialist based in Orlando, Florida. This information is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice or treatment of a dermatologist or other physician.

What is it?    A Cutaneous Horn is a thick cone shaped protrusion from the surface of the skin composed of stuck together dead skin cells. Occasionally it can be painful but most commonly it is asymptomatic. The name derives from its resemblance to the horn of an animal.

What causes it?    A cutaneous horn is caused by retained dead skin cells over an underlying growth. Sometimes the underlying growth is harmless like a wart or seborrheic keratosis but other times it may grow over a precancer (actinic keratosis) or skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma).

Is it dangerous?    Because you cannot be sure what is growing under the cutaneous horn it needs to be checked for cancer. Cutaneous horns caused by underlying cancer can be very dangerous if the cancer is not treated.

Can it be cured?    A biopsy is usually recommended to find out what the underlying cause is due to. Once treated recurrence is uncommon but depends on the underlying pathologic process.

Will it spread?    Cutaneous horns occur most often on the sun exposed areas of the skin, but they can grow anywhere. They do not spread.

Is it contagious?    Cutaneous horns are not contagious and you cannot "catch them" from anyone.

Last modified: 10/19/08