The Baffling Bump: 107-Year-Old Grandma’s Mysterious 10cm Forehead Horn Sparks Curiosity and Concern

A 107-year-old woman with a 10cm horn on her forehead is garnering attention.

Recently, the American media New York Post reported on a Chinese woman with a huge horn on her forehead. The grandmother, named Chen, began growing horns on her forehead in recent years. Currently, the horns have grown to about 10 cm in length.

Chen posted a video showing his horns on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, and attracted a lot of attention. Netizens who watched his video responded, saying, “A healthy 107-year-old woman has horns, which is considered a symbol of longevity.”

Medical staff said Chen’s horn was a cutaneous horn and assumed that it was caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays. He said that it is a horn that has a very low possibility of having a negative impact on health.

In fact, Chen is said to have suffered no other health problems other than his horns. She continues the habit of slowing down aging by eating a healthy diet. It is said that Chen has no plans to remove the horns unless a major problem arises in the future.

A disease in which the outermost layer of the skin, the epidermis, grows excessively and horn-shaped protrusions appear.

Chen’s skin horniness is a skin disease in which the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin, grows excessively, forming horn-shaped protrusions. This disease, also called crust, was first reported in Wales, England in 1588, and was named by the 16th century Danish anatomist Thomas Bartholin. Although it is a disease that has existed since the past, it is a skin disease so rare that the number of patients around the world cannot be accurately counted.

Skin horns commonly occur in old age, with a high incidence in those aged 60 to 70. The horns are mostly straight or curved, hard and yellow. As the process of forming and disappearing horns is repeated, inflammation is often accompanied. When inflammation occurs, pain may be felt.

It is common on the face and hands that are exposed to UV rays… There is no clear prevention method.

In addition to the forehead, like the woman in the story, it can occur anywhere on the body, including the back, ears, and crown. It is especially common on areas exposed to high UV rays, such as the face, hands, and arms. It is reported that skin horns grow very quickly and have various lengths.

It is known that the causes include seborrheic keratosis and viral warts. It also frequently occurs as a complication of skin cancer, such as squamous cell carcinoma. Since there is no clear way to prevent skin horniness, it is best to reduce your daily exposure to ultraviolet rays and get tested if you notice any unexpected bumps on your skin.

Reporter Choi Ji-hye (jhchoi@kormedi.com)