Not So Uncommon Cause of Foot Pain: Cutaneous Hair Splinter of the Sole

A fragment of hair penetrating the skin has been referred to as cutaneous pili migrans in the literature. The condition is regarded rare and the cause unknown.

A 55-year-old female experienced painful sensations of the sole. Dermoscopy revealed hair fragments penetrating the skin, and histopathology a hair shaft embedded in the stratum corneum. The hairs were mechanically extracted with immediate relief from the pain.

Hair splinters of the sole may be a cause of foot pain related to the skin. The hair splinter is yet another form of hair that has embedded itself in the skin. Patients may believe the hair is growing out of the feet, while the soles are among the specialized skin regions that are hairless. The origin of the hair is exogenous and related to an exposure to freshly cut human or animal hair. Cutaneous embedded hairs can be classified based on the clinical presentation, the location, and association with hair follicles into hair splinters, interdigital pilonidal sinus, migrating hair, or ingrown hair. The condition is an important cause of foot pain and should be considered on clinical examination of the skin of the soles.