Scalp facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Scalp

Illustration depicting the layers of the scalp and meninges

Scalp
Latin	scalpus
Artery	supratrochlear, supraorbital, superficial temporal, occipital
Vein	superficial temporal, posterior auricular, occipital
Nerve	supratrochlear, supraorbital, greater occipital, lesser occipital
Lymph	occipital, mastoid

Diagrammatic section of scalp.

The scalp is the anatomical area between the face and the neck.

Layers

It is usually described as having five layers, which can be remembered with the mnemonic "SCALP":

S: The skin on the head from which head hair grows. It is richly supplied with blood vessels.
C: Connective tissue. a thin layer of fat and fibrous tissue lies beneath the skin
A: The aponeurosis (or galea aponeurotica) is the next layer. It is a tough layer of dense fibrous tissue
L: The loose areolar connective tissue layer provides an easy plane of separation between the upper three layers and the pericranium. In scalping the scalp is torn off through this layer.
P: The pericranium is the periosteum of the skull bones and provides nutrition to the bone and the capacity for repair. It may be lifted from the bone to allow removal of bone windows (craniotomy).