SCALP

Assistant professor
Dr. Ali Alnajjar
 DEFINITION

The scalp consists of:

• Skin (normally hair-bearing)
and
• Subcutaneous tissue
• it covers the calvaria

Scalp extends:
• Posteriorly, from the superior
nuchal lines of the occipital
bone
• Anteriorly, from the
supraorbital margin of the
frontal bone
• Laterally, over the temporal
fascia, to the zygomatic arches

prof. Makarem 2
 STRUCTURE

The SCALP consists of five layers:

• Skin
• Connective tissue
• Aponeurosis
• Loose areolar tissue
• Pericranium prof. Makarem 3
 CONNECTIVE TISSUE
• fibro-fatty
• fibrous septa
connect the skin
to the underlying
aponeurosis of
the
occipitofrontalis
muscle.
• numerous
arteries and
veins (the
superficial
veins of the
scalp)
• the arteries are branches of the external and
internal carotid arteries, and a free anastomosis
takes place between them.
prof. Makarem 4
APONEUROSIS
• name:
epicranial
aponeurosis,
galea
aponeurotica
• thin, tendinous
sheet
• unites the
occipital and
frontal bellies
of the
occipito-
frontalis
muscle

prof. Makarem 5
• The lateral
margins of the
epicranial
aponeurosis are
attached to the
temporal fascia
• the skin, the
subcutaneous
connective
tissue and the
epicranial
aponeurosis
(layers 1, 2, 3)
are adherent to
each other and
move as a one
unit
prof. Makarem 6
SUBAPONEUROTIC SPACE
• potential space
beneath the
epicranial
aponeurosis
• limited in front
and behind by the
origins of the
occipitofrontalis
muscle
• extends laterally
as far as the
attachment of the
aponeurosis to the
temporal fascia
• occupied by loose
areolar tissue

prof. Makarem 7
LOOSE AREOLAR TISSUE
• Occupies the
subapo-
neurotic
space
• loosely
connects the
epicranial
aponeurosis to
the periosteum
of the skull (the
pericranium)
• contains a few
small arteries
• contains some
important
emissary
veins
prof. Makarem 8
EMISSARY VEINS
• Emissary veins:
are valveless
veins
• They connect
the superficial
veins of the
scalp with the
diploic veins of
the skull bones
and, through
them, with the
intracranial
venous sinuses

prof. Makarem 9
 PERICRANIUM

• It is the
periosteum
covering the
outer
surface of
the skull
bones

• at the sutures between individual skull bones, the periosteum

on the outer surface of the bones is continuous with the
periosteum on the inner surface of the skull bones
prof. Makarem 10
MUSCLES OF THE SCALP
Occipitofrontalis
(epicranius)
• Origin: It consists of four bellies,
two occipital and two frontal,
connected by an aponeurosis.
• The occipital bellies are
smaller and arise from the
highest nuchal line on the
occipital bone and pass forward
to be attached to the
aponeurosis.
• The frontal bellies are larger
and closer to each other in the
middle line
• The arise from the skin and
superficial fascia of the eyebrow
and pass backward to be
attached to the aponeurosis.

prof. Makarem 11
 Nerve supply:
• The occipital belly is supplied by the posterior auricular
branch of the facial nerve;
• the frontal belly is supplied by the temporal branch of the
facial nerve. prof. Makarem 12
 Action
The first three layers of the scalp can be moved forward or
backward, the loose areolar tissue of the fourth layer of the
scalp allowing the aponeurosis to move on the pericranium.
(e.g. layers 1, 2, 3 will slide together as ONE LAYER)

prof. Makarem 13
Which nerve is responsible
for this action?
- The temporal branch of
the facial nerve.

The frontal bellies of the occipitofrontalis can raise

the eyebrows in expressions of surprise or horror.

prof. Makarem 14
SENSORY NERVE SUPPLY OF THE SCALP

The main trunks of the

sensory nerves lie in
the superficial fascia.

prof. Makarem 15
• The supra-
trochlear
nerve, a
branch of the
ophthalmic
division of the
trigeminal
nerve, winds
around the
superior orbital
margin and
supplies the
scalp.
• It passes
backward close
to the median
plane and
reaches nearly
as far as the
vertex of the
skull.

prof. Makarem 16
• The supra-
orbital nerve,
a branch of the
ophthalmic
division of the
trigeminal
nerve, winds
around the
superior orbital
margin and
ascends over
the forehead.
• It supplies the
scalp as far
backward as
the vertex.

prof. Makarem 17
• The auricu-
lotemporal
nerve, a
branch of the
mandibular
division of the
trigeminal
nerve, ascends
over the side of
the head from
in front of the
auricle.
• Its terminal
branches
supply the skin
over the
temporal
region.

prof. Makarem 18
The zygoma-
ticotemporal
nerve, a branch
of the maxillary
division of the
trigeminal
nerve, supplies
the scalp over
the temple.

prof. Makarem 19
The lesser
occipital nerve,
a branch of the
cervical plexus
(C2), supplies
the scalp over
the lateral part
of the occipital
region and the
skin over the
medial surface
of the auricle.

prof. Makarem 20
The greater
occipital nerve,
a branch of the
posterior ramus
of the second
cervical nerve,
ascends over
the back of the
scalp and
supplies the
skin as far
forward as the
vertex of the
skull.

prof. Makarem 21
SENSORY NERVE SUPPLY (in brief)

prof. Makarem 22
ARTERIAL SUPPLY OF THE SCALP

• The scalp has a rich

supply of blood to
nourish the hair
follicles, and, for this
reason, the smallest
cut bleeds profusely.
• The arteries lie in the
superficial fascia.

prof. Makarem 23
The
supratrochlear
and the
supraorbital
arteries,
branches of the
ophthalmic
artery, ascend
over the
forehead in
company with the
supratrochlear
and supraorbital
nerves.

prof. Makarem 24
• The superficial
temporal
artery, the
smaller terminal
branch of the
external carotid
artery, ascends
in front of the
auricle in
company with
the auriculo-
temporal nerve.
• It divides into
anterior and
posterior
branches,
which supply
the skin over
the frontal and
temporal
regions.
prof. Makarem 25
The posterior
auricular artery,
a branch of the
external carotid
artery, ascends
behind the auricle
to supply the
scalp above and
behind the auricle.

prof. Makarem 26
• The occipital
artery, a
branch of the
external
carotid artery,
ascends from
the apex of the
posterior
triangle, in
company with
the greater
occipital nerve.
• It supplies the
skin over the
back of the
scalp and
reaches as
high as the
vertex of the
skull.
prof. Makarem 27
ARTERIAL SUPPLY OF THE SCALP
(in brief)

prof. Makarem 28
VENOUS DRAINAGE OF THE SCALP

The veins of the

scalp freely
anastomose with
one another.

prof. Makarem 29
The veins of the scalp
are connected to the
diploic veins of the skull
bones and the
intracranial venous
sinuses by the
valveless emissary
veins.

prof. Makarem 30
The supra-
trochlear and
supraorbital
veins unite at
the medial
margin of the
orbit to form
the facial vein.

prof. Makarem 31
The superficial
temporal vein
unites with the
maxillary vein in
the substance
of the parotid
gland to form
the retroman-
dibular vein.

prof. Makarem 32
The posterior
auricular vein
unites with the
posterior divi-
sion of the ret-
romandibular
vein, just below
the parotid
gland, to form
the external
jugular vein.

prof. Makarem 33
The occipital
vein drains into
the suboccipital
venous plexus,
which lies
beneath the
floor of the
upper part of
the posterior
triangle.

prof. Makarem 34
The suboccipital
venous plexus in
turn drains into the
vertebral veins or
the internal
jugular vein.

prof. Makarem 35
 LYMPH DRAINAGE OF THE SCALP

Lymph vessels in the

anterior part of the
scalp and forehead
drain into the
submandibular lymph
nodes.

prof. Makarem 36
• Drainage from the
lateral part of the
scalp above the ear
is into the
superficial parotid
(preauricular) nodes;
• lymph vessels in the
part of the scalp
above and behind
the ear drain into the
mastoid nodes.

prof. Makarem 37
• Vessels in the back
of the scalp drain
into the occipital
nodes.
• All these groups of
lymph nodes are
drained into the
deep cervical
group of lymph
nodes.

prof. Makarem 38