Layers Of The Scalp

Do you know the acronym “SCALP” for the five layers of the scalp?

• The skin layer is relatively thick and contains hair follicles, sebaceous glands, and apocrine sweat glands.
• The connective tissue layer has a dense, collagenous mesh interwoven with nerves and blood vessels supplying the scalp.
• The aponeurosis layer contains the occipitofrontalis muscle and its investing fascia anteriorly and the occipitalis posteriorly. Thus, the skin, connective tissue, and aponeurosis essentially form a unit.
• The loose areolar connective tissue layer separates the superficial three layers (skin, connective tissue, and aponeurosis) from the underlying pericranium. This layer also contains emissary veins (with no valves) which can serve as a conduit for infection through the scalp, and it also serves as a plane for dissection during surgery.
• The pericranium is the periosteal layer of the skull where fibrous tissue anchors into the cranial sutures.

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