Regions of the Head

Frontal Region (Brow)

The frontal region of the head includes the area above the eyes and below the hairline. Eyebrows are the raised arches of skin with short, thick hairs above the supraorbital margins. Just deep to the eyebrow is the curved bony ridge known as the superciliary arch, which is more prominent in adult males. The smooth, non-hairy raised area between the eyebrows is called the glabella. The glabella tends to be flat in children and adult females, and forms a rounded bulge in adult males. It is important to note that the pineal gland is located about 7 cm behind the glabella. The bulge of the forehead, known as the frontal eminence, is evident on either side above the eyebrow. The frontal bulge is usually more marked in children and adult females.

Parietal Region

The parietal region is bounded anteriorly by the hairline, posteriorly by a coronal plane behind the parietal eminences, and on each side by the temporal line. The parietal eminence can be felt on each side in this region about 2 inches above the auricle. The parietal bulges are noticeable on or just in front of the interauricular line.

Occipital Region

The occipital region is the area of the cranium behind the parietal eminences and above the external occipital protuberance and superior nuchal lines. The most notable point in the occipital region is referred to as the opisthocranion or occiput. The external occipital protuberance can be felt in the median line just above the nuchal furrow. The superior nuchal line, one on either side of the external occipital protuberance, runs laterally with its convexity facing upwards.

Temporal Region (Temple)

The temporal region is the area on the side of the skull between the temporal line and the zygomatic arch.

Scalp

The soft tissue covering the frontal, parietal, and occipital regions forms the scalp.

Additional Clarifications:

• The pineal gland is located deep within the brain and its position relative to the glabella is not typically a surface anatomical landmark. It’s more accurate to say that the pineal gland is located deep within the brain, approximately 7 cm posterior to the glabella.