BACKGROUND: Scalping is a trauma caused by partial or total avulsion of the scalp. It is primarily due to accidental contact of long hair with the rotary shaft of a motor. Rotary shafts suck in the victim's hair, causing traction and abruptly pulling the scalp off. METHODS: A longitudinal, observational, retrospective, and descriptive study of 62 scalping victim-patients treated at Fundação Santa Casa de Misericórdia do Pará was conducted. RESULTS: The most commonly affected patients were children between 7 and 16 years of age (56.4%) and women (93.5%); 59.7% were students and 43.5% were Catholics. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic campaigns about the risks of traveling in and maintaining a vessel without motor shaft protection are essential because scalping is primarily caused by hair twisting around the motor shaft.
Scalp; Wounds; Accident prevention
