DangerfieldThe surface anatomy and features of the head and neck are derived from skeletal and soft tissue structures covered by skin and connective tissue that covers the underlying bony skull. In some areas, particularly the face, the skin is thin, allowing easy palpation of underlying skeletal features. It is also highly mobile as a result of the presence of a number of small but extensive subcutaneous muscles of facial expression, all supplied by a single cranial nerve (facial). The scalp is, in contrast, relatively tough and hidden from view in most individuals by hair. Within the skull, which acts as a protective shield, are the brain and brainstem, with its associated covering of tissue layers and blood vessels. The anatomy is complex and this chapter can only provide an overview of the principal features, with craniofacial anatomy included to link anatomically with the underlying structures, including the neuroanatomy, which may be of particular significance in penetrating or blunt head trauma.