Painful Scalp Nodules on an Active-Duty Sailor.

Lesions of the scalp can present a challenging differential diagnosis to the primary care provider, especially in remote military settings where specialist care is not immediately available. Scalp lesions can be painful and disfiguring, and cause duty limitations if they interfere with the donning of personal protective equipment such as helmets, hardhats, or firefighting gear. We present a case of dissecting scalp cellulitis on an active- duty Navy Sailor who was leaving on an extended underway period on his ship the next day.