How to Treat Missing Head Scale?

[Maaarble]

My 5 month old ball python has a scale missing from her head, and I'm looking for recommendations on how best to treat it. She's very active, always eats, and has had good sheds thus far. I think she may have scratched her head on the Humidity Gauge I had attached to the side of her tub, so I've removed that. Will her scale grow back, and if yes, what timeframe should I anticipate? Should I step back and leave it alone to heal, or try to help with antibiotics or a similar treatment, and what treatment would that be?

[Bogertophis]

Sorry, but it's unlikely to grow back...and it's no longer red or inflamed, so topically applying a small amount of Neosporin ointment (to ward off infection)
would probably make no difference at this point...it appears to be healing fine. (FYI, never use Neosporin "pain relief" formula on snakes, only the regular
ointment for minor wounds.) It's not rare for snakes to rub off a scale or several, & when they're dark in color (as BPs are) their pink skin underneath shows
more than you'd like, but most of us get a few scars as we go thru life...the same is true of our snakes.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

You don't it nice dry clean, not red or oozing, so you are good to go.

It will not grow back and there is no need for topical ointment.

[Maaarble]

This is a photo of my adult ball python who was fed live his whole life up until I bought him. Do you guys think the odd patch of scales on his head are healed up scar tissue? Is this how my injured snake's missing scale may look once she's healed up and gone through a bunch of sheds?

[Bogertophis]

That's a good guess (a healed wound from live feeding) but more likely a minor rub against something abrasive. (That's a very odd place for a bite.)

Your other snake: you'll be seeing that pink spot for a very long time, learn to ignore it. Scales don't regrow, but it might darken a little eventually.
(I guess you could get him a hair-piece? -but I'd just tell people he's a "bald python"...) Seriously, he's very handsome, don't worry about it.

[Armiyana]

Like everyone else said, most likely won't ever grow back. It may reduce in size a bit as the other scales adjust to the empty space, but never fully covered. Kind of like your other snake but without the little peppering of baby scales over the skin.

The skin looks great right now but if the other scales look like they're beginning to flake, peel or change color there could be a minor fungal infection.
It really just looks like he rubbed the wrong way, but it doesn't hurt to keep an eye out over the next few sheds.

[Maaarble]

Update: Lilith's head healed up just fine

Oct 2018 (2.5 months later):



January 2020: