The basic pattern of drainage is for superficial lymphatic vessels to drain to the superficial nodes. Some of these drain to the superficial cervical nodes on their way to the deep cervical nodes and others drain directly to the deep cervical nodes.
Five groups of superficial lymph nodes form a ring around the head and are primarily responsible for the lymphatic drainage of the face and scalp. Their pattern of drainage is very similar to the area of distribution of the arteries near their location.