Let's take a look at scalping this week.
Performed by both Indians and Whites, scalping was mainly a way to take trophies of battle.
The scalp was considered part of the soul to the Indians. Scalps were "danced" upon a victorious return, and sometimes used in decoration of clothing and horse gear.
The act of scalping itself was not fatal, there are numerous accounts of people living after being scalped.

From Bradbury:
Robinson was sixty-six years of age, and was
one of the first settlers in Kentucky. He had been in several engagements with the Indians there,
who really made it to the first settlers, what its name imports, “The Bloody Ground.” In one of
these engagements he was scalped, and has since been obliged to wear a handkerchief on his head
to protect the part.

From Campbell:
Whilst we remained there, two Indians, who had been out stealing, were coming down in an
opposite direction. The Iroquois shot them, and they were the first Indians that I saw scalped. The
Iroquois put their feet on the dead body, fastened their fingers in the hair, and running the knife
around the skull, yanked the scalp off in an instant. It was a horrid sight.

From W.A. Ferris:
On the 28th we passed the body of an Indian killed the day before, and the squaws agreeable to an
ancient custom, gave it repeated blows as they went by. It was totally naked, scalped, and pinned
to the ground by an arrow through the heart. Beside it lay a half worn garment, in which we recognized
the pantaloons worn by Richards when he was killed in the spring. It was hence conjectured
that this Blackfoot had a hand in the murder. If so the bloody deed was in part avenged, for
his bones were left to moulder here, as were those of poor Richards near Kamas prairie.

From Larpenteur:
Not more than an hour after the Indian’s speech the alarm of “Sioux! Sioux!” was given, and in
less than half of a minute not a man was left in the council lodge — every Indian flew to his gun
or bow and arrows, and was off in pursuit of the Sioux. About sunset they returned with five
scalps, which they exhibited in front of the store to the gaze of the gentlemanly commissioners.
Some of the Indians also had Sioux feet and hands tied around their horses’ necks, while old
squaws were dancing and jumping upon the scalps. They also took nine horses, but most of them
died, having been overfed. “Now,” said they, “here are your Sioux; see how well they listen to your
words! They are the very same Sioux with whom you have just been making peace. We finished
them with the fine new guns you gave them, and scalped them with your own knives. They are the
very ones; and you will see some more of them at Fort Rice.”

From Russell:
After we had encamped a
Frenchman started down the mountain to set his traps for beaver contrary to the advice and
persuasion of his companions he had gone but a few miles when he was fired upon by a party of
Blackfeet killed and scalped.

From Wislizenus:
The slain are scalped, that is, the scalp is circularly incised in the hairy part of the head and torn from the skull.
The scalp of an enemy is the highest triumph of the Indian. The more scalps an Indian can show,
the higher does he stand in the esteem of his tribe.

A Shoshone Indian with a decorated scalplock, by A.J. Miller.

Didn't Brian Keith get scalped in the movie The Mountain Men?

I seem to recall that the Spanish/Mexcian government paid gold pesos for Apache scalps during the early 19th century. Probably happened back east in colonial times as well with French and English paying the bounties.

Henry Hamilton in Detroit was nicknamed "the hair buyer" , for buying scalps from frontier Kentucky.

Some survived being scalped. Look up " trepanation " , not for the squeamish.....

James Kirker was a famous mountain man scalp hunter.