Dead blackened scales

My girl seems to have what looks to me to be some dead scales on her nose. There is a depression and some black scales and part scales, it looks like it may be spreading between her scales but I'm not sure. I though it might be a burn but the heat lamp is shielded so I can't see how. There's nothing new in her environment, she hasn't been introduced to any new animals, is not live fed, and I can't see anything she could have hurt herself on. I only noticed it a couple of days ago so I can't tell yet whether it is getting better or worse. I'm not sure if it's is an injury, a disease or some sort of infection. Any ideas what this might be?

Do you have any clearer photos? You can see the issue in that photo however (to me) its hard to distinguish what it may be

That's was as large a file as I could upload. I'll try to take some more, but as a model she doesn't take direction well....

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Hopefully these will give you a better view. She just wanted to come and taste the camera so getting a close up is tricky.

Apply some betadine with a cottonbud, it looks like she may have caught herself on something (a branch or something). She hasn't had any other issues?

Thanks, I've had her 3 years and she's never had a health problem. So you think it's an injury?

Is there an un-caged globe it could have come in contact with? Looks like either a mild burn or it's rubbed it head raw on something. You have two options, get checked by a vet, or keep it clean (betadine) until it sheds, if it dosent seem to be shrinking/healing go to the vet.

cheers.

The fact that the lesion is dead centre is intriguing. I would suggest you look for something (some kind of aperture) that the snake may be trying to get its snout into, that is exactly wide enough for the snout and has some kind of projection which has damaged the skin/tissue on the nose.

The other alternative is a problem developing in the roof of the mouth - the Jacobson's organs are about there (the snake sticks its tongue into these when sniffing the air - they are scent receptors). Check the inside of the roof of the mouth for any sign of a lesion or infection.

A visit to the vet might be in order if it's looking worse. Please keep us posted.

Jamie

Thanks guys, the light and heater are both shielded, and it's a commercial vivarium, so is clear of dangers as far as I can tell. I can't see anywhere she could push her snout in that she couldn't easily get her whole body through. I sprayed it with the 'Betadine' boy, I had no idea she could move that quick! I can't say she enjoyed the experience. I'm montitoring to see if it's improving or deteriorating and will take her to the vet if it's seems to be the later. I just thought that as I have limited experience it might have been something others had encountered or may have been common and of little concern. For all I knew I may have got 20 replies saying 'oh that, they all get that it's no big deal'. I'll try and check the roof of her mouth but I may lose an arm in the process, she's not the friendliest of snakes at the best of times. I'll get her out and wait for her to yawn I think, she usually gets bored with my stories pretty quickly... Thanks again for the suggestions..
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Not sure about the cause of the damage however I did notice a lot of small white powdery dots all over the head,also the eyes seem to be slightly sunken.

I think that's just dust from the substrate, I use Breeder's Chioce.