Alar Nasalis Under The Skin

Description

Shown in left lateral view with the skin reflected, the alar part of the nasalis muscle lies superficial to the lateral nasal cartilage at the level of the nasal ala (wing) and blends anteriorly with adjacent slips of the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi near the nasofacial groove. Posterior and slightly inferior, the masseter covers the lateral ramus of the mandible, while the temporalis fans superiorly across the temporal fossa toward the coronoid process. Around the orbit, extraocular muscles cuff the globe deep to the orbicularis oculi region, and the auricle remains intact posterior to the mandibular angle. For teaching nasal dynamics, the alar nasalis is a small muscle with outsized clinical relevance. It acts on the ala to influence nostril aperture during sniffing and forced inspiration, and weakness or denervation can contribute to external nasal valve collapse, a common driver of nasal obstruction that becomes apparent during the Cottle maneuver or after rhinoplasty, trauma, or facial nerve dysfunction. This lateral, subcutaneous dissection also clarifies how the alar musculature relates to the cartilaginous framework surgeons manipulate when reshaping the lower lateral cartilages. Use this artwork for head and neck anatomy labs, facial expression modules, and ENT or plastic surgery teaching files covering nasal valve anatomy, alar base surgery, and perinasal injection planning. It also fits well in maxillofacial and dental references where the relationships among maxilla, mandible, dentition, and perinasal soft tissues need to be shown in one plate. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.