Procerus Muscle, Lateral View

Description

Arising from the nasal bones and the upper part of the lateral nasal cartilage, the procerus (pyramidalis nasi) runs superiorly and slightly posterior to blend with the skin and subcutaneous tissues over the glabella and inferior forehead. In lateral profile, its fibers sit anterior to the nasal bone and frontal bone and superficial to the nasofrontal suture region, with the orbit and maxilla positioned posteroinferiorly. The mandible and dentition anchor the lower facial skeleton, while the cervical vertebrae align posterior to the airway and facial skeleton in neutral anatomical position. Small muscle, obvious landmark. Functionally, this side view clarifies how procerus depresses the medial eyebrow and contributes to transverse glabellar rhytids, the horizontal wrinkles that form over the bridge of the nose. Clinicians map this anatomy during botulinum toxin injection planning for frown lines, where diffusion into adjacent corrugator supercilii or levator palpebrae superioris can shift the aesthetic outcome and, in the worst case, contribute to eyelid ptosis. Seeing the nasal cartilage highlighted against the bony dorsum also supports teaching on nasofrontal angle and soft tissue support relevant to rhinoplasty and trauma reconstruction. Use this asset in head and neck anatomy courses to link mimetic musculature to underlying skeletal landmarks, or in dermatology, facial plastic surgery, and aesthetic medicine materials addressing glabellar line treatment and injection planes. It also reads well in radiology or surgical atlases as a surface anatomy companion to lateral skull and cervical spine orientation. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.