Woman's Upper Lip, Anterior View

Description

Centered in the lower face, the labium superius oris is shown from a straight anterior perspective with the cutaneous portion superiorly transitioning into the vermilion at a sharply defined vermilion border (white roll). The philtrum runs vertically in the midline toward the base of the columella, ending at the philtral tubercle that helps form Cupid’s bow along the free margin of the upper lip. Laterally, the upper lip tapers toward the oral commissures, blending into the perioral skin and the nasolabial sulcus. Midline symmetry is the point. That clean outline matters clinically because the vermilion border is the reference line for lip laceration repair, and even a 1 to 2 mm step-off becomes obvious at conversational distance. The philtral columns and tubercle also anchor assessment and surgical marking in unilateral and bilateral cleft lip repair (for example, rotation-advancement techniques), where the goal is to re-create Cupid’s bow and the central tubercle without lateral vermilion deficiency. Cosmetic procedures track these same landmarks: hyaluronic acid filler placement and surgical lip lift planning both rely on respecting the white roll, the philtrum, and the relationship to the base of the nose to avoid an overfilled, flattened upper lip. Use this illustration in head and neck anatomy teaching, facial trauma and plastic surgery texts, dermatology references on herpes labialis and perioral dermatitis distribution, and dental or anesthesia materials when discussing superior labial infiltration and infraorbital nerve block surface landmarks. It also suits patient-facing education on suturing goals, scar placement, and expected contour restoration after upper lip injury. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.