Upper Lip

Description

Anterior facial soft tissues are centered on the labium superius (upper lip), including the philtrum with its paired philtral columns and the midline philtral dimple, flanked laterally by the oral commissures where the upper lip meets the lower lip. Superiorly, the upper lip blends into the base of the nose across the nasolabial region, while inferiorly it transitions to the vermilion border and the oral fissure (rima oris). Deep to the cutaneous and vermilion surfaces, the orbicularis oris forms the muscular core, with the modiolus positioned lateral to the commissure as a fibromuscular node where perioral muscles converge. Clinical work on the male upper lip depends on getting these surface landmarks right because small positional errors show immediately at rest and during speech. Laceration repair and scar revision must align the vermilion border and philtral columns, and cleft lip assessment uses the same reference points to describe asymmetry of the Cupid’s bow and distortion of the nasal base. Local anesthesia often targets the infraorbital nerve (V2) for upper lip procedures, and the superior labial artery from the facial artery can complicate incisions with brisk bleeding if not anticipated. Use this upper lip gross anatomy plate for head and neck anatomy teaching, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery chapters, and dental or oral and maxillofacial surgery materials discussing perioral examination and wound repair. It also supports patient-facing consent documents where accurate depiction of the labium superius and vermilion border matters. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.