Procerus

Description

Arising from the fascia over the nasal bones and upper lateral nasal cartilages, the procerus is indicated at the glabellar root of the nose, just inferior to the frontal bone and medial to the orbits in a lateral male head and neck view. Its fibers course superiorly into the skin of the lower forehead between the eyebrows, lying superficial to the nasion and anterior to the nasal cavity. The semi-transparent soft tissue treatment keeps the nasal bones, maxilla, zygomatic bone, mandible with dentition, and adjacent cranial vault in register, with the cervical vertebrae and clavicle providing inferior context. Clinically, this small muscle matters because it generates transverse rhytids over the bridge of the nose and contributes to brow depression at the glabella, a target pattern familiar to clinicians performing botulinum toxin injections for frown lines. Depth and neighborhood are the point: the procerus sits superficial to the bony dorsum and contiguous with the frontalis and corrugator supercilii region, so needle placement that drifts too superiorly or laterally risks unintended brow changes. Small muscle, common complaint. Ideal for facial anatomy teaching in head and neck, plastic surgery, dermatology, and aesthetic medicine modules, and for figures in botulinum toxin technique guides that need a clear bony landmark reference at the nasion and nasal dorsum. Also fits medical illustration plates comparing expression muscles of the forehead and nose against the underlying skull in a male subject. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.