Occipitofrontalis Muscle, Anterior View

Description

Centered on the upper face and scalp, the frontal belly of the occipitofrontalis (frontalis) appears as paired, vertically oriented muscle sheets over the frontal bone, separated medially by the midline and blending inferiorly with the skin of the eyebrows and glabella. Superiorly, its fibers merge into the epicranial aponeurosis (galea aponeurotica), the tendinous sheet that spans posteriorly toward the occipital belly over the calvaria. Surrounding superficial facial landmarks are also evident in an anterior figure view, including the orbicularis oculi encircling the palpebral fissures, the nasalis over the nasal dorsum, and the sternocleidomastoid descending inferolaterally from the mastoid region along the neck. Functionally, the frontalis elevates the eyebrows and produces transverse forehead rhytids by pulling the scalp anteriorly through the galea, a relationship that is easier to teach when you can trace fiber direction from the brow to the aponeurosis. Small changes in its tone matter. Overactivity drives prominent forehead lines and is a standard target for botulinum toxin injections, while underaction or iatrogenic weakening can contribute to brow ptosis and upper lid heaviness. Surgical anatomy ties in closely: the temporal branch of the facial nerve courses in the temporal region to supply the frontalis, so facelift and browlift approaches must respect its superficial plane, and scalp lacerations that traverse the galea tend to gape widely. Educators can place this artwork into head and neck anatomy modules, plastic surgery and dermatology teaching on brow position and cosmetic injection mapping, and clinical atlases discussing facial nerve injury patterns and scalp wound behavior. It also reads well in broader anterior myology plates where the female breast tissue is rendered separately from the pectoralis major. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.