Procerus Muscle, Anterior View

Description

Centered over the glabella, the procerus (pyramidalis nasi) is highlighted with vertically oriented fibers rising from the nasal bone and upper lateral nasal cartilages to blend superiorly into the skin and the lower fibers of the frontalis. Medial to the superciliary arches it sits between the right and left corrugator supercilii, while the orbicularis oculi encircles the palpebral fissures laterally and frames the procerus region from above and to the sides. Inferiorly, the nasal dorsum and radix provide the bony and cartilaginous bed for the muscle, and the platysma is shown as a superficial sheet over the anterolateral neck. Functionally, this is the muscle that draws the medial eyebrows inferiorly and creates transverse wrinkles over the bridge of the nose, the classic “frown” or “glabellar line” pattern. That relationship matters in aesthetic medicine: procerus and corrugator supercilii are common targets in botulinum toxin injection for glabellar rhytides, and dosing or placement that drifts superiorly can weaken frontalis and contribute to brow ptosis. Small muscle, high consequence. The close proximity to the angular vessels and the supratrochlear and supraorbital neurovascular bundles also explains why careful midline technique is preferred. Use this anterior male view to teach facial expression muscles in gross anatomy, head and neck modules, and facial plastic surgery or dermatology training focused on the glabellar complex. It also fits well in procedure manuals outlining injection landmarks, or in patient education materials explaining why procerus activity produces nasal root creasing. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.