Lateral Nasal Artery

Description

Running along the lateral aspect of the external nose, the lateral nasal artery courses superiorly from the facial artery near the nasolabial fold toward the ala and sidewall, where it anastomoses with branches of the dorsal nasal artery (ophthalmic system) and with the infraorbital artery. Overlying facial musculature is represented in layered fashion, with the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi positioned medial to the vessel’s proximal course and the zygomaticus minor lying more lateral and superior as the artery approaches the nasal sidewall. Blue vascular channels map the accompanying venous pathways, and the auricle and orbit serve as surface landmarks that orient the viewer to the midface and perinasal region. Spatial relationships are clear. Surgeons and injectors care about this artery because it sits in the danger zone for vascular compromise during filler placement in the nasolabial groove, alar base, and nasal sidewall, where inadvertent intra-arterial injection can propagate retrograde into the ophthalmic circulation through established anastomoses. Rhinoplasty and alar base reduction also put the lateral nasal artery at risk during dissection around the alar crease, with postoperative skin ischemia a recognized complication when the vessel is cauterized or avulsed. This view supports teaching of the facial artery’s terminal branching pattern as it transitions from the lower face into the perinasal soft tissues. Use this illustration in head and neck anatomy curricula when you need to connect facial expression muscles to named surface vessels, or in operative atlases describing perinasal flap design and alar reconstruction planning. It also fits patient-safety materials for aesthetic medicine courses that address high-risk injection planes and the rationale for aspiration, cannula selection, and immediate management of suspected vascular occlusion. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.