Nasalis Muscle

Description

Shown in lateral profile, the nasalis muscle appears as fine red slips over the lateral nasal cartilages, with the transverse part spanning medially across the nasal dorsum and the alar part coursing inferiorly toward the fibroareolar tissue of the ala. Superiorly it relates to the nasal bone and frontal process of the maxilla, while inferiorly it overlies the upper lateral cartilage and approaches the region of the anterior naris. Posterior to the nasal aperture, the maxilla, zygomatic bone, mandible with dentition, and the external ear establish bony landmarks, and a semi-transparent soft tissue envelope outlines the male face and anterior neck. Small muscle attachment markings cluster around the piriform aperture. A tight field around the nose. This lateral arrangement matters because the nasalis, working with the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi and depressor septi nasi, shapes the external nasal valve by compressing or flaring the nostril margin, a relationship that becomes clinically visible in patients with nasal obstruction during inspiration. Surgeons planning functional rhinoplasty or alar base reduction need to anticipate how scar placement and cartilage grafting can alter nasalis tone and alar rim position, risking external valve collapse or postoperative asymmetry if the muscle slips are disrupted. The view also supports teaching of facial expression musculature, where the nasalis sits superficial to the cartilaginous framework yet remains tethered to the maxillary origin near the canine fossa. Use this illustration in head and neck anatomy courses, facial plastic surgery atlases, and patient-facing counseling material that explains why the ala moves and how nasal breathing can be affected after trauma or surgery. It also fits well in ENT clinic handouts and board-style teaching on the external nasal valve and perinasal musculature. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.