Horizontal Labiomental Artery, Anterior View

Description

Centered on the anterior male face, the horizontal labiomental artery courses transversely within the lower lip and chin region, tracking parallel to the labiomental crease just inferior to the vermilion border of the lower lip. Bony landmarks of the viscerocranium are visible beneath the vascular overlay, including the maxilla, mandible, nasal aperture, and the dental arcade. The vessel lies superficial to the mandibular symphysis and mental protuberance region, and it relates laterally to the expected emergence of the mental neurovascular bundle from the mental foramen, with accompanying facial arterioles and venules shown in red and blue. For facial surgeons and injectors, this artery matters because the labiomental fold is a common corridor for subdermal dissection, filler placement, and flap elevation, and the vascular anatomy is less predictable than the named axial trunks. Ischemic complications after lower lip or chin augmentation often reflect inadvertent intra-arterial injection or compression, and the horizontal course of a labiomental branch explains why blanching can spread medially along the fold rather than staying focal. A small vessel, a big consequence. Use this artwork in head and neck anatomy teaching to anchor surface anatomy of the lower lip and mental region to the underlying skull, or in procedural training materials covering chin implants, genioplasty approaches, and perioral soft-tissue augmentation. It also fits well in publications discussing facial vascular variants and risk maps for injection safety in the labial and mental territories. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.