Superior Lip Levator Muscle Beneath the Dermal Layer, Anterior View

Description

Emerging from the medial margin of the orbit and maxillary region, the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi is presented in anterior view beneath a semi-transparent dermal layer on a male face. Its proximal fibers lie superior and slightly lateral to the nasal sidewall, then course inferiorly toward the upper lip and the alar base, running medial to levator labii superioris and adjacent to the nasal cartilages. The nasalis is outlined around the nasal dorsum and alae, sitting superficial to the cartilaginous framework and blending medially across the bridge. Cutaneous landmarks, including the beard-bearing skin and nasolabial fold territory, remain visible for surface correlation. Functionally, this muscle is the most direct elevator of the upper lip with concurrent dilation and elevation of the ala, shaping expressions such as snarling and contributing to upper lip retraction. Its relationship to the alar base and nasolabial crease matters in aesthetic and reconstructive planning, where asymmetric pull can accentuate alar flare or deepen the nasolabial fold. A practical teaching point. Botulinum toxin injections for gummy smile or perinasal rhytids demand careful placement because diffusion into adjacent elevators can produce upper lip ptosis or altered smile dynamics. Facial anatomy courses and head and neck dissection labs can pair this plate with palpation and surface marking of the alar base, philtrum, and nasolabial fold to connect deep vectors of pull to visible expression. It also suits procedural atlases for injectables, rhinoplasty adjunct discussions (alar base behavior), and patient education materials explaining how perinasal muscles influence the upper lip and nasal wing. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.