Muscles of the Facial Expression: Forehead, Nose, and Ear

Occipitofrontalis frontal belly

Occipitofrontalis frontal belly origin

Epicranial aponeurosis.

Occipitofrontalis frontal belly insertion

Skin superior to supraorbital margin.

Occipitofrontalis frontal belly action

Draws scalp anteriorly, raises eyebrows, and wrinkles skin of forehead horizontally as in look of surprise.

Occipitofrontalis occipital belly

Occipitofrontalis occipital belly origin

Occipital bone and mastoid process of temporal bone.

Occipitofrontalis occipital belly insertion

Epicranial aponeurosis.

Occipitofrontalis occipital belly action

Draws scalp posteriorly.

Occipitofrontalis (Frontal & Occipital bellies) innervation

Facial (VII) nerve.

Procerus

Procerus origin

tendinous fibers from the fascia covering lower part of the nasal bone and upper part of nasal cartilage

Procerus insertion

skin over lower part of forehead between two eyebrows and frontalis

Procerus action

draws down eyebrows

Procerus innervation

facial nerve (VII)

Orbicularis oculi

Orbicularis oculi origin

Medial wall of orbit.

Orbicularis oculi insertion

Circular path around orbit.

Orbicularis oculi action

Closes eye.

Orbicularis oculi innervation

Facial (VII) nerve.

Nasalis

Nasalis origin

maxilla

Nasalis insertion

thin aponeurosis on the bridge of the nose; nasalis on opposite side and with aponeurosis of the procerus

Nasalis action

depresses cartilaginous part of the nose; draws the ala toward the septum

Nasalis innervation

facial nerve (VII), buccal branch

Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi

Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi origin

upper part of the frontal process of the maxilla

Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi insertion

two slips: alar cartilage; levator labii superioris

Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi action

raises upper lip

Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi innervation

facial nerve (VII), buccal branch