
The frontalis muscle is a muscle that covers parts of the forehead of the skull. It is the only muscle that raises the eyebrows, and its function goes beyond simply keeping the brows out of one’s field of vision. It is also necessary for conveying emotions and nonverbal communication. The frontalis muscle is a very dynamic structure and usually does not cover the entire forehead. It is a thin, quadrilateral-shaped muscle with no bony attachments, and its fibres are longer and paler in colour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Covers parts of the forehead of the skull |
| Appearance | Large, flat, quadrilateral, thin, fan-like |
| Function | Raises the eyebrows, wrinkles the forehead, conveys emotions and non-verbal communication |
| Blood supply | Receives blood from the supraorbital and supratrochlear arteries |
| Nerve supply | Facial nerve |
| Attachments | Attaches to the muscles surrounding it, including the orbicularis oculi muscle and the corrugator supercilii muscle |
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What You'll Learn

The frontalis muscle is located on the forehead
The frontalis muscle is unique in that it has no bony attachments and, instead, attaches to the muscles surrounding it. Its medial continuity is the procerus muscle, and inferiorly, it is continuous with the corrugator and orbicularis oculi muscles. The frontalis muscle is supplied by the facial nerve and receives blood from the supraorbital and supratrochlear arteries.
The frontalis muscle is responsible for causing horizontal wrinkles on the forehead when it contracts. It is also associated with forehead lines, which can be treated with injections or fillers. However, due to the problem of forehead vasculature, injections in the forehead area can be challenging and may result in visible unevenness.
The frontalis muscle is clinically divided into medial, intermediate, and lateral fibres, although no anatomical or histological distinctions exist between them. It originates from the galea aponeurotica, corresponding with the hairline, and generally inserts at the eyebrow dermis, terminating at the temporal ridge. The bulk of the muscle is located right above the brow, with the lateral part being the thinnest area.
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It is responsible for raising the eyebrows
The frontalis muscle is a pair of large, flat, fan-like muscles that extend from the eyebrow region to the top of the forehead. It is the only muscle that raises the eyebrows. The frontalis muscle is located on the front of the head, covering parts of the forehead of the skull. It is a thin muscle with high vascularity, and the bulk of it is located right above the brow. The muscle has no bony attachments and, instead, attaches to the muscles surrounding it.
The frontalis muscle is supplied by the facial nerve and receives blood from the supraorbital and supratrochlear arteries. Its inferior extent interdigitates with the orbicularis oculi muscle (OOM), which is a sphincteric muscle supplied by the facial (7th) nerve. The OOM acts as a protractor to the eyelids and a depressor of the eyebrows. The medial continuity of the frontalis muscle is the procerus muscle, and inferiorly, it is continuous with the corrugator supercilii and orbicularis oculi muscles. The corrugator and orbicularis muscles all have cutaneous insertions and have a confluence at the glabella and the orbital rim.
The frontalis muscle plays a significant role in our day-to-day social interactions. Its function goes beyond simply keeping the brows out of one's visual field; it is also necessary for conveying emotions and nonverbal communication. The contraction of the frontalis muscles causes horizontal wrinkles on the forehead, and the muscle is responsible for forehead lines. The lower part of the frontalis muscles elevates the brows, while the upper part depresses the hairline.
The frontalis muscle is a very dynamic structure, and its underlying anatomy, including its depth and location, is essential to know when considering injections or other cosmetic procedures.
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It is the only muscle that raises the eyebrows
The frontalis muscle is a pair of large, flat, fan-like muscles that extend from the eyebrow region to the top of the forehead. It is the only muscle that raises the eyebrows, and its function goes beyond simply keeping the brows out of one's visual field. It is also necessary for conveying emotions and nonverbal communication in day-to-day social interactions. The frontalis muscle is supplied by the facial nerve and receives blood from the supraorbital and supratrochlear arteries. It is a very dynamic structure and usually does not cover the entire forehead. It is thin and quadrilateral in form, and it adheres intimately to the superficial fascia. It is located on the front of the head and has no bony attachments. Instead, it attaches to the muscles surrounding it.
The frontalis muscle is the primary elevator of the eyebrows, and it is a long, flat muscle that runs across the anterior aspect of the frontal bone of the skull. The medial continuity of the frontalis muscle is the procerus muscle, and inferiorly, it is continuous with the corrugator supercilii muscle and the orbicularis oculi muscle. The frontalis muscle is broader than the occipitalis muscle, and its fibres are longer and paler in colour. The lower part of the frontalis muscles elevates the brows, while the upper part depresses the hairline. The frontalis muscle originates from the galea aponeurotica and inserts at the skin of the eyebrows and nose. Its functionality raises the eyebrows, resulting in wrinkles in the forehead skin.
The frontalis muscle is clinically divided into medial, intermediate, and lateral fibres, although no anatomical or histological distinctions exist. It originates posteriorly from the galea aponeurotica, which corresponds with the hairline on the surface. The muscle generally inserts at the eyebrow dermis and terminates laterally at the temporal ridge, but there is some variance, and it may occasionally terminate more medially. While the frontalis muscle is thin overall, with high vascularity, the bulk of it is located right above the brow. It is thinnest laterally, which represents an area of weakness and the first area to sag as we age.
The frontalis muscle is a very dynamic structure, and its function in raising the eyebrows is essential for both practical and social purposes. Its role in facial expressions and nonverbal communication highlights the importance of understanding its anatomy and function in various medical procedures, such as injections and surgeries, to avoid potential complications.
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It is thin, quadrilateral and has no bony attachments
The frontalis muscle is a thin, quadrilateral muscle with no bony attachments. It is located at the front of the head, covering parts of the forehead. The muscle is responsible for raising the eyebrows and causing horizontal wrinkles on the forehead when it contracts. This muscle is unique in that it has no bony attachments and instead attaches to the muscles surrounding it. These include the procerus muscle, the corrugator supercilii muscle, and the orbicularis oculi muscle.
The frontalis muscle is the only muscle that raises the eyebrows, and it plays a significant role in our day-to-day social interactions. Its function goes beyond simply keeping the brows out of one's field of vision; it is also necessary for conveying emotions and non-verbal communication. The frontalis muscle is a very dynamic structure and usually does not cover the entire forehead. It is thinner laterally, which is the first area to sag as we age.
The frontalis muscle is supplied by the facial nerve and receives blood from the supraorbital and supratrochlear arteries. It originates from the galea aponeurotica, which corresponds with the hairline, and inserts at the eyebrow dermis, terminating at the temporal ridge. The lower part of the frontalis muscles elevates the brows, while the upper part depresses the hairline.
The frontalis muscle is a pair of large, fan-like muscles that extend from the eyebrow region to the top of the forehead. Its contraction causes horizontal wrinkles on the forehead, which are at right angles to the direction of the fibres. The frontalis muscle is a very active muscle and is essential for both vision and expression.
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It is supplied by the facial nerve and receives blood from the supraorbital and suprotrochlear arteries
The frontalis muscle is a pair of large, flat, fan-like muscles that extend from the eyebrow region to the top of the forehead. It is the only muscle that raises the eyebrows, and its function goes beyond simply keeping the brows out of one's visual field. The frontalis muscle also plays a significant role in our day-to-day social interactions by conveying emotions and nonverbal communication.
The frontalis muscle is supplied by the facial nerve, also known as the seventh cranial nerve. This nerve provides motor innervation to the orbicularis oculi muscle, which is a sphincteric muscle that acts as a protractor to the eyelids and a depressor of the eyebrows. The medial and inferior portions of the orbicularis oculi muscle are innervated by the zygomatic branch of the facial nerve, while the lateral and central portions are innervated by the anterior portion of the temporal branch.
The frontalis muscle receives blood from the supraorbital and supratrochlear arteries. These arteries provide oxygenated blood to the muscle, ensuring its proper function and health. The supraorbital nerve passes through the supraorbital foramen and courses deep to the corrugator muscle before penetrating superiorly through the frontalis muscle. The supratrochlear nerve, on the other hand, passes superiorly to the trochlea of the superior oblique muscle and exits medially to the supraorbital foramen. It then passes around the superior orbital rim, running deep to the frontalis muscle.
The frontalis muscle is a highly vascular muscle with a unique blood supply and innervation. Its thin, quadrilateral form adheres intimately to the superficial fascia. The balance between the frontalis muscle and its antagonist muscles, including the procerus, corrugator supercilii, and orbicularis oculi muscles, determines the eyebrow position and shape. Together, these muscles contribute to our facial expressions and non-verbal communication.
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Frequently asked questions
The frontalis muscle is located on the front of the head, covering parts of the forehead.
The frontalis muscle is the primary elevator of the eyebrows. It is also responsible for wrinkling the forehead and causing horizontal wrinkles when it contracts.
The frontalis muscle is a pair of large, thin, flat muscles with a quadrilateral form. They are broader than the occipitalis muscle and have longer and paler fibres.











































