| Vermilion border | |
|---|---|
Human lips with the vermilion border outlined. A patch of erythema above the upper lip makes it more difficult to distinguish the vermilion border.
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This left cheek incision extends from the left commissure towards the left ear and it breaches the vermilion border (click to see close-up). In order to maintain aesthetics as best possible, the first suture was placed at or near the vermilion border to ensure a contiguous line upon healing.
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| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | pars intermedia labiorum oris |
| TH | H3.04.01.0.00010 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
The vermilion border (sometimes spelled vermillion border), also called margin or zone, is the normally sharp demarcation between the lip and the adjacent normal skin. It represents the change in the epidermis from highly keratinized external skin to less keratinized internal skin. It has no sebaceous glands, sweat glands, or facial hair.[1][2]
It has a prominence on the face, creating a focus for cosmetics (it is where lipstick is sometimes applied) and is also a location for several skin diseases. Its functional properties, however, remain unknown.[3]
The lips are composed wholly of soft tissue. The skin of the face is thicker than the skin overlying the lips where blood vessels are closer to the surface. As a consequence, the margin of the lips shows a transition between the thicker and thinner skin, represented by the vermilion border. It therefore has the appearance of a sharp line between the coloured edge of the lip and adjoining skin.[4]
It has been described as a pale, white rolled border and also as being a red line.[1][5]
This fine line of pale skin accentuates the colour difference between the vermilion and normal skin. Along the upper lip, two adjacent elevations of the vermilion border form the Cupid's bow.[6]
The vermilion border represents the change in the epidermis from highly keratinized external skin to less keratinized internal skin. It has no sebaceous glands, sweat glands, or facial hair.[2][1]
There are two reasons that the border appears red in some people:
The vermilion border is important in dentistry and oral pathology as a marker to detect disease, such as in actinic cheilitis.[9]
Avermilionectomy (sometimes spelled vermillionectomy) is the surgical removal of the vermilion border. It is sometimes performed to treat carcinoma of the lip.[16]
Close attention is given when repairing any injury to the vermilion border. Even 1 mm of vermilion misalignment could be noticeable.[5]
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lip liner vermilion.
