The anterior facial vein (facial vein) commences at the side of the root of the nose

Human nose

The visible part of the human nose is the protruding part of the face that bears the nostrils. The shape of the nose is determined by the ethmoid bone and the nasal septum, which consists mostly of cartilage and which separates the nostrils...

 and is a direct continuation of the angular vein

Angular vein

The angular vein formed by the junction of the frontal vein and supraorbital vein, runs obliquely downward, on the side of the root of the nose, to the level of the lower margin of the orbit, where it becomes the anterior facial vein....

 where it also receives a small nasal branch. It lies behind the facial artery

Facial artery

The facial artery is a branch of the external carotid artery that supplies structures of the superficial face.-Structure:...

 and follows a less tortuous course. It receives blood from the external palatine vein before it either joins the anterior branch of the retromandibular vein to form the common facial vein

Common facial vein

The anterior facial vein usually unites with the posterior facial vein to form the common facial vein, which crosses the external carotid artery and enters the internal jugular vein at a variable point below the hyoid bone....

, or drains directly into the internal jugular vein

Internal jugular vein

The two internal jugular veins collect the blood from the brain, the superficial parts of the face, and the neck.-Path:On both sides and at the base of the brain, the inferior petrosal sinus and the sigmoid sinus join to form the internal jugular vein...

.

Path

From its origin it runs obliquely downward and backward, beneath the Zygomaticus

Zygomaticus

Zygomaticus can refer to:* Zygomatic bone* Zygomaticus minor muscle* Zygomaticus major muscle...

and zygomatic head of the Quadratus labii superioris, descends along the anterior border and then on the superficial surface of the Masseter, crosses over the body of the mandible, and passes obliquely backward, beneath the Platysma and cervical fascia

Cervical fascia

The cervical fascia is fascia found in the region of the neck.It mainly refers to the deep cervical fascia. However, there are other cervical fascia:*superficial cervical fascia*prevertebral fascia...

, superficial to the submandibular gland

Submandibular gland

The paired submandibular glands are salivary glands located beneath the floor of the mouth. In humans, they account for 70% of the salivary volume and weigh about 15 grams. Unstimulated in humans, the percentage contribution to whole saliva; ~25% Parotid, Submandibular and Sublingual ~ 67% and...

, the Digastricus and Stylohyoideus.

The facial vein has no valves, and its walls are not so flaccid as most superficial veins.

External links

• http://www.dartmouth.edu/~humananatomy/figures/chapter_47/47-5.HTM