Standard Terminology for the Head and Face

The appearance of facial morphology varies considerably with facial expression and movement, and depending on the position of the observer and observed person. When assessing a feature, the head of the observed person should be held in the Frankfurt horizontal, with the facial and neck muscles relaxed, eyes open, lips making gentle contact, and facial expression neutral. The face of the observer should be at the same height as the face of the observed person. A detailed description of the anatomic features of the head and face is available for reference.

The definitions are listed alphabetically based on the physical feature, not the modifier.

• CRANIUM
• Acrocephaly: See Turricephaly
• Brachycephaly
• Dolichocephaly
• Head Circumference, Enlarged: See Macrocephaly
• Head Circumference, Reduced: See Microcephaly
• Kleeblattschadel: See Skull, Cloverleaf
• Macrocephaly
• Macrocranium: See Macrocephaly
• Microcephaly
• Microcranium: See Microcephaly
• OFC, Enlarged: See Macrocephaly
• OFC, Reduced: See Microcephaly
• Occiput, Flat
• Occiput, Prominent
• Oxycephaly: See Turricephaly
• Plagiocephaly
• Scaphocephaly: See Dolichocephaly
• Skull, Cloverleaf
• Trigonocephaly
• Turricephaly
• SCALP HAIR
• Cowlick: See Hair, Frontal Upsweep
• Crown, Double: See Hair Whorl, Abnormal Position
• Forehead, High: See Hairline, High Anterior
• Forehead, Low: See Hairline, Low Anterior
• Forehead, Short: See Hairline, Low Anterior
• Forehead, Tall: See Hairline, High Anterior
• Frontal Balding
• Hair Whorl, Abnormal Number
• Hair Whorl, Abnormal Position
• Hair, Frontal Upsweep
• Hairline, High Anterior
• Hairline, Low Anterior
• Hairline, Low Posterior
• Scalp Hair, Sparse
• Scalp Hair, Thinning: See Scalp Hair, Sparse
• Scalp Hair, Thin: See Scalp Hair, Sparse
• Widow's Peak
• FACE
• Face, Broad
• Face, Coarse
• Face, Elongated: See Face, Long
• Face, Expressionless
• Face, Flat
• Face, Hypotonic
• Face, Long
• Face, Narrow
• Face, Prematurely Aged
• Face, Round
• Face, Short
• Face, Small
• Face, Square
• Face, Triangular
• Features, Coarse: See Face, Coarse
• Lineaments, Coarse: See Face, Coarse
• FOREHEAD
• Bitemporal Narrowing: See Forehead, Narrow
• Brows, Prominent: See Supraorbital Ridges, Prominent
• Brows, Underdeveloped: See Supraorbital Ridges, Underdeveloped
• Forehead Creases, Vertical
• Forehead, Broad
• Forehead, Bulging: See Forehead, Prominent
• Forehead, Narrow
• Forehead, Prominent
• Forehead, Sloping
• Forehead, Wide: See Forehead, Broad
• Frontal Bossing
• Glabella, Depressed
• Glabella, Prominent
• Intertemporal Narrowing: See Forehead, Narrow
• Metopic Depression
• Metopic Ridge, Prominent
• Metopic Suture, Prominent: See Metopic Ridge, Prominent
• Supraorbital Ridges, Flattened: See Supraorbital Ridges, Underdeveloped
• Supraorbital Ridges, Hyperplastic: See Supraorbital Ridges, Prominent
• Supraorbital Ridges, Hypoplastic: See Supraorbital Ridges, Underdeveloped
• Supraorbital Ridges, Prominent
• Supraorbital Ridges, Underdeveloped
• MAXILLA and MIDFACE
• Cheekbone Prominence
• Cheekbone Underdevelopment
• Cheekbone, Flat: See Cheekbone Underdevelopment
• Cheeks, Full
• Cheeks, Sunken
• Malar Flattening
• Malar Hyperplasia: See Malar Prominence
• Malar Hypertrophy: See Malar Prominence
• Malar Hypoplasia: See Malar Flattening
• Malar Prominence
• Midface Hyperplasia: See Midface Prominence
• Midface Hypertrophy: See Midface Prominence
• Midface Hypoplasia: See Midface Retrusion
• Midface Prominence
• Midface Retrusion
• Nasolabial Crease, Hypoplastic: See Nasolabial Fold, Underdeveloped
• Nasolabial Crease, Prominent: See Nasolabial Fold, Prominent
• Nasolabial Crease, Underdeveloped: See Nasolabial Fold, Underdeveloped
• Nasolabial Fold, Hypoplastic: See Nasolabial Fold, Underdeveloped
• Nasolabial Fold, Prominent
• Nasolabial Fold, Underdeveloped
• Premaxillary Hyperplasia: See Premaxillary Prominence
• Premaxillary Hypoplasia: See Premaxillary Underdevelopment
• Premaxillary Prominence
• Premaxillary Underdevelopment
• Zygomatic Hyperplasia: See Cheekbone Prominence
• Zygomatic Hypoplasia: See Cheekbone Underdevelopment
• Zygomatic Prominence: See Cheekbone Prominence
• Zygomatic Underdevelopment: See Cheekbone Underdevelopment
• MANDIBLE
• Chin, Retruded: See Retrognathia
• Habsburg/Hapsburg Chin: See Prognathism
• Habsburg/Hapsburg Jaw: See Prognathism
• Jaw, Broad
• Jaw, Narrow
• Jaw, Small: See Micrognathia
• Jaw, Wide: See Jaw, Broad
• Lower Face, Broad: See Jaw, Broad
• Lower Face, Narrow: See Jaw, Narrow
• Lower Face, Wide: See Jaw, Broad
• Mandible, Broad: See Jaw, Broad
• Mandible, Cleft
• Mandible, Narrow: See Jaw, Narrow
• Mandible, Retruded: See Retrognathia
• Mandible, Wide: See Jaw, Broad
• Micrognathia
• Micrognathism: See Micrognathia
• Prognathia: See Prognathism
• Prognathism
• Retrognathia
• Retrognathism: See Retrognathia
• CHIN
• Chin Dimple
• Chin, Broad
• Chin, Cleft: See Chin, Vertical Crease
• Chin, H-Shaped Crease
• Chin, H-shaped Groove: See Chin, H-Shaped Crease
• Chin, Horizontal Crease
• Chin, Long: See Chin, Tall
• Chin, Pointed
• Chin, Short
• Chin, Tall
• Chin, Vertical Crease
• NECK
• Bull-neck: See Neck, Broad
• Neck Webbing
• Neck, Broad
• Neck, Long
• Neck, Short
• Neck, Thick: See Neck, Broad
• Neck, Wide: See Neck, Broad
• Nuchal Skin, Redundant
• Pterygium Colli: See Neck Webbing