Figure 17.

The absence of the Cupid’s bow is not a more precise method for documenting a thin upper lip

The Cupid’s bow (black line) is the contour of the line formed by the vermilion border of the upper lip, resembling an archer’s bow in the frontal view. These images demonstrate that 1) the lower end of the philtrum groove and ridges form the Cupid’s bow [30], and 2) the absence of the Cupid’s bow is not a more precise method for documenting a thin upper lip [29]. The presence of a Cupid’s bow is dependent on the depth of the philtrum, not the thinness of the upper lip. A deep philtrum will form a Cupid’s bow even when the upper lip is thin. A and B) Examples of a deep philtrum creating a Cupid’s bow in the contour of a thick and thin upper lip. C and D) Examples of a smooth philtrum failing to create a Cupid’s bow in the contour of a thick and thin upper lip.