Muscles of the Face, Neck, Trunk, and Arm

Front

This muscle allows you to raise your eyebrows and to wrinkle your forehead.

Back

Frontalis

Front

This muscle allows you to close your eyes, squint, blink, and wink.

Back

Orbicularis oculi

Front

This muscle (C) is called the "smiling" muscle because it raises the corners of the mouth upward.

Back

Zygomaticus

Front

This muscle flattens the cheek (as in whistling or blowing a trumpet).

Back

Buccinator

Front

This muscle closes the mouth and protrudes the lips. It is often called the "kissing" muscle.

Back

Orbicularis oris

Front

This muscle (F) pulls the corners of the mouth inferiorly, producing a downward sag of the mouth (the "sad clown" face).

Back

Platysma

Front

This muscle (H) lies over the temporal bone and helps the masseter close the jaw.

Back

Temporalis

Front

This muscle covers the posterior aspect of the skull and pulls the scalp posteriorly.

Back

Occipitalis

Front

This chewing muscle (J) closes the jaw by elevating the mandible.

Back

Masseter

Front

This muscle (K) flexes your neck. Some people call this the "prayer" muscle. It can also rotate the head toward the shoulder and tilt the head to the side.

Back

Sternocleidomastoid