Middle third of the face: boundaries, areas and assessment

The middle third of the face runs from the glabella, between the eyebrows, to the base of the nose (subnasale). It includes the eyes and lower eyelids, the cheekbone and zygomatic area, the nose and the upper part of the nasolabial fold.

The middle third is where many aging changes show up first: volume loss in the fat compartments, bone resorption and weakening of the support ligaments. The result is usually a more pronounced tear trough, flattening of the cheekbone and a deeper nasolabial fold, concerns that patients often describe as tiredness.

How does the middle third enter the assessment?

In the analysis by thirds, the height of the middle third is compared with that of the other two. But the assessment goes beyond vertical proportion: it looks at cheekbone projection from the front and in profile, the transition between the eyelid and the cheek, and the relationship with the nose. An important point is to treat the cause: the nasolabial fold, for example, can be a consequence of lost support above it.

What precautions apply?

The middle third brings together areas of high vascular risk, such as the nose, the tear trough and the nasolabial fold, where the use of hyaluronic acid calls for detailed anatomical knowledge and hyaluronidase on hand. Indication, product and volume are defined by the licensed professional, after assessment.

In Harmy

In the marking, the middle third appears in the Tear Trough, Cheekbone and Nasolabial Fold areas.

Also called: midface, middle facial third.