Stirnregion

Stirnregion, literally the forehead region in German, refers to the anterior area of the head bounded by the hairline above and the orbital rims below. In anatomy and clinical usage it denotes the skin, muscles, bones and soft tissues that occupy the forehead and the superior part of the face.

Anatomically it overlies the frontal bone and contains the frontal sinuses in the deeper parts. The upper boundary is the hairline; the lower boundary is the superior orbital margin. Lateral limits blend into the temple region. The region includes the frontalis muscle and, laterally, portions of the orbicularis oculi.

Innervation is predominantly by the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve (supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves). Blood supply comes from the supratrochlear and supraorbital arteries, branches of the ophthalmic artery; venous drainage follows the corresponding veins into the facial and superior ophthalmic veins. Lymphatics drain mainly to preauricular and superficial parotid nodes.

Functionally the Stirnregion supports facial expression and sensory perception of the forehead. Clinically, it is a common site of tension-type headaches and migraines, and it is a frequent target for cosmetic and therapeutic injections (for example, botulinum toxin) to relax the frontalis muscle. Caution is advised to avoid brow ptosis or nerve injury.

See also: anatomy of the forehead; migraine; botulinum toxin therapy.