Subnasale

Subnasale is a soft tissue facial landmark used in anthropometry and cephalometry. It is defined as the midline point where the lower border of the nasal septum meets the upper lip, effectively at the base of the nose where the nose and the lip join.

In practice, subnasale lies just inferior to the nasal base, at the junction of the columella and the upper lip. It is a non-bony reference point and is identified on lateral skull radiographs, photographs, and during clinical facial assessment to describe soft tissue contours and distances.

Subnasale is utilized to analyze and compare facial proportions, particularly the relationship between the nose and the lips and the vertical balance of the midface. It serves as a landmark in orthodontics, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and forensic anthropology for measuring soft tissue profile angles and linear distances, such as the nasal base–lip region and overall facial height. Variations in subnasale position can reflect developmental changes, aging, or surgical modification, and are considered when planning procedures affecting the nose and upper lip. Etymologically, the term derives from Latin subnasale, meaning “under the nose.”