FORMA FEATURE / CHIN & JAWLabiomental fold: measurements, ratios, and research
The fold between the lower lip and chin creates the mentolabial angle. Its depth depends on lip shape, chin shape, and dental support. This page separates published measurements from interpretation, preference experiments, and community speculation.
What labiomental fold means
The angle is formed by tangents to the lower lip and chin meeting at the deepest fold. A sharper angle usually corresponds to a deeper fold.
Facial measurements only become comparable when the view, head position, soft-tissue landmarks, and endpoint definitions are held constant. A number copied from a profile photograph is not interchangeable with a value measured from a clinical scan or a front-facing portrait.
Official measurements, ratios & competing claims
107–118° Preferred interval in one experiment
A male Caucasian silhouette study favored approximately 107–118°; angles up to 140° were considered acceptable.
Study: One idealized silhouette with controlled changes. It does not establish the best angle for every lower-lip/chin combination. Mentolabial angle and aesthetics
Practical takeaway
Look for a defined transition between lower lip and chin.
The preferred interval below describes a visible fold with a moderate angular transition. Read its depth together with lip projection and chin shape.
What changes the answer
A projecting lower lip or prominent chin can deepen the fold. Dental support, lower-lip posture, and vertical chin height also change it; the same angle can have different contour depths.
Use these ranges to ask a better question about proportion—not to grade a face or choose a procedure by number alone. A qualified clinician still needs to examine function, tissue, skeletal structure, and your goals in person.
Connected facial features
Read or start labiomental fold discussions · Explore the interactive atlas