Platysma (Musculus platysma)
Educational content only — not medical advice.
Anatomy
A thin cutaneous muscle sheathing the neck from chest to jaw and face — a remnant of mammalian panniculus carnosis — tensing the neck skin in open-mouth alarm.
Origin & insertion
Pectoral and deltoid fascia over the upper chest.
Action
Pulls the mouth corner downward and tenses neck and chest skin — an expressive muscle par excellence.
Innervation
Cervical branch of the facial nerve (VII).
Clinical notes
Its division in neck aesthetic surgery needs meticulous reapproximation; its nerve is a key target avoidance in cervical botulinum injections to prevent pseudoparalysis.
Related structures
Educational references
FAQ
What is the role of the Platysma?
A thin cutaneous muscle sheathing the neck from chest to jaw and face — a remnant of mammalian panniculus carnosis — tensing the neck skin in open-mouth alarm.
Why is the Platysma clinically important?
Its division in neck aesthetic surgery needs meticulous reapproximation; its nerve is a key target avoidance in cervical botulinum injections to prevent pseudoparalysis.
Source & license
BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). license details