Short philtrum

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

The face

Philtrum

Overview

Treatment

Short philtrum

Definition:

The philtrum is defined by the two slight ridges in the skin that run from the nose to the upper lip. A short philtrum is a shorter-than-normal distance between the upper lip and the nose.

Considerations:

Facial features are characteristics dictated by genetic inheritance. Genetic abnormalities may predispose individuals to changes in features. The length of the philtrum, which is the midline groove that runs from the top of the lip to the nose, is determined genetically. In some syndromes this groove is shortened.

Common Causes:

Cohen syndrome
Oral-facial-digital syndrome (OFD)

Review Date: 3/13/2006
Reviewed By: Lamya Alarif, Ph.D., H.C.L.D., Immunology and Genetics Associates, McLean, VA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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