Study of lip anthropology in young adult males and females in Jazan, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: The lips serve crucial functions for the face, including facial expression, speech, eating, and esthetics. Surgeons who repair or reconstruct facial deformities often rely on the anatomy and dimensions of these structures. Objective: This study aimed to collect diverse data on lip morphology. Design: Cross‑sectional study. Settings: College of Dentistry, Jazan. Methods: The current study included randomly selected Saudi adults with complete dentition with ages ranging from 18 to 30 years. The lips or their surrounding areas of patients with abnormalities, malformations, deformities, inflammation, trauma, or surgical scars (cleft lip operations) were omitted. Main Outcome Measures: Average lip size of male and female population in Jazan, KSA. Sample Size: 400 (200 males and 200 females). Results: The mean height of the upper vermilion was 14.38 mm in males and 13.78 mm in females. The height of the upper lip (Sn‑Sto) was measured, with males having a mean value of 24.05 ± 4.02 mm (range, 15–32 mm) and females having a mean value of 20.66 ± 4.12 mm. The difference between the sexes was statistically significant. The medial vertical height of the cutaneous lower lip (Li‑SI) of females had a mean value of 10.63 ± 1.59 mm, and that of males had a mean value of 11.55 ± 2.25 mm. The height of the lower lip of males was 20.28 ± 5.2 mm and that of females was 16.95 ± 3.03 mm, and the differences were statistically significant. Conclusion: Significant differences in lip measurements between males and females (indicating sexual dimorphism) were observed. Additionally, the upper vermilion tends to be thinner than the lower vermilion in both sexes, with this being the most prominent feature of the region. Furthermore, the height of the cutaneous upper lip was greater than that of the cutaneous lower lip, and the medial vertical height of the upper lip was greater than that of the lower lip in both sexes.