Arkansas Esthetician Practice Exam

Which muscle draws the brows down and wrinkles the area across the bridge of the nose?

1. Temporalis

2. Procerus

3. Zygomaticus

4. Sternocleidomastoideus

The correct answer is: Procerus

The correct choice is the procerus muscle. This muscle is located between the eyebrows and plays a significant role in facial expression. It is primarily responsible for pulling the eyebrows downward and creating horizontal wrinkles across the bridge of the nose when a person frowns or expresses confusion or disdain. The temporalis muscle, while important for chewing, does not have a function related to facial expressions or brow movement. The zygomaticus muscle is associated with smiling and elevating the corners of the mouth, which is contrary to the action of furrowing the brows. The sternocleidomastoideus muscle is involved in head rotation and flexion and does not affect facial expressions related to the eyebrows. Understanding the specific actions of facial muscles helps in various esthetic practices, particularly in procedures like Botox injections, where targeted muscle inactivation can diminish unwanted expressions.