The facial vein, sometimes also called the anterior facial vein, is an extracranial vein of the head and the main vessel collecting deoxygenated blood from the structures of the face. It starts as a continuation of the angular vein (Read more!) at the level of the inferior margin of the bony orbit.

After the facial vein arises, it descends obliquely near the side of the nose. Then it turns posterolateral below the orbit, passing in the posterior and inferior directions toward the angle of the mandible.

The facial vein is found behind the facial artery. Also, it goes more superficially than its corresponding artery, and the facial vein is not as convoluted as the facial artery. Usually, the facial vein is found deep to the zygomaticus major and risorius muscles.

The facial vein reaches the inferior border of the mandible at the anterior margin of the masseter. Here, it crosses the body of the mandible, passes beneath the platysma and pierces the investing (superficial) layer of the deep cervical fascia, entering the neck. Within the neck, the vein travels superficial to the submandibular gland, digastric and stylohyoid muscles.

When the facial vein reaches the carotid neck triangle, it joins with the anterior division of the retromandibular vein (Read more!) to form the common facial vein. The common facial vein is a relatively short trunk that soon after it arises, drains into the internal jugular vein. It happens near the greater horn of the hyoid bone.

Note: Before the common facial vein drains into the internal jugular vein, it often receives two veins - the superior thyroid vein and the common trunk of the lingual veins. The confluence of these vessels forms a common trunk that is known as the thyrolinguofacial trunk. However, the lingual and superior thyroid veins can directly drain into the internal jugular vein.

Overall, the facial vein has two deep connections, and it connects with the cavernous sinus via two routes. The first is through the angular and superior ophthalmic veins, while the second is via the deep facial vein and the pterygoid venous plexus. These connections are important as they are routes through which the intracranial and extracranial venous systems communicate.

The facial vein can be subdivided into two parts according to its course - facial and cervical. Along its way, the facial vein collects many veins, and most of its tributaries correspond to the branches of the facial artery.

The main tributaries of the facial portion include the following veins:

The main tributaries of the cervical part are as follows:

Submental vein
Tonsillar vein
External palatine vein
Submandibular vein
Pharyngeal vein
Superior thyroid vein (occasionally)
Common trunk of the lingual veins (occasionally)

Overall, the facial vein collects venous blood from the forehead, eyelids, root of the nose, the outer surface of the nose, lips, submental region, masseter, superficial lobe of the parotid gland, partly from the pterygoid venous plexus, as well as from the palatine tonsil, soft palate and walls of the pharynx.

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Facial and common facial veins