Facial vein

The facial vein (Latin: vena facialis) is a venous blood vessel that is a continuation of the angular vein. The facial vein starts from the medial aspect of the eye as the angular vein reaches the infraorbital margin. It descends posteriorly over the superficial surface of the masseter muscle, crosses the body of the mandible, and passes beneath the platysma, entering the neck.

Finally, the facial vein joins with the retromandibular vein to form the common facial vein, which drains into the internal jugular vein. On its way, the facial vein receives the following veins:

• Submental vein
• Tonsillar vein
• External palatine vein
• Submandibular vein
• Pharyngeal vein
• Superior thyroid vein

The facial vein collects deoxygenated blood from the forehead, eyelids, outer surface of the nose, lips, submental region, masseter, parotid gland, pterygoid plexus, palatine tonsils, and soft palate.