Ever Wondered What That Groove Under Your Nose Is and What It’s For?

The human anatomy is such a wonderful masterpiece. We have so many body parts that we don’t the functions of. One such example is the inconspicuously placed groove under our nose. We know it’s there; we see it everyday when we look at our faces in the mirror. But what is it for exactly?

Known scientifically as the philtrum, this groove is found below our nose, running to the top of our lips. During development, the embryo starts developing facial features during the sixth to eighth week. Oddly enough, the philtrum marks the area where the human face merges into one whole part during development in the mother’s womb.  According to Dr. Michael Mosley, “The three main sections of the puzzle meet at your top lip, creating the groove that is the philtrum”. Failure of these sections to fuse properly leads to congenital defects, specifically cleft palate.

Want to see how it all works? Watch this amazing video of how a baby’s face forms during develop in the womb. What’s even more amazing is that these scans were taken from an actual developing baby.