Prejowl Sulcus
Pronunciation: pree-JOWL SUL-kus
A depression lateral to the chin and medial to the jowl that deepens with age-related bone resorption and soft tissue descent, commonly treated with dermal filler.
Full Definition
The prejowl sulcus is an anatomical depression located on either side of the chin, medial to the developing jowl, that becomes increasingly prominent with mandibular bone resorption and ligamentous laxity associated with facial ageing. Editors will encounter this term in filler injection technique articles, facial anatomy atlases, and clinical protocols. It is distinct from the jowl itself (the descended submental fat and platysmal tissue) and from marionette lines. The term is rendered as two words and is not hyphenated. A common editorial error is conflating the prejowl sulcus with the 'mental crease' (the fold across the chin) or the 'labiomental crease', both of which are separate anatomical features.
Usage
Usage note: Two words, no hyphen in standard usage. Distinguish clearly from jowl and mental crease in anatomical descriptions.
In Context
- "Volumisation of the prejowl sulcus with a cohesive HA filler softened the demarcation between the chin and the developing jowl." — Aesthetic technique article
- "The copy described treatment of the 'pre-jowl sulcus' with a hyphen; per house style the editor removed the hyphen to give 'prejowl sulcus'." — Manuscript style correction log