Vermillion Border

The vermillion border is the red border of the lips, showing an intermediate area, the place where the lips combine within the mucous membrane or mucosa.

Structure

Vermillion Border

• Externally, it is limited through the mucocutaneous junction on the face, the joint in the middle of the skin of the face and the vermillion border of the lips.
• Internally, the vermillion border is limited via the wet line where labial mucosa starts in the mouth.
Wet Line
• A wet line is the connection among the outer vermillion border, which is generally dry and the internal smooth as well as moist mucosa.
• The wet line is located approximately 10 mm backwards from the skin of mucocutaneous junction.
• In younger persons, the lips are redder compared to older persons.
• Due to the existence of brown melanin pigment, the lip color is reddish brown in some people.

Clinical Significance

In the head and neck examination, the vermillion border and mucocutaneous junction are vital, as changes here may be created from exposure to the sun and could cause skin cancer.