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Philtrum Length Calculator
Measure your philtrum, the groove between the base of your nose and your upper lip, from one straight-on photo: its length in millimetres, the chin-to-philtrum ratio used on looksmax forums, and how it compares with your upper lip and the rest of your lower face.
Drop a photo, paste one, or choose a file
Straight-on, whole face visible, even light. JPG, PNG or WebP.
Runs in your browser. Your photo never leaves your device.
How it is measured
Nose base to lip, against the chin.
The tool takes the nose base (subnasale) and the top of the upper lip from 478 landmarks, after head tilt is removed, and measures the gap. Millimetres use your iris as the ruler (about 11.7 mm across), so they carry a few percent of error. Ratios need no ruler: the chin (from the lip line to the chin) divided by the philtrum, the philtrum against the red part of the upper lip, and the philtrum's share of the lower third.
- Chin ÷ philtrum 2.0 and up
- Short philtrum relative to the chin; the forum ideal is 2.0–2.25.
- 1.6 – 2.0
- Average.
- Under 1.6
- Long philtrum relative to the chin.
Measure it yourself
How to measure your philtrum yourself
- 1Take a straight-on photo at eye level, lips closed and relaxed.
- 2Find the point where the base of the nose meets the upper lip, and the top edge of the upper lip below it.
- 3Measure the gap. With a ruler on your face, measure it directly; on a photo, compare it with your iris width (about 11.7 mm) to convert to millimetres.
- 4Measure from the line between the lips to the bottom of the chin and divide by the philtrum for the chin-to-philtrum ratio.
Skip the ruler: the free tool above does it from one photo in about 30 seconds ↑
Sources
What this is based on.
The measurement and its reference ranges come from published research. Studies use different methods and populations, so compare your number with the range shown on this page rather than with other tools.
- 1.
Farkas LG, Hreczko TA, Kolar JC, Munro IR (1985). Vertical and horizontal proportions of the face in young adult North American Caucasians: revision of neoclassical canons. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. PubMed 3883374
Tested the classical vertical facial proportions, including the lower face, on real faces.
- 2.
Farkas LG, Katic MJ, Forrest CR, et al. (2005). International anthropometric study of facial morphology in various ethnic groups/races. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. PubMed 16077306
Facial measurements across ethnic groups; normal ranges vary by population.
- 3.
Rüfer F, Schröder A, Erb C (2005). White-to-white corneal diameter: normal values in healthy humans obtained with the Orbscan II topography system. Cornea. PubMed 15778595
Corneal diameter averaged 11.71 mm in adults: the scale behind the millimetre reading.
Our own data: how much each reading moves when the same face is photographed again is published on the methodology page. How we choose sources.
Related tools
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Side Profile Analysis
Lips against the E-line, from the side.
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Lip shades on your own photo.
FAQ
What is a short philtrum?+
A philtrum that is short relative to the rest of the lower face, usually judged against the chin. On looksmax forums a chin-to-philtrum ratio of 2.0 or more is called short and ideal; that is a forum convention, not a clinical standard.
Does the philtrum get longer with age?+
The upper lip tends to lengthen and thin with age as soft tissue changes, which makes the philtrum look longer. A photo measurement cannot tell age change from anatomy.
How accurate are the millimetres?+
Within a few percent if the photo is straight on, because the iris is used as the ruler and irises vary slightly between people. The ratios need no ruler and are steadier.
Why did smiling change the result?+
Smiling pulls the upper lip up and shortens the philtrum on the photo. Measure with the lips closed and relaxed.
Is my photo uploaded?+
No. Everything runs in your browser.
One reading here.
Nineteen in the app.
A controlled scan, every reading against its ideal band, bone vs trainable, a plan, and a 3D model on Face ID iPhones.