External Veins of Face

Most external facial veins are drained by veins that accompany the arteries of the face. As with most superficial veins, they are subject to many variations. The venous return from the face is normally superficial, but anastomoses with deep veins, a dural sinus, and venous plexus can provide deep drainage for the valveless veins.

Like veins elsewhere, they have abundant anastomoses that allow drainage to occur by alternate routes during periods of temporary compression. The alternate routes include both superficial pathways (via the facial and retromandibular/external jugular veins) and deep drainage (via the anastomoses with the cavernous sinus, pterygoid venous plexus, and the internal jugular vein).

The facial veins, coursing with or parallel to the facial arteries, are valveless veins that provide the primary superficial drainage of the face. Tributaries of the facial vein include the deep facial vein, which drains the pterygoid venous plexus of the infratemporal fossa. Inferior to the margin of the mandible, the facial vein is joined by the anterior (communicating) branch of the retromandibular vein. The facial vein drains directly or indirectly into the internal jugular vein (IJV). At the medial angle of the eye, the facial vein communicates with the superior ophthalmic vein, which drains into the cavernous sinus.