Ever Wondered Why There’s A Groove Under Your Nose? Here’s What It’s Serve The Purpose

The more you try to understand the human body, the more fascinated you feel. And the same fascination left me to think why we have that little indent under our nose?  What does that indent serve any meaningful purpose besides making an easy way for a running nose. Or to make that beard look good on you. Or to easily put that lipstick easily. So what actual purpose does it serve? Read on to know why.

First, to start any further that little indent is called ‘philtrum’. Describing the purpose of philtrum, Dr Michael Mosley in a clip from the BBC program says, “It is the place where the puzzle that is the human face finally all comes together.”

Adding further, he says “The three main sections of the puzzle meet at your top lip, creating the groove that is the philtrum.” The development of the face happens between months two and three of being in the womb, and if the face doesn’t form during this window, for genetic or environmental reasons, then it never will.

You can watch Dr Mosley explaining this below, as well as see an astonishing video of the face as it forms in the womb and how all the pieces eventually come together to create a recognisable human face, taken from scans of a real baby developing.