What it is
The infraorbital rim is the curved bony edge that forms the lower border of the eye socket, sitting directly beneath the eye and above the cheek.
It is composed of two bones: the maxilla on the inner (medial) side and the zygoma on the outer (lateral) side. In appearance discussions, it is often called the under-eye bone or tear trough bone because its projection and shape directly influence how the under-eye area reads in photos.
On this page
How it looks
Quick visual profile
How to Recognize Infraorbital Rim
Look at the under-eye area under neutral lighting, with a relaxed expression and a straight-on view.
- ✓ Bone shelf position: Trace the lower eyelid downward — the infraorbital rim is the bony ridge you feel (or see as a subtle contour) just below the lash line.
- ✓ Shadow line: A projected rim casts a thin horizontal shadow across the upper cheek in direct frontal light.
- ✓ Tear trough depth: Where the under-eye bone meets the cheek, a groove or hollow may appear; its depth reflects how the rim transitions into the surrounding soft tissue.
- ✓ Cheek-to-eye continuity: A flatter rim produces a smooth, uninterrupted slope from lower lid to cheek; a more prominent rim creates a visible step or ledge.
- ✓ Asymmetry check: Compare the left and right sides — the rim height and projection can differ, sometimes visibly in photos.
The clearest visual cue is the shadow or hollow directly beneath the lower eyelid: its depth and width map closely to the projection and shape of the under-eye bone.
Visual Proportions & Measurement
Visually, the infraorbital rim is assessed by how far it projects forward relative to the eyeball and the cheek surface below it.
In a straight-on photograph, a rim that sits forward of the lower eyelid margin tends to support the soft tissue above it, reducing the appearance of a hollow. A rim that sits further back allows the soft tissue to fall inward, making the tear trough groove more visible.
Side-profile photos reveal projection most clearly: the relationship between the rim’s forward edge and the plane of the cheek shows how much bony support exists under the eye.
Asymmetry — where one side projects differently from the other — is visible in straight-on photos when the shadow or hollow depth differs between the left and right under-eye areas.
Digital facial analysis tools estimate these markers as visual references, not medical findings.
What People Commonly Get Wrong
| Common Claim | What the Feature Actually Describes |
|---|---|
| “Dark circles are caused by the infraorbital rim.” | Dark circles involve skin pigmentation, vascularity, and soft tissue. The rim’s projection influences shadow depth, but the two are distinct visual phenomena. |
| “The tear trough is a skin problem.” | The tear trough groove sits at the junction of the under-eye bone and the cheek soft tissue. Its appearance reflects bony projection as much as skin or fat volume. |
| “A flat infraorbital rim always looks the same on everyone.” | Lighting angle, camera distance, and surrounding soft tissue volume all affect how the rim reads in photos — the same bone structure can appear quite different across images. |
| “Infraorbital rim asymmetry is always visible to the naked eye.” | Minor differences in rim height or projection between sides are common and often only apparent in close-up, straight-on photographs under even lighting. |
Explore It on Your Photo
FaceAuraAI uses visual analysis to help you explore the appearance of these features; results are not a medical assessment.
Related Aesthetics Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the infraorbital rim the same as the cheekbone?
No — the cheekbone (zygoma) forms the outer part of the infraorbital rim, but the rim itself is the specific curved lower edge of the eye socket, not the cheek prominence below it.
Why does the under-eye area look hollow on some faces?
A less projected under-eye bone allows the soft tissue above it to sit further back, creating a visible groove or hollow where the lower eyelid meets the cheek.
Can the infraorbital rim look different in photos versus in person?
Yes — lighting direction and camera angle strongly affect how much shadow the rim casts, making the under-eye area appear deeper or flatter depending on the shot.
Sources
Reference used in the preparation of this entry: