What Is Dimple Surgery (Dimpleplasty)? How Do Dimples Form?

A dimple is a small indentation that appears on the cheek, the chin or other parts of the body when smiling or during certain facial movements. Some people are born with dimples. For those who wish, a dimple can be created on the cheek with a surgical procedure; this procedure is called dimple surgery (dimpleplasty).

How Do Dimples Form?

A cheek dimple is associated with a structural variation in the facial muscle that pulls the corner of the mouth upwards when smiling (zygomaticus major). With a variation such as this muscle being made up of two bundles, the skin at that point is pulled inwards during a smile and a dimple appears. A dimple is not a health problem; it is a feature of appearance. Dimples can run in families, but how they are inherited has not been fully explained.

A chin dimple, on the other hand, is associated with the two halves of the lower jawbone or of the chin muscle not fully joining in the midline. Back dimples (dimples of Venus), seen on both sides of the lower back, are also present from birth and are associated with the structure of the connective tissue between the bony prominence at the back of the pelvis and the skin.

What Is Dimple Surgery and How Is It Performed?

Dimple surgery is most often performed on the cheek. First, the point where the dimple will look natural when smiling is determined together with the person and marked. The procedure is usually performed under local anaesthesia and through the inside of the mouth, so no visible incision scar is left on the face. At the marked point, a connection is created with a stitch between the underside of the cheek skin and the tissue beneath it; depending on the technique, a small amount of tissue may also be removed from this point. The technique to be used, the number of dimples and the duration of the procedure are decided by the doctor according to the structure of the person's cheek.

Who Is It Suitable For?

It can be performed on people in good general health who have realistic expectations about the position and appearance of the dimple. The thickness of the cheek tissue, the structure of the face and oral health are assessed during the examination; if there is an active infection in the mouth, the procedure is postponed. Because a dimple is a detail that changes facial expression, the decision should be considered carefully together with the doctor beforehand.

Back Dimples

There are also procedures aimed at making dimples on the lower back more visible; these procedures are generally based on reducing the fatty tissue under the skin in this area. Whether they are suitable for the person, depending on the structure of this area, is assessed during an examination.

Recovery and Risks

After the procedure there may be swelling and tenderness in the cheek; in the early period the dimple may also be visible when the face is at rest, and it softens over time. The doctor gives recommendations on oral care, eating and returning to daily activities. Like any surgical procedure, dimple surgery has risks: infection, bleeding, asymmetry between the two dimples, the dimple being deeper than expected, or fading and disappearing over time may occur; in some cases a correction may be needed. For details you can read our article After Dimple Surgery: Appearance When Smiling, Recovery and Permanence and our dimple aesthetics page.

Author: Op. Dr. Yücel Sarıaltın