Dimples are a genetic trait caused by a variation in the facial muscle. You cannot develop them naturally later in life if you were not born with them. Some people choose cosmetic surgery to create artificial dimples, but exercises and creams do not produce lasting dimples.
What Causes Dimples?
Dimples form because of a small difference in the zygomaticus major muscle, the muscle that runs from your cheekbone to the corner of your mouth. In most people, this muscle is a single strap. In people with dimples, the muscle splits into two separate bundles. One bundle attaches normally. The other attaches to the skin above it. When you smile, the muscle pulls the skin inward, creating a small depression.
This muscle variation is usually inherited as a dominant genetic trait. If one parent has dimples, a child has about a 50 percent chance of having them. The trait can also skip generations or appear without a known family history — genetic changes can happen spontaneously.
Dimples are not a medical condition. They are a normal variation in facial anatomy. They do not affect how your face functions.
Can You Develop Dimples Naturally Over Time?
No. The muscle structure that causes dimples is present from birth. You cannot grow a split in the zygomaticus major muscle later in life through exercise, massage, or any natural method. What can change is how visible your dimples are. If you gain or lose weight, the fat layer over the muscle changes, which can make dimples appear more or less noticeable. Some people notice their dimples become more visible as they age because facial skin loses elasticity. But the underlying muscle structure does not change.
If you do not have dimples as a child, you will not develop them naturally as an adult. Any claim that dimples appear later in life without surgery or injury is not supported by anatomical evidence.
Can Exercises Create Dimples?
Facial exercises, including cheek lifts and smile holds, cannot create a split in the zygomaticus major muscle. The muscle is not like a skeletal muscle you can strengthen and reshape in a targeted way. No clinical studies have shown that any facial exercise produces a lasting dimple. Some people report temporary indentations after exercising facial muscles, but these are due to muscle fatigue or skin creasing, not an actual dimple. The effect disappears within minutes to hours.
Some online sources claim that pressing on your cheeks or using suction devices can create dimples. These methods can cause bruising, skin irritation, or temporary indentations. They do not change the muscle structure. Repeated pressure on the skin may lead to early wrinkles or sagging over time, not permanent dimples.
How Can We Get Dimples? The Only Proven Methods
If you were not born with dimples and want them, there are two approaches: cosmetic surgery or cosmetic makeup. Neither approach creates a true dimple from a muscle variation, but both can produce a similar appearance.
Dimpleplasty (dimple creation surgery). This is a minor outpatient procedure. A surgeon makes a small incision inside the cheek, then places a stitch that attaches the skin to the underlying muscle. When you smile, the skin is pulled inward to create a dimple. The result is permanent, though it may look more natural over time as swelling subsides.
Makeup. You can create the illusion of dimples using contouring techniques. A small dot of dark powder or cream applied to the area where a dimple would naturally sit, blended slightly, can give the appearance of a shadow. This is temporary and washes off.
No cream, device, or exercise has been shown to create dimples through any permanent biological change. Marketing claims that promise dimples without surgery should be viewed with skepticism.
What Does Dimple Surgery Involve?
Dimple surgery is a cosmetic procedure, not a medical necessity. It is typically performed in a doctor’s office under local anesthesia. The surgeon uses a punch tool to remove a small piece of tissue from inside the cheek, then sutures the skin to the muscle. The entire procedure takes about 20 to 30 minutes per side.
After surgery, there is swelling, bruising, and sometimes a feeling of tightness. The dimple will appear even when the face is at rest for several weeks, until the tissues soften. Within a few months, the dimple should only appear when you smile. Results are permanent, though the depth may change slightly as scar tissue forms.
What Are the Risks of Dimple Surgery?
Dimple surgery is generally considered low-risk, but it is not without complications. Possible risks include:
- Infection at the incision site
- Bleeding or hematoma
- Scarring inside the cheek
- Asymmetry — one dimple deeper or higher than the other
- Nerve damage that affects facial movement (rare)
- Prolonged swelling or lump formation
- The dimple may be too deep or too shallow, requiring revision
In some cases, the sutures may loosen over time and the dimple becomes less noticeable. This can happen years after the surgery. There is also a risk that the dimple appears in an unnatural position or only on one side. No surgery can guarantee a perfectly natural look. Choose a board-certified plastic surgeon or facial plastic surgeon with experience in dimpleplasty.
Do Dimples Fade with Age?
Natural dimples can become less noticeable as you age. Skin loses collagen and elasticity, and facial fat redistributes. The same muscle movement that once clearly pulled the skin inward may produce a less obvious depression. Some people lose dimples entirely as they get older. Others find them unchanged. It varies from person to person.
Surgically created dimples are permanent, but they can also become less pronounced over time if the sutures stretch or if the skin changes. Some surgeons use permanent sutures to reduce this risk.
Are Dimples a Sign of Good Health or Beauty?
Dimples are purely a cosmetic feature. They have no known connection to general health, muscle strength, or attractiveness. Some cultures consider them a sign of beauty or good luck, but these are social judgments, not medical facts. No evidence links dimples to better oral health, facial symmetry, or longevity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can dimples appear later in life without surgery?
No. The muscle structure that creates dimples is present from birth. They do not develop naturally in adulthood.
Do dimple exercises work?
No clinical evidence shows that any facial exercise creates permanent dimples. Temporary indentations from muscle fatigue are not real dimples.
Is dimple surgery safe?
Dimple surgery is generally low-risk when performed by a qualified surgeon, but complications like infection, asymmetry, and nerve damage are possible.
How long does dimple surgery recovery take?
Swelling and bruising typically resolve within 1 to 2 weeks. The final dimple appearance stabilizes over several months.
