Why Some People Are Born With Dimples (And Others Aren’t)
Why Some People Are Born With Dimples (And Others Aren’t)
Some people are born with small dents on their cheeks, chin, or lower back. These are called dimples and people find them cute or lucky. About 20 to 30 per percent of people around the world have dimples. Some even get surgery to create them on their face. But dimples can also be linked to how your body grows and not just beauty.
What Causes Dimples?
Dimples are mostly passed down in families. If one of your parents has a dimple, you might get one too. Babies often have dimples because their faces have more fat. As they grow older, these dimples may disappear. Some dimples can also appear later in life. If a person gains weight, they might get dimples on the elbows or knuckles, but these are not permanent. They can go away with weight loss. Swelling in the skin can also cause temporary dimples.
How Are Cheek Dimples Formed?
Cheek dimples happen because of a small change in a face muscle called the zygomaticus major. This muscle helps lift your mouth when you smile. In people with cheek dimples, this muscle splits into two parts. One part connects to the corner of the mouth and the other part connects to the skin above it.
When the person smiles, the skin moves over the split muscle, forming a dimple. These dimples might look different from person to person and can become deeper with age. Cheek dimples do not cause any health problems.
What About Chin Dimples?
A chin dimple, also called a cleft chin, forms when the lower jawbone does not join properly during early growth. This is a harmless condition and is seen more in men. Some people like how it looks, while others may joke about it, especially among children.
Can You Get Dimples Without Being Born With Them?
Yes, dimples can be created through surgery. This is called dimpleplasty. Doctors use a simple method where they make a small cut inside the cheek and tie the muscle to the skin. This creates a dimple when you smile. The same method can be used to make a chin dimple. The surgery takes around 30 minutes and does not need a long hospital stay.
