Dimple Creation Surgery
When you smile, a small dimple can appear on your cheek, giving you the charming touch you have been hoping for.
Is this right for you?
A cheek dimple is the small indentation that appears when you smile, sitting on each cheek just below and to the outside of the smile line. It forms when the smile muscle (a muscle attached to the facial skin) contracts and has small fibers that anchor to the skin underneath. Not everyone is born with one, because in some people the smile muscle does not have fibers attached to the skin in that spot. To create a dimple, your surgeon makes a connection between the smile muscle and the area of skin where you want the dimple to show. A consultation lets your surgeon decide whether this approach is right for you.
This may be a good fit if
- You would like a charming dimple to appear on your cheek when you smile, but you do not have a natural one.
- You have a clear idea of where you would like the dimple placed, and you understand that it shows mainly when you smile.
- You understand that results differ from one person to the next, and the effect usually becomes clear after one to two weeks.
- You are in stable general health, and you have spoken honestly with your surgeon about your medical history and the medicines you take.
- You are willing to have bleeding and clotting tests before the procedure, as your surgeon directs.
This may not be right if
- You have an underlying health condition or risk factor that your surgeon judges is not yet suitable for the procedure.
- Your bleeding and clotting test results show that it is not the right time to go ahead.
- You want a specific result promised with certainty; no procedure can offer that.
- You are not yet sure about what you want, since this is a change to your face that deserves careful thought.
How it works
Everything begins with an examination and consultation with a specialist in Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery. Your surgeon will ask why you want a dimple and what you are hoping for, along with your medical history and the medicines you take. The safety of the procedure rests heavily on this honest information, so please share it fully.
Before going ahead, you will have bleeding and clotting tests. Together with your surgeon, you will discuss where you want the dimple placed and the results that are possible. When you are ready, the procedure is done under local anesthesia, which means only the part of the cheek being treated is numbed while you stay awake.
Your surgeon makes a small incision on the inner lining of your mouth, with no cut on the outer skin, so it leaves no scar on the surface. Through this incision, your surgeon uses a non-dissolvable suture to create a connection between the smile muscle and the cheek skin where you want the dimple. The incision inside the mouth is then closed with dissolvable sutures.
The procedure usually takes about 30 minutes and does not require a hospital stay. According to the source material, you can return to your normal activities and work right after it is done.
Realistic expectations
Dimple creation surgery makes a connection between the smile muscle and the cheek skin, so a dimple appears when you smile. The dimple usually shows mainly when you smile, and the final look depends on your own face.
What this will not do
- It does not create a dimple that stays visible all the time, even when you are not smiling; the goal is a dimple that appears when you smile.
- It does not promise a preset dimple shape or one that matches a particular model; results differ from person to person.
- It does not leave a scar on the outer skin, because the incision sits on the inner lining of the mouth.
Recovery
According to the source material, the days after the procedure are usually gentle. It does not require a hospital stay, and you can return to your normal activities and work right after it is done. Your cheek may be a little swollen during the first few days.
- Right after the procedure
- The procedure does not require a hospital stay. According to the source material, you can return to your normal activities and work right after it is done.
- The first 3 days or so
- You take antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relief medicines for about 3 days, as your surgeon directs.
- The first few days
- There may be mild swelling at the site, sometimes with some bruising, but this usually clears within a few days and is easy to cover with makeup.
- Around 1 week
- You rinse your mouth with an antiseptic solution for about 1 week, following your surgeon's guidance.
- Around 1 to 2 weeks
- The result usually becomes clear after about 1 to 2 weeks, when the dimple appears as you smile.
Risks & safety
As with any surgery, large or small, dimple creation surgery carries some risks you should know about before you decide. According to the source material, these complications are very uncommon overall.
- Bleeding.
- Infection.
- A loosened suture.
- The dimple appearing all the time rather than only when you smile.
- The two dimples being uneven with each other.
- Mild swelling at the site, sometimes with some bruising, during the first few days.
How we do it
At The Gioi Dep Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Hospital, dimple creation is performed by a specialist in Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, under local anesthesia, through a small incision on the inner lining of the mouth, so it leaves no scar on the outer skin. Your surgeon uses a non-dissolvable suture to create a connection between the smile muscle and the cheek skin where you want the dimple, then closes the incision with dissolvable sutures.
Before the procedure, our surgeons take the time to examine you, talk things through, and arrange bleeding and clotting tests. Afterward, you are guided to take antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relief medicines for about 3 days, along with rinsing your mouth with an antiseptic solution for about 1 week to support healing.
Frequently asked questions
Does dimple creation hurt much?
The procedure is done under local anesthesia, which means the part of the cheek being treated is numbed while it is performed. According to the source material, the days afterward are usually gentle, and you take pain-relief medicine for about 3 days as your surgeon directs.
Will it leave a scar on my face?
The incision sits on the inner lining of your mouth, with no cut on the outer skin, so according to the source material it leaves no surface scar. The incision inside the mouth is closed with dissolvable sutures.
Will I need to take time off work?
The procedure does not require a hospital stay. According to the source material, you can return to your normal activities and work right after it is done. Your cheek may be a little swollen during the first few days, which can usually be covered with makeup.
Will the dimple look natural?
The goal is to have a dimple appear when you smile, shaped by your own face. The dimple usually shows mainly when you smile. Results differ from one person to the next, and your surgeon will talk through your specific case during the consultation.
How long until I can see the dimple?
According to the source material, the result usually becomes clear after about 1 to 2 weeks. By then, the dimple will appear as you smile.
Will I need a hospital stay?
No. According to the source material, the procedure does not require admission to hospital, and it usually takes about 30 minutes.
Will the two dimples match each other?
The goal is to create even dimples in the positions you want. Even so, the two dimples being uneven is a possible risk, though according to the source material it is very uncommon. Your surgeon will discuss the details with you during the consultation.
Will the dimple show even when I am not smiling?
The goal is for the dimple to appear when you smile. A dimple that stays visible even when you are not smiling is a possible risk, though according to the source material it is very uncommon.
What do I need to prepare before the procedure?
You need to be examined and counseled by a specialist in Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, and to have bleeding and clotting tests before the procedure. You should also speak honestly with your surgeon about your medical history and the medicines you take.
How should I care for it afterward?
According to the source material, you take antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relief medicines for about 3 days, and you rinse your mouth with an antiseptic solution for about 1 week, following your surgeon's guidance.
The next step
The next step is a conversation - book a consultation.
The content on this page is for reference only and does not replace a direct examination and consultation with a specialist physician. Surgical outcomes vary from person to person.