Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Dimple Surgery?PurposeHow to PrepareDay of SurgeryRecovery
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Dimple Surgery?
Purpose
How to Prepare
Day of Surgery
Recovery
Dimple surgery (also known as dimple creation surgery or dimpleplasty) is an elective plastic surgery procedure that’s done to create dimples on the face. Dimples are the small depressions in the cheeks that appear when some people smile. An inherited trait, dimples arise due to indentations in the layer just beneath the skin (called thedermis).
The procedure is typically done on an outpatient basis. The surgery involves the formation of a dimple with the creation of scar tissue in the dermis between the muscles of the face using small instruments and incisions, and a small amount of tissue is removed.
Verywell / Ellen Lindner
Dimple surgery is not a medical necessity; rather, it’s an elective procedure that people undergo to improve self-image and feelings of self-worth. Since it’s an outpatient surgery, you won’t need an overnight stay in the hospital to recover. Local anesthesia is used, so you’re not put to sleep during surgery.
Contraindications
There are no outright contraindications to dimple surgery. However, some conditions increase the chance of complications, such as an infection.
These include:
Prior to undergoing dimple surgery, you and your plastic surgeon will go over your medical and dental history.
Potential Risks
Overall, dimple surgery is safe, and complications are rare.
That said, complications can include:
Purpose of Dimple Surgery
Dimple surgery is completely elective and doesn’t treat any underlying medical condition. The benefits of this procedure primarily have to do with boosted confidence and self-satisfaction due to the changed post-operative physical appearance.
Notably, there’s clinical consensus that this surgery yields very high patient satisfaction; most feel their lives are improved afterward.
Unlike other, more invasive surgeries, there are no specific tests necessary before dimple surgery. Typically, initial consultation involves ensuring adequate overall health, and discussion with the healthcare provider about potential contraindications.
In most cases, a physical assessment of health measures, such as weight, heart rate, and blood pressure is done before surgery is scheduled.
Location
Dimple surgery occurs in an outpatient surgical center of a hospital, procedural clinic, or plastic surgery office. You will be awake during the procedure, and alocal anestheticis used.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what you can expect:
What to Wear
Since dimple surgery is an outpatient procedure, you don’t need to bring along a change of clothes.
Your healthcare provider will tell you to wear:
Leave jewelry at home,as you willhave to remove it—and it can get lost. Any mouth jewelry, such as a tongue piercing needs to be removed prior to surgery and for a few weeks after surgery.
Food and Drink
Your healthcare provider will advise you of any special adjustments, but generally, it’s recommended that you don’t consume alcohol the night before surgery
Why You Can’t Eat or Drink Before Surgery
Medications
Tell your surgeon about all prescription and over-the-counter medications, as well as herbs or supplements you’re taking.
Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop or reduce the following in the days or weeks before your surgery:
Your healthcare provider will tell you if you can take Tylenol (acetaminophen) instead of other pain medications before your surgery.
Know What You’re TakingMake sure to let your healthcare provider know about any allergies you have, as well as prescribed and over-the-counter drugs and herbs or supplements you’re taking. Some can lead to an increased risk of complications.
Know What You’re Taking
Make sure to let your healthcare provider know about any allergies you have, as well as prescribed and over-the-counter drugs and herbs or supplements you’re taking. Some can lead to an increased risk of complications.
What to Bring
Even though dimple surgery doesn’t require an overnight stay for recovery, you’ll still need to think about what to bring along. Here’s a quick list:
Pre-Op Lifestyle Changes
Smoking tobacco can impact healing and recovery and should be stopped completely or temporarily in preparation for your surgery. Your surgeon may advise you to quit for three to six weeks before surgery.Talk to your healthcare provider if you’re looking for support with this.
What to Expect on the Day of Surgery
The dimple surgery procedure, itself, doesn’t take very long—usually only about 20 to 30 minutes—but preparation and recovery will require additional time.
Before the Surgery
Your surgeon may advise you to wash your face with anti-bacterial soap on the morning of your surgery. It’s a good idea to arrive at your appointment early; this gives you enough time to get settled and fill out intake forms.
You’ll undergo an initial examination and consultation, which includes:
During the Surgery
Here’s a breakdown of the most common steps of dimple surgery:
Once the sutures are in place, you’ll be allowed to rest and recover in a post-operative recovery area.
After the Surgery
Unlike many other surgeries, recovery from dimple surgery is relatively quick. Barring any immediate complications, you should be able to go home shortly after the procedure. Before you go home, though, there is a final consultation.
Here’s a rundown:
Your dimples will be visible immediately—though final results aren’t typically seen until two months afterward.The sutures used in this procedure don’t need to be removed andwill dissolve on their own.
What can you expect during recovery? Here’s a quick breakdown:
If you’re planning social events, keep in mind that your dimples will usually be visible whether or not you smile as you are recovering.
Healing
Proper healing of the surgical sites is essential for the success of your surgery.
Here’s a breakdown of what to keep in mind as you heal:
When to Call Your Healthcare ProviderAs you recover, watch for any signs of infection. Call your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms:FeverChillsPus or drainage from the incisionHot sensations in your mouthExcessive redness around dimplesPain
When to Call Your Healthcare Provider
As you recover, watch for any signs of infection. Call your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms:FeverChillsPus or drainage from the incisionHot sensations in your mouthExcessive redness around dimplesPain
As you recover, watch for any signs of infection. Call your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms:
Coping With Recovery
While dimple surgery is well-tolerated and successful, some people may experience apsychological and emotional fallout afterward. Depression and anxiety can occur after plastic surgery procedures.
If you’re struggling with difficult emotions in the aftermath of dimple surgery, here’s what you can do:
Possible Future Surgeries
Dimple surgery typically leads to permanent results; however, sometimes the effects may fade or even entirely disappear over time. There is a risk of uneven or insufficient results.
While it’s not common, you might need additional surgery, including:
A Word From Verywell
As much as the prospect of having a cosmetic procedure like dimple surgery may be intimidating, it’s important to keep in mind that this procedure is usually successful and well-tolerated.
Dimple surgery has been performed since the 1960s, and in the intervening years it’s come a long way; the techniques employed today make it safer than ever before.
In the medical literature, most patients are satisfied with their results. For those that find dimples attractive, this procedure may be the key to a more positive self-image, as well as the confidence that comes with it. That’s something worth smiling about.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Chung J, Park J, Shim J.Analysis of the clinical and aesthetic results of facial dimple creation surgery.Arch Plast Surg.2020;47(5):467-472. doi:10.5999/aps.2020.00661Lari A, Panse N.Anatomical basis of dimple creation: a new technique: Our experience of 100 cases.Indian J Plast Surg. 2012;45(1):89. doi:10.4103/0970-0358.96593Abdull Gaffar B, Ghandoor K, Ahli Q.Actinomycotic sinus of the buccal mucosa: a rare complication of cheek dimple creation.Aesthet Surg J. 2014;34(8):NP80-NP82. doi:10.1177/1090820x14536727Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.Preoperative instruction for plastic surgery.Cleveland Clinic.Pre & post-op checklist.Furnas H.How nicotine sabotages plastic surgery. American Society of Plastic Surgeons.Plastic Surgery Center Palo Alto.Patient information for surgery.Aedit.Dimpleplasty: procedure overview, cost, recovery, before & after.Wechter D, US National Library of Medicine.Surgical wound infection: treatment.Clay R.Beauty in the eye of the beholder. American Psychological Association Monitor on Psychology.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Chung J, Park J, Shim J.Analysis of the clinical and aesthetic results of facial dimple creation surgery.Arch Plast Surg.2020;47(5):467-472. doi:10.5999/aps.2020.00661Lari A, Panse N.Anatomical basis of dimple creation: a new technique: Our experience of 100 cases.Indian J Plast Surg. 2012;45(1):89. doi:10.4103/0970-0358.96593Abdull Gaffar B, Ghandoor K, Ahli Q.Actinomycotic sinus of the buccal mucosa: a rare complication of cheek dimple creation.Aesthet Surg J. 2014;34(8):NP80-NP82. doi:10.1177/1090820x14536727Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.Preoperative instruction for plastic surgery.Cleveland Clinic.Pre & post-op checklist.Furnas H.How nicotine sabotages plastic surgery. American Society of Plastic Surgeons.Plastic Surgery Center Palo Alto.Patient information for surgery.Aedit.Dimpleplasty: procedure overview, cost, recovery, before & after.Wechter D, US National Library of Medicine.Surgical wound infection: treatment.Clay R.Beauty in the eye of the beholder. American Psychological Association Monitor on Psychology.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Chung J, Park J, Shim J.Analysis of the clinical and aesthetic results of facial dimple creation surgery.Arch Plast Surg.2020;47(5):467-472. doi:10.5999/aps.2020.00661Lari A, Panse N.Anatomical basis of dimple creation: a new technique: Our experience of 100 cases.Indian J Plast Surg. 2012;45(1):89. doi:10.4103/0970-0358.96593Abdull Gaffar B, Ghandoor K, Ahli Q.Actinomycotic sinus of the buccal mucosa: a rare complication of cheek dimple creation.Aesthet Surg J. 2014;34(8):NP80-NP82. doi:10.1177/1090820x14536727Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.Preoperative instruction for plastic surgery.Cleveland Clinic.Pre & post-op checklist.Furnas H.How nicotine sabotages plastic surgery. American Society of Plastic Surgeons.Plastic Surgery Center Palo Alto.Patient information for surgery.Aedit.Dimpleplasty: procedure overview, cost, recovery, before & after.Wechter D, US National Library of Medicine.Surgical wound infection: treatment.Clay R.Beauty in the eye of the beholder. American Psychological Association Monitor on Psychology.
Chung J, Park J, Shim J.Analysis of the clinical and aesthetic results of facial dimple creation surgery.Arch Plast Surg.2020;47(5):467-472. doi:10.5999/aps.2020.00661
Lari A, Panse N.Anatomical basis of dimple creation: a new technique: Our experience of 100 cases.Indian J Plast Surg. 2012;45(1):89. doi:10.4103/0970-0358.96593
Abdull Gaffar B, Ghandoor K, Ahli Q.Actinomycotic sinus of the buccal mucosa: a rare complication of cheek dimple creation.Aesthet Surg J. 2014;34(8):NP80-NP82. doi:10.1177/1090820x14536727
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.Preoperative instruction for plastic surgery.
Cleveland Clinic.Pre & post-op checklist.
Furnas H.How nicotine sabotages plastic surgery. American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Plastic Surgery Center Palo Alto.Patient information for surgery.
Aedit.Dimpleplasty: procedure overview, cost, recovery, before & after.
Wechter D, US National Library of Medicine.Surgical wound infection: treatment.
Clay R.Beauty in the eye of the beholder. American Psychological Association Monitor on Psychology.
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