Cheek dimples: why do some people have them and others don’t?

A matter of muscles… and skin!

The main culprit for the appearance of dimples? A muscle well known to facial specialists: the zygomatic major muscle. He is the one who lifts the corners of the mouth when we smile. In some people, this muscle has a peculiarity: it divides into two branches. Result? When it contracts, it pulls the skin in a specific way, creating that characteristic hollow.

Another factor to consider is the amount of subcutaneous fatty tissue. A thinner layer makes dimples more visible, while a rounder face can reduce them… or even hide them completely.

Genetics come into play

Having dimples can also be a family heirloom. Scientists talk about so-called autosomal dominant inheritance: in other words, if one of your parents has dimples, you have a good chance of inheriting them. But since nature likes to cover its tracks, it’s not always automatic. Sometimes children have dimples when no parent does, or this little peckish fades in adulthood.

Yes, dimples are not necessarily present for life! The skin changes, the face evolves, and these small details can fade over time… or on the contrary appear later.

Differences in different regions of the world

You thought dimples were rare? Think again! A large study conducted in Greece on more than 28,000 children showed that almost 13% of them had them. In India, there is a great variety in their form and position, and in Nigeria, in some communities, more than one in two people have them! These figures show that this physical trait can be more or less common depending on the region, probably influenced by local genetics and marital habits within certain families.

And what about preconceived ideas in all this?

We sometimes hear that dimples have a particular function, or that they are a good luck charm. However, no study proves that they play a specific biological role. It is above all an aesthetic trait, appreciated in many cultures. And no, they are not necessarily present from birth: some appear over time, others fade over the years. A bit like an ever-changing facial print.

As for those who would like to have it fitted via a small cosmetic procedure (yes, it exists!), be careful: if the result may seem successful, it will never be identical to that of a natural dimple, and like any operation, it involves risks.