what are dimples

Dimples are small natural indentations in the flesh on a part of the human body, most notably in the cheek. They are caused by the irregular growth of a certain facial muscle during embryonic development, and are usually considered a dominant genetic trait. Cheek dimples are likely a genetic trait, although the specifics of how they’re inherited still aren’t clear. Dimples may appear and disappear over an extended period; a baby born with dimples in their cheeks may lose them as they grow into a child due to their diminishing baby fat. Dimple depth and size can also vary; unilateral dimples are usually large, and a possible 12.8% of bilateral people have dimples positioned asymmetrically. While cheek dimples are a genetically inherited trait, dimple creation surgery or dimpleplasty is a viable option for those who would want to make their one-sided dimple symmetrical or for those who did not inherit the trait.