what causes dimples in cheeks

Cheek dimples are small indentations that can be found on the skin of the cheeks. They are likely a genetic trait and are usually considered a dominant genetic trait, which means that one copy of the gene is enough to cause dimples. Cheek dimples can be found on the sides of the cheeks and are caused by a change in a facial muscle called the zygomaticus major, which is involved in facial expression. This muscle can split into a superior bundle that is positioned above the corner of the mouth and an inferior bundle below the corner of the mouth. This splitting creates a hammock sort of effect where skin can hang in slightly between the two bundles. When you smile, the muscles contract, and the dimples are more prominent due to the increased skin tension. Babies are likely to have dimples caused by baby fat in their cheeks, and when they lose their baby fat as they get older, their dimples disappear. Other children do not have them at birth but may develop them later in childhood. In some people, dimples last only until adolescence or young adulthood, while in others, they are a lifetime trait. Dimples that have a similar appearance can occur in successive generations of a family.