Dimple Surgery: What Is Dimpleplasty and What Does It Cost?

What Is Dimple Surgery?

Dimple surgery is a cosmetic procedure that creates a small indentation in the cheek by connecting the inner cheek tissue to the skin.

Also known as dimpleplasty, the procedure aims to reproduce the natural tissue attachment responsible for facial dimples. Treatment usually takes place through the inside of the mouth, avoiding a conventional incision on the outer cheek. A small amount of tissue may be adjusted before a suture creates an attachment between deeper cheek tissue and skin. This connection pulls the skin inward and forms a dimple. Modern techniques focus on creating a dynamic indentation that becomes more natural as the cheek heals.

How Does Dimple Surgery Work?

Dimple surgery works by creating an internal attachment that pulls a selected point of cheek skin inward and produces a visible indentation.

The procedure generally starts after the desired dimple position has been marked. A small opening is then created through the inner lining of the cheek. Depending on the technique, a limited amount of soft tissue may be removed or preserved. A carefully positioned suture connects the cheek muscle or deeper tissue with the underside of the skin. Tightening this connection creates the initial dimple. The indentation usually appears deep immediately after surgery before becoming softer and more dynamic during healing.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dimple Surgery?

A good candidate for dimple surgery is generally a healthy adult who wants cheek dimples and understands how the result will change during healing.

Suitable candidates should have realistic expectations about dimple depth, symmetry, and permanence. The procedure requires healthy oral tissues because the surgical approach commonly begins inside the mouth. A history of problematic scarring can also be relevant when considering cosmetic facial surgery. Facial proportions matter because dimple placement should complement the natural smile rather than appear disconnected from surrounding features. The procedure can create one or two cheek dimples, allowing the final design to reflect the existing shape and movement of the face.

Where Are Dimples Placed During Dimpleplasty?

Dimpleplasty places the new indentation on a carefully selected area of the cheek where it can move naturally with facial expressions and smiling.

The planned location usually considers the mouth corners, cheek contour, smile pattern, and surrounding facial proportions. Placement that is too high, low, medial, or lateral can make the result appear less natural. The desired point is therefore marked while the facial structure can be evaluated before surgery. One side can also require slightly different positioning to maintain visual balance. Proper placement matters because natural cheek dimples are dynamic features rather than fixed marks. Their depth and visibility normally change according to the movement of the cheek muscles.

Can You Have Dimple Surgery on One Cheek?

Dimple surgery can create either one cheek dimple or two, making unilateral dimpleplasty an option for people who prefer an asymmetric result.

Some people naturally associate a single dimple with a distinctive smile and therefore choose treatment on only one side. Others already have one natural dimple and want the opposite cheek to appear more balanced. Bilateral surgery creates a dimple on each cheek during the same treatment session. The underlying technique remains similar, although each side requires individual marking and placement. Choosing one or two dimples primarily changes the design of the result rather than the basic principle used to create the internal skin attachment.

How Long Does Dimple Surgery Take?

Dimple surgery is a relatively short procedure that commonly takes around 20 to 60 minutes when performed as an isolated cosmetic treatment.

The operation is usually completed under local anesthesia, which removes the need for a lengthy general anesthesia process in uncomplicated cases. Creating dimples on both cheeks may require slightly more operating time than treating one cheek. Surgical steps include marking, numbing the area, creating internal access, preparing the tissue, and placing the fixation suture. Dimpleplasty is generally performed as an outpatient procedure. Patients can usually leave after the treatment without an overnight hospital stay once the immediate postoperative period has been completed.

How Much Does Dimple Surgery Cost?

Dimple surgery in the United States commonly costs approximately $1,500 to $3,500, although more extensive treatment can exceed this range.

Current published pricing places straightforward dimpleplasty within this general range, while some procedures can reach $5,000 or more. Creating two dimples can cost more than creating a single indentation because treatment involves both cheeks. The surgical technique and anesthesia arrangement also influence the overall expense. Dimpleplasty is usually less costly than many larger facial operations because it is commonly performed with local anesthesia in an outpatient setting. The complete price should include all planned surgical expenses rather than only the initial procedure fee.

What Is Included in Dimple Surgery Cost?

Dimple surgery cost generally includes the cosmetic procedure itself, anesthesia, facility expenses, medical supplies, and scheduled postoperative care when provided as a complete package.

Local anesthesia keeps the procedure relatively limited compared with operations requiring general anesthesia and hospital admission. Creating dimples on both cheeks may also increase the total because additional surgical work is required. Consultation charges can form another part of the overall expense when they are billed separately. Prescription medication and postoperative oral care products may create smaller additional costs. Revision treatment represents a separate financial consideration if the dimple later becomes too shallow, disappears, appears overly deep, or requires correction for another reason.

Does Insurance Cover Dimple Surgery?

Health insurance generally does not cover dimple surgery because dimpleplasty is performed for cosmetic enhancement rather than treatment of a medical condition.

Creating a cheek dimple does not normally restore a lost physical function or treat an illness. The procedure is therefore categorized as elective cosmetic surgery. Patients usually pay directly for the operation and associated services. This financial responsibility can include consultation, local anesthesia, surgical supplies, postoperative medication, and follow-up care. Revision surgery may also require additional payment when performed for aesthetic reasons. Insurance coverage should not be expected simply because dimpleplasty takes place in a medical setting, since the purpose of the procedure remains cosmetic.

Is Dimple Surgery Painful?

Dimple surgery usually causes mild soreness, swelling, and temporary cheek tenderness rather than severe postoperative pain.

Local anesthesia numbs the treatment area during surgery, preventing significant pain while the internal tissue and sutures are positioned. As the anesthetic effect fades, the cheek can feel tight or sensitive. Chewing and wide facial movements may temporarily increase discomfort because these actions move the treated tissues. The internal incision can also create mild irritation inside the mouth. Discomfort generally improves as swelling decreases during early recovery. Increasing pain, substantial swelling, fever, or drainage requires medical attention because these symptoms can indicate infection rather than routine postoperative healing.

What Is Dimple Surgery Recovery Like?

Dimple surgery recovery usually involves temporary cheek swelling, mild soreness, careful oral hygiene, and gradual softening of the new indentation.

Most people can continue light daily activities soon after treatment because dimpleplasty does not usually require extensive facial incisions. Swelling makes the new dimple appear deeper during the early recovery period. The internal cheek tissue then heals around the surgical attachment while the surrounding inflammation decreases. Oral cleanliness remains particularly important because the incision sits inside the mouth. Facial movement becomes increasingly comfortable as tenderness resolves. The final dimple develops gradually, and research indicates that a more natural appearance can continue forming for several months after surgery.

How Long Does Swelling Last After Dimple Surgery?

Most swelling after dimple surgery improves substantially within one to two weeks, although subtle tissue changes can continue beyond the initial recovery period.

The cheek commonly looks fuller immediately after surgery because the procedure creates temporary inflammation around the new tissue attachment. This swelling can make the dimple appear unusually deep or fixed. As inflammation decreases, the indentation gradually becomes softer and better integrated with normal facial movement. A large clinical series reported postoperative edema resolving within two weeks. However, the appearance continued maturing for considerably longer, with natural-looking dimples developing over several months. Early depth therefore should not be interpreted as the final result.

Are Dimples Visible at Rest After Surgery?

Surgically created dimples are often visible at rest during early healing before gradually becoming more noticeable with smiling and facial movement.

The fixation initially pulls the skin inward continuously because swelling and the new internal attachment remain relatively firm. During healing, the suture effect softens and scar tissue develops between the skin and deeper cheek structures. This process allows the indentation to become increasingly dynamic. A mature result can therefore appear subtle while the face is relaxed and deeper during certain expressions. The exact movement reflects how the tissues heal around the attachment. Evaluating the dimple too early can give a misleading impression because the first postoperative appearance is intentionally stronger.

Is Dimple Surgery Permanent?

Dimple surgery is designed to create a long-lasting indentation, but the dimple can become shallower or disappear as tissues heal and change over time.

The procedure encourages a stable attachment between the underside of the cheek skin and deeper tissue. Once healing develops around this connection, the dimple can remain visible even after the original suture loses its initial tension. However, permanence cannot be guaranteed. Published surgical data have documented fading and complete disappearance among possible outcomes. A large clinical series also identified disappearance and undercorrection among reasons for revision. Therefore, dimpleplasty can provide durable results while still carrying a possibility of reduced definition later.

Does Dimple Surgery Leave Scars?

Dimple surgery usually avoids an obvious external scar because most surgical work is performed through a small opening inside the mouth.

The internal approach allows the cheek skin to remain largely intact while deeper tissue creates the indentation. Some techniques may involve a small skin puncture, but this mark generally becomes less noticeable during healing. A large clinical study reported that puncture marks faded over approximately eight to twelve weeks. Internal scar tissue is actually part of the mechanism that helps maintain the created dimple. Although externally visible scarring is usually limited, abnormal scar formation, pigmentation changes, or an unwanted surface mark remain possible after any procedure involving tissue healing.

What Are the Risks of Dimple Surgery?

Dimple surgery carries potential risks involving infection, bleeding, asymmetry, dimple depth, tissue healing, and nearby facial structures.

Important possible complications include:

• Infection within the cheek

• Bleeding or hematoma

• Excessive or prolonged swelling

• An overly deep dimple

• A dimple that becomes too shallow

• Complete disappearance of the indentation

• Uneven results between both cheeks

• Unwanted scarring

• Persistent discomfort

• Rare injury to nearby facial nerve branches or salivary structures

Large published series suggest that revision is sometimes required for undercorrection, disappearance, or excessive depth. Serious complications remain uncommon but cannot be completely excluded.

Can Dimple Surgery Be Reversed?

A surgically created dimple may sometimes be reduced or reversed, but complete restoration of the original cheek cannot always be guaranteed.

Early reversal can involve releasing or removing the fixation suture before a strong permanent attachment develops. Once mature scar tissue forms between the skin and deeper cheek structures, correction may require a more involved procedure. Tissue can need to be released or repositioned to reduce the indentation. Published clinical experience includes patients who had sutures removed because they no longer wanted the created dimple. However, reversal should not be considered automatically simple or completely predictable. Dimple surgery is therefore best approached as a potentially permanent facial change.