Dimple Creation Surgery

How to Prepare

Though dimple surgery is relatively minor, some preparation is necessary. This means potentially
making some changes to your lifestyle and the medications you’re taking, as directed by your doctor.

PROCEDURE
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.4 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:

Assessment of vital health measures, such as body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and
others, helps ensure a safe procedure.

Pre-operative consultation with the surgeon or member of the medical team to ensure that you
don’t have any acute health issues.

Ink-marking of the precise location of the desired dimples occurs before surgery. In some cases, you
may be asked to mark where, exactly, you’d like dimples.

During the Surgery
Here’s a breakdown of the most common steps of dimple surgery:
Topical anesthetic: To help ease discomfort, a topical anesthetic may be applied to the inside of your
mouth, as well as on your face near the desired location for the dimples. This can cause tingling and
numbness.
Sterilization: You’ll need to gargle an antibiotic solution to lower your risk of infection.
Placement: Based on the markings of the desired dimples on the face, your surgeon will use forceps
to section off the associated area inside your mouth

Injected anesthetic: Once the specific areas for the operation are targeted, your surgeon will apply
additional anesthetic via injection.

Incision: Your surgeon will use a small scalpel to make an incision in the mucous membrane inside
your mouth. Using surgical scissors, excess tissue is carefully removed to create the dimple.

Suturing: A surgical needle is run through one of the ends of the planned dimple and threaded to the
other end, essentially creating a suture on the inside of the mouth. The depth of the intended
dimple is adjusted by tightening or loosening this suture.1

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:

You’ll receive instructions about proper care for the healing surgery site (or sites), what medications
you need to take, as well as other post-operative instructions.
The team will ensure you’ve made arrangements, such as having someone drive you home.

You’ll be able to ask questions about what you can do to promote positive outcomes. Come away
from surgery knowing exactly what’s expected of you.

Recovery
Your dimples will be visible immediately—though final results aren’t typically seen until two months
afterward.1 The sutures used in this procedure don’t need to be removed and will dissolve on their own.

What can you expect during recovery? Here’s a quick breakdown:
Follow up: At one to two weeks, you will have a follow-up appointment so your surgeon can ensure
that you are healing appropriately.

Liquid diet: Since you will have healing incisions and sutures in your mouth, your doctor will direct
you to stick to a liquid diet for five days following surgery. This will mean avoiding solid foods. You
can drink protein shakes or eat soup. Your surgeon might also tell you not to use a straw.

Working: Most people are able to return to work the following day after surgery; however, you may
want to take a couple of extra days off afterward, as you’ll likely experience some swelling and
redness.

Physical activity: While you shouldn’t have limitations in terms of light daily tasks, you’ll be advised
to hold off on very strenuous activity for one to two weeks following surgery. If you’re unsure
whether you should be doing something, ask your doctor.

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:

Pain relief: Pain and soreness are common around the newly created dimples, especially for the first
five to seven days. Your doctor may recommend or prescribe medications to help you manage your pain.

Icing: Throughout the period of recovery, it’s not unusual for people to experience some swelling
and redness in the face, and you can use ice to help reduce swelling.
Hygiene: When washing your face, make sure to pat the dimples and surrounding areas lightly and
don’t scrub. You may also need to take precautions when brushing your teeth, as directed by your
doctor.

When to Call Your Doctor
As you recover, watch for any signs of infection. Call your doctor if you’re
experiencing any of the following symptoms:

1. Fever
2. Chills
3. Pus or drainage from the incision
4. Hot sensations in your mouth
5. Excessive redness around dimples
6. Pain

Coping With Recovery
While dimple surgery is well-tolerated and successful, some people may experience a psychological
and emotional fallout afterward. Depression and anxiety can occur after plastic surgery
procedures.10

If you’re struggling with difficult emotions in the aftermath of dimple surgery, here’s what you can do:

Let your doctor know: They can direct you to resources or refer you to a mental health counselor.
Get help from loved ones: Talking to family members or friends about what you’re going through can
also be helpful.

Support groups: Networks of others who are going through what you are can also be a good source
of support and information. Ask your doctor to recommend a helpful group.10

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:
Revision surgery: In cases where the dimples fade away, or if they are uneven, a second dimple
surgery can be performed to correct it.
Dimple reduction: If your dimples are too deep or too large, you can also have a procedure to
correct the issue. With a second procedure, your sutures may be tightened to reduce the size of your
dimples

FAQ
Q1 How much does dimple creation surgery cost?
A1 In private clinics, the procedure to create dimples costs anywhere from Rs 15,000 to Rs
25,000, while nose correction surgeries can go up to Rs 1 lakh.

Q2 Can dimples be surgically created?
A2 A dimple (also known as gelasin) is a small natural indentation, most notably in the chin
or on the cheek. Very few people are adorned with a dimple on their cheeks. But with
cosmetic surgery, it is now possible to create permanent dimples through a quick and
simple surgical procedure.

Q3 What is dimple creation surgery?
A3 With this increased demand in having facial dimples in people, surgeons now are in an
idea of creating an artificial dimple with dimple surgery or “dimpleplasty.”
The procedure of dimpleplasty is as simple as making a cut in the skin, suturing the
underside of the skin to a deeper layer to create a small depression.

Q4 Is Dimple Creation safe?
A4 Usually, dimple surgery is an extremely safe procedure, but like any other surgical
procedure, there are inherent risks. The risk of bleeding during or after dimple creation is
quite low. Infection is exceedingly rare and the risk is minimized with proper oral hygiene and
antibiotics.