What Are Dimples?

By chelsea

Reviewed: dr. stavarache

Article Sources

Article Sources

• 1. 1. Ese, A. 'PREVALENCE OF FACIAL DIMPLES AMONG THE NIGER DELTANS IN NIGERIA.' Semantic Scholar, 1 Jan. 1970, www.semanticscholar.org/paper/PREVALENCE-OF-FACIAL-DIMPLES-AMONG-THE-NIGER-IN-Ese/8c3a9b16153bbd346d9edeae261ccb2f1fce4a9d?p2df

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Many people wonder what dimples are and how they form. Dimples are a mutation in the zygomaticus major muscle in the cheek. Many believe genetics may play a role in the development of dimples, but more research is necessary.

Cheek dimples are found on the cheek of one or both sides of the face. Not every person has cheek dimples in the same area. The position of dimples can be higher or lower on the cheeks. Some people's dimples are closer to the mouth, while others are positioned further up toward the nose.

How Many People Have Dimples?

It's hard to determine how many people have dimples globally. Some studies show that dimples may be a recessive gene, similar to red hair. One study of 2,304 subjects found that 37 percent of participants had dimples.¹1. Ese, A. ‘PREVALENCE OF FACIAL DIMPLES AMONG THE NIGER DELTANS IN NIGERIA.’ Semantic Scholar, 1 Jan. 1970, www.semanticscholar.org/paper/PREVALENCE-OF-FACIAL-DIMPLES-AMONG-THE-NIGER-IN-Ese/8c3a9b16153bbd346d9edeae261ccb2f1fce4a9d?p2df Another study conducted on 1,462 people found that eight percent of participants had dimples.

Some cultures place a high value on dimples. In these cultures, it's possible that a higher percentage of the population has dimples due to techniques or procedures used to create them. For example, Chinese culture believes dimples are lucky or attractive.