Dr. Samuel Lin is a double board-certified Plastic Surgeon and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School who practices in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Lin received his Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University and was enrolled in the Honors Program for Medical Education at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Lin is board certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Lin is board certified by two ABMS boards. He is Program Director of the BIDMC-Harvard Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery residency, and Co-Director of the Harvard Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Fellowship at BIDMC. Dr. Lin was awarded the recipient of a “Mentoring Award,” by Harvard Medical School through a special nomination process which is sent out to all Harvard faculty members, house officers, fellows, and students. He has been a Boston “Top Doc” for several years in plastic surgery. 

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Did you know that dimples can be created with surgery? Dimples may make the face appear slimmer or more angular and are often regarded as an attractive feature. Because of this, a person without dimples who desires them may seek this surgery. Additionally, some people have a dimple on only one side of the face and may wish to have a dimple surgically created on the other side in order to improve overall facial symmetry. Here Haute Beauty sat down with experts Natalie Hassell and Dr. Samuel Lin, MD, FACS., to discuss treatment details from the ideal candidate to procedures it can be paired with and more.

Who is a candidate for dimple surgery?

Most healthy people are candidates for dimple creation. As with many cosmetic procedures, a good candidate is someone with realistic expectations about the changes, both physical and emotional, that can result from surgery. Those who smoke cigarettes are not good candidates for this procedure as they may have trouble healing appropriately. Additionally, it is important to reach a state of good dental health before having dimple surgery.

What to do prior to surgery?

Before surgery, patients should follow all instructions given by their surgeon. Depending on the type of anesthesia you will have, you may need to fast for a period of time before surgery. Additionally, patients should identify a support person who can help them get home from surgery if needed. Finally, those who smoke cigarettes will need to quit several weeks prior to surgery.

Are there risks involved?

While dimple creation is generally a safe procedure with few risks, like any surgery, there are some associated risks. There is a chance of bleeding during or after the procedure. Additionally, infection around the incisions is possible. The risk of infection can be minimized with proper care after surgery. There is also a chance of injury to a nearby nerve, though injury is extremely uncommon. Finally, there is a chance that the surgery will not work or that dimples may not remain permanently. Prior to surgery, you will have an in-depth discussion with your surgeon about potential risks associated with the procedure.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

What does the procedure entail?

Natural dimples are a result of a small opening in the muscle in the cheek, called the buccinator muscle. In order to create fake dimples, an opening can be surgically created in this muscle. In order to access this muscle, the surgeon makes a small incision on the inside of the mouth which is closed with dissolvable stitches at the end of the procedure. This surgery can be done with local anesthesia, which numbs the inside of the cheek. Additional sedation can be given if needed or desired.

Patients should expect the procedure to take about an hour. Since all incisions are made inside the mouth, there are no outwards signs of surgery (other than new dimples) from the outside. Immediately following the procedure, patients can expect the inside of their cheeks to remain numb until the local anesthetic wears off.

Post-surgery care?

Once the sensation has returned in your mouth, it is fine to eat and drink soft liquids initially. It is recommended to avoid very hot or very cold foods and drinks or anything sharp or spicy initially since these things may irritate the incisions, but there are no strict restrictions on eating or drinking.

There may be some swelling in the cheeks after surgery. You will need to use an antiseptic mouth wash several times a day while the incisions heal in order to keep them clean. Additionally, your surgeon may prescribe a course of appropriate antibiotics to minimize the chance of the incisions getting infected. It will take approximately two weeks for the stitches to dissolve. Most patients can return to work the day after having the procedure. As you heal, the dimples will gradually appear more natural.

References:

1. Chung, Jae Min et al. “Analysis of the clinical and aesthetic results of facial dimple creation surgery.” Archives of plastic surgery 47,5 (2020): 467-472. doi:10.5999/aps.2020.00661
2. Dimple Surgery (Dimpleplasty): Preparation, Recovery. Accessed December 16, 2021. https://www.verywellhealth.com/dimple-surgery-dimpleplasty-5090432