Dimples are small indentations that can be found on your skin. They can occur on different places of the body, including the cheeks, chin, and lower back.
Cheek dimples can be found on the sides of the mouth. You can have a dimple on both sides of your mouth or on just one side.
You’ve probably noticed that some people have cheek dimples and others don’t. That’s because cheek dimples are formed by differences in the muscles and skin of the face.
They’re often believed to be inherited in a genetically dominant way, although there’s some debate about this.
So how many people have dimples? While the prevalence of dimples may vary by population, one study of over 2,300 people found that about 37 percent of participants had cheek dimples. Continue reading to discover more.
Dimples are sometimes caused by a change in a facial muscle called the zygomaticus major. This muscle is involved in facial expression. It’s the one that helps to raise the corners of your mouth when you smile.
In people without dimples, the zygomaticus major muscle usually begins at a bone in your cheek called the zygomatic bone. It then runs downward, connecting to the corner of your mouth.
In people with dimples, the zygomaticus major may divide into two separate bundles of muscle on its way down to the mouth. One bundle connects at the corner of the mouth. The other bundle connects below the corner of the mouth and is also tethered to the skin above it.
