Most everyone thinks that dimples are cute but very few people have them. Dimple surgery can be performed to create dimples on a face that has none.
How is Dimple Surgery Done?
Plastic surgery dimples can be fairly easily created under local anesthesia. The plastic surgeon will make an incision inside the mouth on the inner surface of the cheeks. A small depression will then be created in the cheek muscles and bucosal tissues. Internal stitches may be used to suture the dimple divot in place and external stitches will be used to close the incision inside the mouth.
If the patient desires a large dimple, punch tissue excision may be used to completely remove a portion of the cheek muscle and create a deeper dimple. The entire dimple creation surgery generally lasts less than one hour.
What are the Risks of Dimple Creation?
Most patients will not require general anesthesia and will only need local numbing of the mouth tissue with an injectable anesthetic such as lidocaine. Use of local anesthesia limits risks of any plastic surgery.
As with any type of cosmetic surgery, there is a risk of infection. This risk may be minimized by following post operative instructions that are given following the creation of dimples. There will also be some swelling, bruising and pain which are generally mild to moderate and localized within the cheek tissue.
What Will the Dimples Look Like?
Initially, the dimples that have been created will be present all of the time. After a few weeks, depending on the depth of the dimple creation, the cheeks may flatten out some and the new dimples will only be seen when smiling. This is because the cheek muscles will heal and close the depression somewhat but will contract more at the site of the dimple, creating a natural looking result as if one had been born with dimples.
How Long is the Recovery Time?
Dimple surgery is nearly always done as an out-patient procedure or day surgery. This means the patient will only be at the hospital or cosmetic surgery clinic for a few hours and may return home that evening. Most patients will be advised to eat a liquid diet for at least the first 24 hours to allow tissues to begin to heal and due to the fact that eating can be painful after dimple creation.
For the first several days and possibly up to a week, an oral antiseptic mouth wash should be used several times a day. Though most patients experience some pain and bruising, it is generally mild and will subside within a few days. Many patients report that they are completely recovered within 10 to 15 days.
Dimple surgery is a fairly simple, minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that can help a person feel better about their smile. In fact, some cultures consider dimples to be a sign of fertility and happiness and are often thought of as a facet of youth. Cosmetic dimple surgery is an easy way to get a great looking smile.