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People are going under the knife to get fake but permanent dimples

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Would you go under the knife to get dimples?
Would you go under the knife to get dimples?

How we look nowadays is entirely up to us now… well kind of, but not really. Confusing right? We know, it seems like all the apps and filters we use to modify how we look on pictures is not enough as some people has taken this appearance thing to a whole new level. And by that we mean surgery – people are going real permanent.

It started with fuller lips, a bigger bottom, then boobs and now, among many other things, it’s dimples. That’s correct, you can get man-made dimples!  The procedure is called dimpleplasty and will only cost you about R15 000. Keen? Here’s all you need to know about it.

What is it?

Yup, like faux freckles, you can now fake dimples too. The operation involves an incision inside the mouth and through the cheek, going into the under-surface of the skin. In theory, when the suture is tied, it should leave a natural-looking dimple in the overlying skin. Surgery takes about 30 minutes and can be performed under local anaesthetic.

Read more: ‘I had plastic surgery and liposuction to change my body – here’s what happened’

Why are people opting to go under the knife?

This one’s purely cosmetic. “Dimples possibly add character to one’s smile,” says plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr Nerina Wilkinson. In some cultures, it’s believed that dimples are a symbol of good luck, but science defies this.

“Natural dimples are actually formed due to weakness in the underlying muscle where the skin adheres to this area. When the muscle contracts, its weakness is visible as a dimple,” says Dr Wilkinson. Because of this, faking a dimple can go very wrong, making dimpleplasty a difficult procedure.

Read more: Women are opting out of incontinence surgery for this scary reason

What you need to know

Although it’s relatively quick, dimpleplasty is not a straightforward procedure, cautions Dr Wilkinson. “Depending on your healing, there could be an unsightly permanent indentation,” she warns. “The dimple could also be misplaced and rather than being ‘cute’, it could look like an irregularity or a scar. On rare occasions, there could be nerve or muscle damage that could affect your speech.” Yikes!

This article was published on www.womenshealthsa.co.za

Image credit: iStock

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