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A dimpled smile is iconic — and rare.
And since we always want what we can’t have, people on TikTok have decided to take matters into their own hands by giving themselves fake dimples. However, experts warn that the technique could be harmful, potentially causing permanent nerve damage and scarring.
The “dimple maker” is a cherry-shaped tool with a curved wire and pearl-like balls on the ends that pinch the inner and outer sides of the cheek to create a charming indentation.
Dimples are mostly hereditary and form when a facial muscle, called the zygomaticus major, splits in two, per Medicine Net.
Only about 20% to 30% of the world’s population has natural dimples, according to Allure Plastic Surgery.
On TikTok, the hashtag #dimplemakers has 60.9 million views, and the product has been selling fast on Etsy shops due to “high demand.”
However, dimple-making tools have been around for much longer than the TikTok trend.
Inventor E. Isabella Gilbert, from Rochester, New York, debuted the original tool in 1936, which promised to “make a fine set” of dimples when used, the Atlantic previously reported.
While these devices can leave faux dimples on the surface for some, the results are likely temporary.
Dimple makers are less invasive than the surgical method, called a dimpleplasty, yet may still cause harm.
The length of time it takes to leave a mark depends on several factors such as the clamp’s tightness or how much fat the user’s cheek has, experts note.
Dr. Jonathan Kaplan, a plastic surgeon with Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery in San Francisco, California, told USA Today that dimple-seekers should exercise caution: If the device is worn too tight or for too long, it has the risk of blocking the blood flow to the compressed area on the cheek and can lead to the death of fat tissue.
It can also cause a hard lump on the inside of the cheek, or leave a scar in the place where damaged skin cells have died.
“When you put pressure on a nerve, you have a certain amount of time until the nerve dies, and then it’s not reversible,” Dr. Alan Matarasso, board vice president of development for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, told the news outlet. “Think of it as a wet match — sometimes it’ll dry off, but if you soak that match enough, it’s never going to strike a fire.”
However, Kaplan believes that the use of dimple makers wouldn’t cause any permanent damage, because most users wouldn’t be able to tolerate the pain of these injuries for a long enough time.
“You want to be careful with home remedies and fads because nobody’s counseling you about complications,” Matarasso said. “You especially have to be careful with anything on the face that’s not reversible.”
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