How Much Does Dimple Surgery (Dimpleplasty) Cost? Procedure and Expenses Breakdown

Have you ever thought that dimples looked cute when you saw them on someone else and felt a little jealous that you weren't born with these natural smile enhancers? Now you can have the perfect smile you're looking for with a cosmetic procedure called dimpleplasty.¹ Find out how this procedure creates dimples, what is involved, how much dimpleplasty costs and what the recovery is like for dimpleplasty.

What Is Dimpleplasty?

Also called dimple creation or cheek dimple creation, dimpleplasty is a simple procedure that creates the appearance of dimples in the lower cheek area. You can choose to have one dimple or two dimples as part of the dimple plastic surgery procedure.¹

Dimpleplasty creates dimples by surgically altering muscle fibers. The procedure involves a biopsy instrument being placed against the inner cheek. Then, a circular cut is made through the cheek muscles. While the skin is left intact, some muscle and fat will be removed to create a shadow — the cheek dimple. The incision is then sutured closed. These stitches will be dissolvable, so you likely won't need a follow-up appointment unless the surgeon requests it or you're having dimpleplasty side effects.²

Once the healing process is complete within a week or two, the cheek muscle will connect with the skin, and a new, natural-looking dimple will be formed.²

Candidates for dimpleplasty

Dimple creation isn't for everyone. Qualities of good candidates for this procedure include individuals who:²

• Want to enhance this area of their face
• Have confirmed with the surgeon that the size and placement of the dimples they desire will work with their face shape
• Are healthy and have reasonable expectations of the procedure
• Are in a good mental health space

How Much Does Dimple Surgery Cost?

The average cost of a dimpleplasty procedure ranges from $1,500 to $3,500.³ Below are some average prices of dimpleplasty around the country.

Additional expenses

Remember to factor in these potential expenses to the total of the dimpleplasty procedure:

• The technique used⁴
• The type of anesthesia
• Any facility fees
• Consultation and follow-up costs
• Adding on another facial procedure
• The facility you choose to visit, as well as where you live⁴
• Whether you get one dimple or two⁶

Does Insurance Cover Dimpleplasty?

Dimpleplasty is an elective cosmetic procedure and therefore not covered by insurance.⁴ Since the cost of dimpleplasty isn't as much as some other cosmetic procedures, you can pay for it out-of-pocket or through financing.⁶

How Does Dimpleplasty Work?

It's important to do your research before undergoing dimpleplasty. Make sure the surgeon is board-certified and you can see before and after images of their patients' dimpleplasty procedures.⁶

Preparation

Things to keep in mind as you prepare for your procedure include:

• The consultation. Consult with a specialist to determine expectations and their availability, as well as to learn more about the costs of dimpleplasty at their facility.⁶
• Your medical history, procedure and recovery. Go over your medical history with the doctor who will be performing your dimpleplasty and address any concerns before you go under local anesthesia for this procedure.² This is a good time to talk about how long dimpleplasty results last and what the recovery will look like.
• Dimple examples. Bring photos of the types of cheek dimples you're looking to achieve. You should also address with your specialist how they will determine the dimple formation location correctly. Ensure they will confirm the correct location and show it to you before the procedure is performed.¹

Procedure

After checking into the facility, your surgeon will confirm the placement of the dimple by drawing two imaginary lines that connect at a specific point on your face. In some procedures, a dimple is positioned at the intersection of an imaginary line drawn from the corner of the mouth and the earlobe and a vertical line from the outside corner of the eye. They'll mark a dot where the dimple will be and the patient will confirm this location before moving on to next steps.⁸

Most surgeons completing the dimpleplasty will use local anesthesia for the procedure, and the patient can drive themselves home after receiving dimpleplasty. Some offer the option of IV sedation, where the patient isn't aware of their surroundings. Those patients would need assistance with getting home.⁸

One of the most popular methods of dimpleplasty is to create a cheek dimple by going inside the mouth and anchoring the top layer of the cheek skin to the inside of the cheek skin and tying a dissolvable suture in a loop to create the dimple.⁸ Your dimple will be set and you'll likely have spent only about 30 minutes getting this cosmetic procedure done.⁴ You won't have dressing or bandages to deal with after your dimpleplasty.⁸

Potential Risks and Side Effects of Dimpleplasty

Some possible side effects of dimple creation include:²

• Bleeding
• Bruising
• Infection
• Swelling
• Pain⁴
• Nerve damage

Recovering After Dimple Surgery

Recovery for dimpleplasty might look like bruising and swelling, which should subside within a few days.⁴ Icing the face can help with any pain and swelling.⁴ Your doctor might prescribe pain medication, anti-nausea medicine and recommend using mouthwash after meals.⁷ They may also suggest cleaning the external sutures with a water and vinegar mixture to prevent infection.⁷ The sutures used to close the incision inside the cheek will dissolve within two weeks of your surgery.²

Most patients don't need downtime and can get back to their regular activities within a day or two, depending on how they feel.⁴

Patients often notice the dimpleplasty results right away — that dimple will be there even if you aren't smiling when leaving the facility. It will look even more pronounced immediately after the cosmetic procedure. After a few weeks pass, it's common for the dimple to relax and settle into the cheek area, but you'll notice a more prominent dimple when you smile.¹

Dimpleplasty is a fairly simple, straightforward cosmetic surgery that can have eye-catching results every time you smile!

Financing Dimpleplasty With the CareCredit Credit Card

When getting dimpleplasty or another cosmetic procedure, the CareCredit credit card can help you pay for costs not covered by insurance.* Use our Acceptance Locator to find a doctor or cosmetic specialist near you that accepts CareCredit. Continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your CareCredit account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

In addition to cosmetic procedures, you can also use your CareCredit credit card for dentistry, pet care, vision, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases, spa treatments and so much more within the CareCredit network. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?

Author Bio

Diana Kelly Levey is a freelance journalist, content marketing writer and author with more than 15 years of experience covering health and wellness.