The dimples are small folds or indentations in the fleshy part of the cheeks. They are due to a slight deformity of the muscle that pulls the skin during the movements, making the small hollows appear. This is a genetic feature of the face that many find adorable. However, people who were born without natural dimples can be able to "reproduce" them quite realistically through various techniques ranging from simple make-up to cosmetic surgery. Read on to learn more.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: With the Exercises
Step 1. Curl your lips and suck your cheeks in
To start exercising your cheek muscles, look like you're eating a lemon or something incredibly sour. The lips should furrow and the cheeks should be retracted. The teeth should not be clenched together, as this would prevent the cheeks from "sucking", but the lips must be closed.
- Note: this is a popular method. In other words, there is no medical-scientific evidence to support it, only vague and unverifiable anecdotes. Therefore there is no guarantee that it will work.
- The cheeks should be slightly sunken inwards in a natural way and the deepest part should be between the two dental arches.
- Try to eat or drink something tart if you have a hard time figuring out what the right facial expression should be. Your natural reaction will be exactly the exercise you need to practice.
Step 2. Keep the dimples pressed
Identify the areas where you would like them to be present and hold them gently with your index fingers. Maintain this position as you prepare to move your mouth.
You can also press the area with your thumb or the rounded end of a pencil if you think that's easier
Step 3. Smile and reposition your fingers as needed
Gradually change your expression to a broad smile without releasing the pressure of your fingers on your cheeks. The smile must be wide and open-mouthed, as natural dimples appear during this expression. The fingers, at this point, should be at the corners of the smile, just where the dimples should be.
- Check your appearance in the mirror. If you feel like your fingers aren't in the right places, you'll need to slide them down your cheeks to find the correct position.
- Compress the area firmly with your fingers or pencils. If you want some momentary dimples, release the pressure immediately and take a picture. Know that they will disappear as soon as you relax your face.
Step 4. Maintain pressure for at least half an hour
To "train" your cheeks to have dimples, you need to maintain pressure for at least 30 minutes.
- The longer you squeeze your cheeks, the more noticeable the dimples will be (and they will last longer).
- In the past, mechanical devices were built to maintain pressure at these points on the face. These were gimmicks whose effectiveness has never been proven, but some people are quick to swear they worked. Finger exercise mimics the action of such machines.
Step 5. Repeat every day
Continue to "train" for 30 minutes every day for several weeks. If after a month you have not created permanent dimples, you have to give up. Since this method it is not scientifically proven but it is just a rumor, it is likely that you will not be successful or that it is simply not the solution for you.
Method 2 of 3: With Makeup
Step 1. Make a big smile
Look in the mirror and smile as broadly and naturally as possible. Figure out where you would like the dimples to be.
- When you smile, natural creases form on the sides of the mouth. The "dimples" should be on the outside of these expression lines, around the corners of the lips.
- Make sure you have a nice wide smile but not so much that it is unnatural. True dimples are most noticeable in big smiles, so you will know where to "apply" your false dimples. Do not be shy!
- Note: This method creates very nice temporary dimples for taking pictures, but they may look unnatural in public.
Step 2. Draw marks to locate the point of the dimples
They are usually short lines or imperfections that resemble the crescent moon. Use a dark eye pencil and draw a small spot where you want the dimples.
The dark pencil is definitely an excellent solution because it blends better with the skin tone, but avoid black or colored ones
Step 3. Draw a small crescent moon on your cheeks
Now that you have marked the point of the dimples, you can relax your mouth. Draw a small, slightly curved line starting at the point using the same eyebrow pencil.
The line should not extend more than 2.5cm below the point. It should be slightly curved, like the outline of a fingernail
Step 4. Feather the line and retrace it if necessary
Now that the dimples have been drawn, you need to adjust your make-up to be as natural as possible. With your fingertips or a smudge, try to even out the lines to the skin by rubbing them from top to bottom and not from left to right.
A single application may not be dark enough to achieve the desired effect, so you will need to draw the line several times
Step 5. Smile to check the result
Evaluate your dimples in the mirror. Are they too dark? Are they the same? Are they too light? Are they visibly unnatural in some lighting conditions? If there is any detail that does not convince you, wash your face and try again.
Method 3 of 3: With a Piercing
Step 1. Contact a reputable piercer
Like all types of piercings, even those that are applied to the cheeks are at risk of infection if they are not performed following all sanitary rules. Don't try to do it yourself at home. Only go to a reputable and qualified professional who has the proper tools and training to safely insert a piercing while minimizing the risk of infection.
- Most professionals will refuse to put a piercing on you unless you are of legal age and do not have written permission from your parents / guardians.
- Note: Many body piercers discourage cheek piercings at any age. Although those in the nose and ears only pass through the skin and cartilage, those in the cheek pierce muscle tissue. As a result, the risk of nerve damage is higher than with other complications.
Step 2. Clean the area with great care
If the professional you are approaching is a serious and qualified person, they will clean your cheeks before proceeding. The skin should be washed with an antibacterial soap, with sterile alcoholic wipes or with another similar sanitizing technique to eliminate any dangerous germs.
The body piercer may also ask you to rinse your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash to minimize the chances of an infection generated within the mouth
Step 3. Make sure the tools are clean too
A serious piercing studio uses only guns that are loaded with disposable needles, with needles that are sterilized in an autoclave or the professional works "freehand" without a gun, but with disposable needles. The needle used to pierce the cheek needs to to be sterile beyond any doubt. Do not accept never to get you pierced with a dirty needle. Furthermore:
- Needle may be warmed before use for better sterilization.
- The body piercer should wash their hands thoroughly and an antibacterial soap. He may or may not be wearing disposable gloves.
- The jewelry that will be inserted must be washed in an antibacterial solution.
Step 4. Get the piercing done
The practitioner will use the needle to quickly pierce the cheek in the exact spot where the natural dimples usually are. Immediately after, he will apply the jewelry in the holes left by the needle and will treat the area with another antibacterial solution.
Step 5. Take care of the piercing once it is done
During the healing phase you need to pay special attention to avoid complications and infections. Ask the body piercer for all the instructions for proper cheek care, he will probably tell you to wash the area with saline several times a day until the wound is healed.
- Sometimes some studios also provide the disinfectant solution; if this is not the case, you can prepare a mixture with a teaspoon of salt and 250 ml of distilled water.
- Apply the solution with a sterile cotton ball. Dab the area surrounding the jewel with great care and attention and try to clean under the head of the jewel as well.
- Avoid playing with the piercing while the wound is healing. You could transfer germs on your hands and cause an infection. Also, you could move the jewelry from its original position creating even more irritation.
Step 6. Leave the piercing in place for 1-3 months
This is generally the time it takes to heal, after which you can safely change the jewel. If you remove the temporary jewelry too soon, the holes on the cheeks will close again. Wait at least a month (preferably three) to give your cheeks plenty of time to heal.
- As soon as you remove the jewelry, the skin begins to heal; as long as this process is ongoing you will have holes. Once the healing is complete, two small dimples will remain.
- During this time, pay close attention to the type of jewelry you wear in your cheek holes. Some people are allergic to certain materials, especially the cheaper ones.
- Note: piercings are a semi-definitive solution! Your new "dimples" will stay on your cheeks forever, regardless of your facial expression.
Advice
- Even though dimples are cute, you should just be yourself.
- You can also take a small bottle cap and suck it into your cheek, but that would be a false dimple.
- You may want to consider cosmetic surgery. While this is not a natural method, it can be the most effective solution.
