Dimples are something you're born with.
Image: Marina Photos / Pexels
Dimples have long been considered one of those lucky facial features people are simply born with, but scroll through social media, and you’ll discover people have other ideas.
Videos promising “instant dimples” are everywhere.
Some creators swear by tiny clips that pinch the cheeks into shape, while others openly document cosmetic procedures designed to permanently create the look.
The trend has exploded globally, and it’s now firmly making its way into South African beauty culture too.
But behind the cute selfies and viral before-and-after videos, medical professionals are warning that the reality is far more serious than many users realise.
According to Professor Chrysis Sofianos, a triple-board certified plastic surgeon and Academic Head of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of the Witwatersrand, the way cosmetic procedures are being packaged online is becoming increasingly dangerous.
“As ‘fake dimple’ clips flood social media feeds, people are starting to mistake cosmetic procedures for harmless beauty hacks,” he says.
What many users may not realise is that dimpleplasty is not a beauty treatment in the same category as lash extensions or lip gloss.
It is an invasive cosmetic procedure involving surgery inside the cheek to create an indentation that mimics a natural dimple.
“Medical procedures should never be marketed with the casual attitude of a makeup tutorial,” says Sofianos.
“Dimpleplasty is invasive cosmetic surgery. It’s typically performed through a small incision inside the cheek, where tissue is strategically sutured to create an indentation designed to mimic a natural dimple. The challenge is that the face is one of the most delicate areas of the body to operate on, and any procedure that cuts into it carries real risks of long-term damage.”
Part of the procedure’s growing appeal appears to be its marketing.
Cosmetic clinics around the world often advertise it as “quick”, “easy” and relatively affordable compared to larger cosmetic surgeries.
In South Africa, some clinics are reportedly offering the procedure for around the same price as a high-end smartphone, making it feel more accessible to younger consumers chasing trending beauty standards.
But Sofianos says the lower price tag can create a false sense of safety.
“If performed with poor technique, under unhygienic conditions, or by an unqualified practitioner, the surgery could result in infection, chronic pain, scarring, asymmetry, nerve damage, poor wound healing, tissue necrosis, and unnatural facial deformities.”
The warning comes at a time when beauty trends are increasingly being driven by algorithms rather than medical expertise.
Features once considered unique are now being sold as aesthetic upgrades that can supposedly be bought, clipped, injected or surgically created.
Even more concerning is the rise of DIY “dimple makers” being sold online. Cheap facial tools claiming to create dimples through repeated pressure have started appearing across social media marketplaces.
“What’s particularly worrying is how aggressively social media now commercialises insecurity and turns facial features into purchasable trends,” Sofianos says.
“What was once a naturally inherited feature is now being marketed as something that can supposedly be clipped, injected, trained, or surgically created.”
While the clips and gadgets may seem harmless, there is very little medical evidence supporting their safety or effectiveness.
Experts also worry that repeated pressure on facial tissue could potentially cause bruising, irritation or long-term skin damage.
Beyond the physical risks, Sofianos says facial cosmetic procedures can carry a significant emotional toll when results go wrong.
“Because the face is so closely tied to identity and self-esteem, a failed facial procedure can leave patients dealing with embarrassment, anxiety, social withdrawal, and serious emotional distress,” he explains.
“In many cases, the psychological consequences last far longer than the physical healing process.”
The Health Professions Council of South Africa has repeatedly warned consumers to ensure that only properly qualified and registered medical professionals perform cosmetic procedures.
Sterile environments, trained staff and proper aftercare are not optional extras when it comes to surgery.
“Proper, well-equipped theatres and regulated medical procedure rooms exist for a reason,” says Sofianos.
“Sterile equipment, trained medical staff, emergency preparedness protocol, and decent aftercare are not optional luxuries, but fundamental safety requirements.”
The bigger issue, however, may be how quickly social media trends move. What dominates beauty culture today can disappear almost overnight, but cosmetic complications can last for years.
“A cheaper procedure or home-brew intervention could quickly become one of the most expensive mistakes of a patient’s life once corrective surgery, hospitalisation, scarring, emotional trauma, and long-term complications are factored in,” he warns.
“There is also the risk of trends fading as quickly as they came. Cosmetically constructed dimples may be fashionable today and forgotten tomorrow, but any complications could remain with a patient for months or years.”
For many South Africans watching the trend unfold online, the message from experts is simple: just because something looks normal on TikTok does not mean it is safe in real life.
“Cosmetic surgery is still surgery, and no viral trend is worth risking your face, your health, or your future.”