Dimples are indentations in the skin, often on the cheeks, caused by a shortened muscle. They are considered attractive and are a common genetic trait. Dimples can also appear on other parts of the body and can fade with age. They are a dominant trait and can be passed down through generations.
A dimple is any type of indentation, but most people use the term to specifically refer to indentations in the skin, particularly on the cheeks. Dimples are considered attractive in many cultures and are a common genetic trait. Most are actually caused by a birth defect, which goes to show that not all “malformations” are actually bad.
The most common cause of dimples is a shortened muscle, which explains why they aren’t always apparent when a person is at rest, as this is when the muscles are typically in their shortened state. In the face, the shorter facial muscles pull on the skin, especially when someone smiles, creating a classic dimple. Over time, the muscles in the face can slowly stretch, which is why some people have them when they’re young, but lose them as they age. Dimples can also form on other parts of the body, such as the buttocks. Those in other regions are usually not as popular as those on the face, perhaps because the face is easily visible, while other parts of the body are not.
The genetics of dimples is actually quite interesting. They are a dominant trait, which means that it only takes one gene to inherit this defect. If neither parent has dimples, their children shouldn’t have them either, unless they experience a spontaneous mutation. If one parent has them, the child has a 25-50% chance of inheriting the gene, as it means the parent inherited the gene from one or both parents. If both parents have dimples, the child has a 50-100% chance of inheriting the gene, depending on how the parents inherited theirs.
In most cases, facial dimples appear on the cheeks, although they can also appear on the chin and are typically not visible until someone is smiling due to how the muscles are used. Some people only have a dimple on one side, however, and some people find this physical trait quite endearing. The appearance of the dimples can also vary; as an inherited trait, unusual ones can be passed down through multiple generations of a family.
Because dimples can fade with time as someone’s facial muscles stretch, many people associate them with youth. Babies are said to have dimpled cheeks, for example, and someone who has them can be thought of as young or baby-faced.
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