Bengaluru women pay Rs 60,000 to get dimples via plastic surgery: Report

Plastic surgeons said that most enquiries come from women aged 20 to 40, signalling the return of a trend that peaked more than a decade ago. (Representational image: Unsplash)

Bengaluru is reportedly seeing a marked rise in women opting for cosmetic procedures to create artificial cheek dimples, with surgeons charging between Rs 45,000 and Rs 60,000 per procedure. The trend, doctors say, is largely driven by celebrity influence and social media beauty standards, the Times of India reported.

Plastic surgeons across the city told the publication most enquiries come from women aged 20 to 40, signalling the return of a trend that peaked more than a decade ago. While dimples were once associated with actors such as Preity Zinta, doctors note that the current wave is inspired by stars including Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone and Kannada actor Rachita Ram.

“Interest has picked up steadily over the past few years, especially among young women,” said Dr Raghvendra K, consultant plastic surgeon at TriLife Hospital, adding that many patients come in with celebrity reference images.

The procedure, commonly referred to as dimpleplasty, is performed under local anaesthesia and typically takes one to two hours. Dermatologists say they receive three to four enquiries every month, with demand remaining consistent across private hospitals and cosmetic clinics.

Doctors, however, caution that dimple creation is not risk-free. Possible complications include swelling, bruising, temporary numbness and, in some cases, oral infections, as the incision is made from inside the cheek. Poor post-operative oral hygiene can increase the risk of infection, surgeons said.

There is also a possibility that the dimple may remain visible even without smiling, despite being intended to appear only during facial movement. “Cosmetic procedures cannot replicate another person’s features exactly,” said Dr Venkatesh MS of Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, stressing on the importance of realistic expectations.