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Dimple piercings are fairly risky since you are dealing with an area more prone to infection than most. If done right, though, dimple piercings can partially mimic the look of dimples. Keep the piercings if you want to permanently highlight the dimple area or take them out eventually so that the skin eventually heals, leaving behind a dimple-like indentation. Due to the risks involved with dimple piercing, some professionals do not offer them at all. Others may offer them but often refuse them to anyone under the age of 18, even if that individual has the permission of a legal guardian. Dimple piercings cut through muscle and usually cause some mild form of nerve damage. This nerve damage can help hold the dimples in place even after the piercing closes up, but it can also be risky and could do unforeseen harm. The professional piercer should clean the outside of your cheek and should also instruct you to clean the inside of your mouth before making the dimple piercings. The needle and jewelry should also be sterilized. The piercer will puncture both cheeks symmetrically, right at the spot where natural dimples would fall. Afterward, he or she will place a straight barbell or other piece of piercing jewelry into each hole to prevent it from closing immediately. Your dimple piercings will need to be cleaned multiple times a day with a saline solution to prevent infection from setting in. You can keep the dimple jewelry in permanently if desired, but you can usually take them out after three months have passed. If the piercing did the expected nerve damage, you should have an indentation in your cheek even after the skin heals over the original hole. If you want something that looks more natural and will last for the rest of your life, learn about a plastic surgery procedure that will create dimple-like marks in your cheeks. Cosmetic surgery can be costly and does come with its own set of risks, but this option will give you fake dimples that look more natural than many other methods can. A plastic surgeon will use local anesthesia for the procedure. He or she will make a small incision on the inside of the mouth and into the inner surface of the cheek. Using specialized tools, the surgeon will make an indentation in the cheek muscles and mucosal tissues. Afterward, the dimple divot will be held in place with internal stitches, and external stitches will be used to close the wound in the inner mouth. For larger dimples, a plastic surgeon may perform a punch tissue excision. During this procedure, a portion of the cheek muscle is completely removed, creating a deeper and more obvious indentation. In either case, the procedure will take an hour or less. You should expect some pain, swelling, and bruising immediately after the procedure. The area is also weak to infection afterward, so you will need to carefully and thoroughly follow any instructions provided by the surgeon concerning proper wound care and cleansing. For the first few weeks, your dimple-like indentations will be present at all times. Once your cheek muscles partially heal, though, you should only notice the marks when smiling.
Get dimple piercings. Consider cosmetic surgery.