Dimples on buttocks and thighs are among many women’s nightmares. Many deem them to be quite unsightly and unattractive. Having quite pronounced cellulite dimples on buttocks and thighs can impact your self-esteem, making a day on the beach a not so pleasant experience. It might also push you not to wear your favourite shorts and short dresses during summer.
What Causes Dimples On Buttocks?
Do not believe your Instagram feed and think that women have ultra-smooth skin on their bums and thighs. Cellulite starts during puberty and in most cases, never fully goes away. 80-90 % of post-pubertal women are living with cellulite in one or more parts of their bodies (3).
Unfortunately, the main cause of dimples of buttocks is not fully known; however, it is a result of an interaction between the connective tissue in the dermatological layer that lies below the surface of the skin, and the layer of fat that is just below it (6). The fat layer can accumulate, pushing against the connective layer, which further pushes on the skin, causing an uneven surface or dimpling.
In spite of this, there are some factors that may aggravate the appearance of cellulite on the buttocks or thighs:
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Estrogen Levels
As women get older, their levels of estrogen drop, especially as they approach menopause. This leads to less blood flow to the connective tissue under the skin, which leads to less collagen production. Less estrogen also leads to more fat storage. These two factors make it that much easier for women to have cellulite.
Read More: V Shaped Buttocks Exercises To Perk Up Your Peach
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Age
Older people tend to have less elastic and thinner skin which often tends to sag, which increases the chance of developing cellulite in numerous body parts.
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Genetics
If the people in your family have cellulite, then you too have a high chance of developing dimples on buttocks, thighs, arms or other body parts.
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How To Get Rid Of Dimples On Your Buttocks
Getting rid of dimples on buttocks might be hard, but it is not impossible. There are multiple ways, invasive and otherwise, that one can use to try and get rid of dimples on buttocks temporarily if not completely.
Exercise is one of the ways in which you may be able to reduce cellulite dimples on buttocks. Although there is no way to spot-reduce cellulite, burning fat in general may be helpful. Some of these workouts include:
Cardio
High-Intensity interval cardio can be a fantastic way to get rid of dimples on buttocks since it can help burn body fat in a short period of time (1). Some examples include running, swimming laps, cycling, running on stairs and jumping rope.
Squats
They help firm up the muscles in your bum and may be helpful in getting rid of dimples on buttocks:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, resting your arms straight down at your sides.
- Bracing your core and keeping your chest high, begin to push your hips back, bending your knees as if you are going to sit down.
- Ensure that your knees do not cave in and when your thighs are parallel to the floor, pause for 2 – 3 seconds.
- Push up evenly through your whole foot back to the starting position.
- Do this up to 20 times for one set.
Curtsy Lunges
- Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart and place the hands on your hips.
- Take a big step back with your right leg, crossing it behind your left. Bend your knees and lower your hips until your left thigh is nearly parallel to the floor.
- Keep your torso upright and your hips and shoulders as square as possible to the wall in front of you.
- Return to the start position and repeat the movement on the other side.
- Do this 10 to 15 times on each side for one set.
Glute Bridges
- Lie on your back with your hands at your sides, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor under your knees.
- Tighten your abdominal and buttock muscles by pushing your low back into the ground before you push up.
- Raise your hips to create a straight line from your knees to shoulders.
- Squeeze your core and pull your belly button back toward your spine.
- Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, and then return to your starting position.
- Try doing this 15 to 20 times for one set.
Step-Ups
- Stand in front of a step or box holding dumbbells in your hands or a barbell across your shoulders. You can skip the weights altogether and use your bodyweight or use household items such as soup cans, or water bottles if you do not have any gym equipment.
- Step up with the right foot, pressing through the heel to straighten your right leg. Bring the left foot to meet your right foot on top of the step.
- Bend your right knee and step down with the left foot. Bring the right foot down to meet the left foot on the ground.
- Repeat this for up to 20 times and then lead with the left foot and repeat the same number of repetitions.
Read More: Thigh Slimming Exercises- Get the Most from the Best Exercises
How To Get Rid Of Dimples On Your Buttocks
Other than working out, here are more options on how to get rid of dimples on your buttocks. Note that these treatments work only temporarily and might require several sessions before you start seeing results:
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Acoustic Wave Therapy
Using a handheld device, a pressure wave passes through skin and fat where it breaks up the collagen of the septae and releases the skin, allowing a smoother surface.
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Cryolipolysis
This is also known as fat freezing or CoolSculpting. Cryolipolysis is a non-invasive procedure that uses freezing temperatures to break down fat cells. Using a small vacuum, the practitioner vacuums the skin on your bum with an applicator that cools the fat cells and breaks them down, leaving your buttocks smoother than they were before. This is a highly effective method, but it takes up to four or six months for results to appear. Note that your butt might end up shrinking by up to 20 percent of its original size (5).
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Radiotherapy
Heating up cellulite can help reduce the appearance of cellulite. However, the results from this are quite unsatisfactory as the change is short-term, and you will require several treatments before seeing this small change.
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Laser Treatment
While this method is quite expensive, it can help reduce the appearance of dimples on buttocks for a year or more. Unlike the options above, this is an invasive option. A tiny laser fiber is inserted beneath your skin, and once it is fired, the laser energy breaks up the tough bands beneath the skin that cause us to see cellulite. It also thickens the skin around the area, further helping reduce the appearance of dimples on buttocks (4).
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Subcision
Another invasive process that requires your dermatologist to insert a needle just beneath the skin to break up the tough bands that cause us to see cellulite. Results from subcision can last for two years or more.
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Endermologie
This is a 45-minute spa treatment that involves a deep massage while simultaneously lifting up your skin with a vacuum-like tool. However, the results from this treatment are also quite unsatisfactory. Some people see results while others experience no change at all. Also, you will see your cellulite within a month of stopping treatment.
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Check On Your Weight
Please note that even skinny and fit people can get cellulite. However, being overweight or obese can make cellulite appear even more than it normally would. Try losing weight by fixing your diet and exercising.
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At Home Remedies On How To Remove Dimples On Bottom Of Buttocks
Some of the above-proposed methods can be quite expensive, especially since you require to undergo the procedures more than once. Here are some more budget-friendly methods that may help reduce the appearance of dimples on buttocks, thighs are any other areas with cellulite (8):
1. Stop Smoking
If you are a smoker, then you need to kick this habit. Not only does it cause cancer, but it also affects the blood supply to your skin. This causes it to thin and sag, making any dimples on your body more visible.
2. Massage Yourself
You do not always have to go to the spa for a massage. A quick rub down after a shower with lotion improves blood flow and gets rid of excess fluid, which can keep these dimples at bay for a while.
3. Use Products With Retinol
Products with retinol are good as over time (6 months or more) retinol may reduce the appearance of cellulite by thickening the skin.
4. Try A Massage With Caffeine
Using caffeine on the affected area leads to dehydrating of the cells, making them less visible.
Remember that it is quite hard to fully get rid of these dimples. Thus, if none of these methods work, please do not be disheartened. Cellulite or dimples on buttocks and thighs is quite a common occurrence in women, and no matter how fit you are, you can still get it. After all, top celebrities such as Chrissy Teigen, Kim Kardashian, Ashley Graham, Hilary Duff, and Demi Moore have admitted to having cellulite. Be sure to first speak to your doctor before attempting any of the exercises or other methods to remove dimples just to be sure that they are safe for you.
What Are Those Two Dimples On Your Buttocks?
The two small dimples on top of buttocks, right where the lower back meets the glutes are known as the ‘Dimples of Venus’. Unlike actual cellulite, these indentations are seen as a sign of beauty, and their name can be traced back to the Roman goddess of beauty and fertility. These dimples on top of buttocks are caused by a short ligament that attaches to your superior iliac spine (the outside edge of the iliac bone) and your skin (2).
In case you are wondering ‘what are dimples on women’s buttocks from,’ the Venus dimples are usually present at birth, and not everyone can get them. You may try some exercises to try and form them, but it is not guaranteed. Please note that these two dimples are not the same as the Sacral dimple. While the sacral dimple is also located at the lower back, it is usually placed right between the crease of the buttocks.
Like the dimples of Venus, however, the sacral dimple is usually present at birth, and there are no known causes for it. It should also be noted that sometimes, but quite rarely, the sacral dimple can be associated with serious underlying abnormalities of the spine such as spina bifida and tethered cord syndrome (7).
The Bottom Line
The origins of dimples on buttocks and other body parts in women are relatively unknown. For the known causes, they are things that we cannot control. You can workout and try some cosmetic procedures to try getting rid of dimples on buttocks, but these are not guaranteed fixes.
Instead of concentrating on cellulite and letting it slowly chip on your self-esteem, try learning how to love yourself. Cellulite is not a flaw but a normal thing in most women. If you are overweight, talk to your doctor and nutritionist to change your lifestyle, and this may help. If you already live a healthy lifestyle and still have dimples on buttocks, then please learn that they are quite common and normal.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any medical conditions. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- Are There Exercises to Get Rid of Cellulite? (n.d, webmd.com)
- Butt Dimples Exercise (2020, livestrong.com)
- Cellulite: an evidence-based review (2015, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- CELLULITE TREATMENTS: WHAT REALLY WORKS? (n.d, aad.org)
- Does CoolSculpting work? (2018, medicalnewstoday.com)
- Everything you need to know about cellulite (2017, medicalnewstoday.com)
- Sacral dimple (2018, mayoclinic.org)
- Top Cellulite Fixes and Treatments (2019, webmd.com)