How to Get Back Dimples

Co-authored by Souad Gharib and Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: September 27, 2022 References

Back dimples, or dimples of Venus, are a pair of indentations that some people have on their lower back, just above the butt. Whether or not you have these dimples depends at least partly on genetics. You may be able to make your natural back dimples more pronounced by losing weight. If you think you may have natural back dimples already, doing exercises to create muscle definition in your lower back and butt can also bring them out. If you're really eager to get the coveted back dimples and other methods aren't cutting it, cosmetic surgery works for some people.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Losing Weight

1
Try to achieve a low but healthy body fat percentage. In order to get a lean physique that shows off back dimples, aim for an athletic level of body fat. For women, that's around 14%-20% body fat. For men, shoot for 6%-13% body fat. This means eating a healthy diet and doing plenty of high-intensity cardio.
- While you don't have to be super slim to have visible back dimples, it does help. These dimples occur at a point where there is not a lot of muscle tissue between your skin and the underlying bone. If your natural dimples are not that deep, extra body fat could fill in that space and make them hard to see.
- There are several ways to calculate your body fat percentage, but the most common method is to use special calipers to measure skinfolds at several sites on your body. Ask your doctor, personal trainer, or a registered dietitian to measure your body fat.^{[1]
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2
Aim to lose 1-2 pounds a week. Losing too much weight too quickly can be both unhealthy and less effective in the long run. Plus, setting unrealistic weight loss goals for yourself can lead to frustration and disappointment. Shedding 1-2 pounds a week until you hit your desired weight is a healthy, effective, and attainable goal.^{[2]
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Cleveland Clinic
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3
Cut down on calories. In order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Souad Gharib
Exercise & Wellness Specialist
Expert Interview. 8 July 2021.} For most people, this means cutting calories out of your diet. Keep track of what you eat each day, and aim for about 500 calories less than the recommended intake for your age, sex, and activity level.^{[4]
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- ChooseMyPlate.gov is a great resource for helping you figure out the right number of calories to eat every day to attain your goal.
- The recommended daily calorie intake for women between the ages of 19 and 51 is 1,800-2,400 calories. For men in the same age range, the recommended daily intake is 2,200-3,000 calories.
- Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian to find out how many calories you can safely cut based on your age, activity level, and overall health.
4
Choose healthy foods. When you're trying to lose fat and build the kind of lean muscle that will show off your Venus dimples, it's important to choose the right foods. Good choices include:^{[5]
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- Lean proteins from healthy sources such as skinless chicken breast, eggs, fish, beans and other legumes, nuts, and seeds.
- Complex carbohydrates, like the kinds you find in whole grains and dark, leafy greens.
- Plenty of vegetables and fruits.
- Healthy fats from sources like fish, nuts, and olive oil.
5
Avoid junk food. This includes things like fried food, processed and pre-packaged foods, sugary and salty snacks, and sugary drinks.^{[6]
X
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Cleveland Clinic
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Go to source} While it's okay to treat yourself in moderation, try to stick to eating healthy foods at least 75-80% of the time.^{[7]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
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6
Eat 4-6 small meals per day. Eating several mini-meals instead of 2-3 big ones every day keeps your metabolism in better condition and reduces the temptation to overeat. Plan to have 4-6 small, healthy meals and a few light snacks at regular times each day.^{[8]
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Cleveland Clinic
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- A “mini-meal” can range from 100 to 400 calories, and should contain a balance of different nutrients (e.g., lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats).
- Mini meals could include things like a light breakfast burrito, a bowl of oatmeal with fruit, a salad with chicken, or a bowl of condensed soup with added veggies.
7
Stay hydrated. In addition to being vital for your health, keeping your body hydrated can help you feel less hungry. Try to drink 8 ounces (about .25 liters) of water 8 times a day, or more if you are doing a lot of heavy exercise or feel extra thirsty.^{[9]
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Cleveland Clinic
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8
Get plenty of exercise. In order to lose weight, you need to do moderately intense cardio for at least 30 minutes every day.^{[10]
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Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} If you're looking to get a truly athletic figure that will show off your back dimples to the best advantage, you may need to do more. Talk to a registered dietitian or personal trainer about how to achieve your goals in a healthy way.
- Good cardio activities include things like brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, and sports like tennis and squash.
- An easy way to gauge the intensity of your exercise is to do the “talk test.” During moderate-intensity exercise, you should be breathing hard enough that you can talk, but not sing. During high-intensity exercise, saying more than a few words will be difficult.^{[11]
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  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
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9
Be prepared to lose fat at different rates in different parts of the body. Unfortunately, there is no way to target weight loss to a specific area of your body.^{[12]
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Research source} If fat tends to accumulate on your back, hips, and butt, that may be one of the last places where you see a difference. If this happens to you, don't get discouraged—you will eventually see a difference if you keep losing weight overall.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Creating Muscle Definition in the Lower Back

1
Choose exercises that strengthen your lower back. Defining the muscles of the lower back can help the whole area look more structured and bring out features like back dimples. In order to do this, you can either hit the weights and machines or do simple exercises that use your own body weight.^{[13]
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- You will probably see the best results if you do strength training exercises a few times a week. However, let your back muscles rest by taking days off between training sessions. Shoot for 3 back-strengthening sessions per week, or ask a trainer for their recommendation.^{[14]
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- Core exercises, like planks, Russian twists, bicycles, and mountain climbers, will also help.^{[15]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Souad Gharib
  Exercise & Wellness Specialist
  Expert Interview. 8 July 2021.}
2
Try the Superman exercise to target your lower back. Lie on the floor face-down with your arms stretched out straight in front of you. Keep your legs straight out behind you with your feet together. Simultaneously lift your arms and legs toward the ceiling so that only your belly is touching the floor.^{[16]
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- Hold this position for 30 seconds before slowly returning to the starting position.
- Repeat 3-5 times.
3
Strengthen your lower back and glutes with 1-legged bridges. Start by lying flat on your back with your arms at your sides and bend your knees so that your feet are resting flat on the floor. Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart. From this position:
- Lift your hips and squeeze your glutes, keeping all your weight on your upper back and shoulders.
- Lift 1 leg straight up into the air, and carefully lower your hips toward the floor and raise them again 12-15 times before returning to the starting position.
- Repeat on the other side.
4
Do deadlifts to strengthen your whole back. To do a deadlift, use a weighted barbell. Stand with your hips shoulder-width apart and get into a low squat, then grasp the bar with an overhand grip. Keeping your spine straight and your thighs parallel to the floor, push your hips and butt out behind you. Slowly stand up straight, pushing up through your heels to lift the bar.
- Once you've completed the lift, slowly drop your torso and hips to return to starting position.
- If you are not used to lifting large amounts of weight, try this exercise with only the bar at first. Gradually increase the amount of weight you use.
- Do 3 sets of 12 reps.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Getting Cosmetic Surgery

1
Get targeted liposuction to create back dimples. If you don't naturally have back dimples at all, the only way to get them is with cosmetic surgery. This is accomplished by removing fat from the areas where you would like the dimples to appear. Traditionally, this is done with liposuction, in which a needle is inserted under the skin and a little bit of fat is suctioned out.
- The liposuction procedure used specifically to create back dimples may go by a variety names, including V-spot treatment, Dimples En V, or Barbie Back surgery.
- This type of liposuction is usually performed under local anesthesia. Possible risks of liposuction include numbness around the liposuction site, infection of the skin, bleeding, or fat embolism (a blood vessel blockage caused by a loose piece of fat).^{[17]
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  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
2
Use deoxycholic acid injections as an alternative to liposuction. Deoxycholic acid (Kybella) can be injected under the skin to dissolve fat without damaging the surrounding tissues. Targeted injections can be used to simulate back dimples. Deoxycholic injections require less downtime and are less expensive than liposuction, but you may need several treatments to get the results you want.
- Common side effects of Kybella injections include swelling, bruising, pain, numbness, redness, and hardening of the tissue around the injection.
- Kybella is only FDA approved for treatment of fat below the chin. However, cosmetic practitioners may still legally use it for off-label uses, such as creating back dimples.^{[18]
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  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
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3
Be prepared for the cost. Cosmetic surgery to create back dimples can be extremely expensive. If you go the liposuction route, you could be looking at around US$6000. While a single treatment with Kybella costs less than liposuction, you may need multiple treatments. Because of this, Kybella can add up to about the same or even more than what you would pay for liposuction.^{[19]
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- Most insurance plans will not cover the costs of these types of procedures, so you will almost certainly have to pay the whole cost out of pocket.

Expert Q&A

Question

How is it possible to lose back fat?

Souad Gharib
Exercise & Wellness Specialist
Souad Gharib is the Founder of Female Trainer, a boutique women's gym based in West London, United Kingdom. Souad specializes in helping women reach their goals through exercise, nutrition, and counseling. Female Trainer offers personalized training sessions delivered by Souad and her experienced team of female trainers.

Souad Gharib

Exercise & Wellness Specialist

Expert Answer

Work out your lower back with the back extension exercise. Also, try core workouts like planking, Russian twists, bicycles, and mountain climbers.
Question

What is this? You can't get back dimples by exercising!

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

It is true that you cannot get back dimples by exercising if you don't already have them to a certain extent. However, exercise can help define back dimples that are obscured by subcutaneous fat.
Question

Is it possible to have dimples inherited only from your grandparents?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

There doesn't seem to be a lot of research out there on the genetics of back dimples, but this is definitely possible if they are linked to a recessive gene.

Warnings

Do not attempt to lose any more weight if you are already at a healthy weight. Never eat fewer than 1,200 calories a day for more than 3 days in a row.

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Always be cautious when using exercise equipment of any kind. For floor work, use a mat to protect your spine and prevent injuries/discomfort.

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Talk to your doctor before starting any new diet or exercise routine, especially if you have any health concerns.

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