When trying to attain body confidence, many people find themselves scrutinizing every detail in the mirror. Certain body parts, especially those regularly highlighted by the media, often become focal points of dissatisfaction.
Hip dips—the slight indentations along the side of the body below the hip bone—have become newsworthy of late. Even celebrities like Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner aren’t immune to such concerns, proving that hip dips are a common worry among the body conscious.
Addressing this issue, the Toronto Plastic Surgeon Clinic offers various treatments for those seeking to alter their silhouette. We provide both surgical and non-surgical interventions designed to enhance body contours. Hip dip treatments are among our most popular procedures.
Hip dips, also known as hip valleys or violin hips, are indentations where the skin attaches to the thigh bone, causing an inner curve on each side. Their visibility varies from person to person, influenced by bone structure and fat distribution. These factors explain the diversity of hip dip appearance among different individuals, including the above celebrities.
Hip dips are a natural feature of many body shapes and are only to be considered a flaw if the individual would prefer a different silhouette. Like hairstyles or lip shapes, there are fans of the hip dip, while others would rather minimize their appearance.
In short, it’s a matter of taste, and something we can cater to in a range of ways.
While both hip dips and love handles may concern those aiming for a smoother body contour, they stem from distinct causes. Hip dips are primarily a result of one’s bone structure, particularly the width of the hips and the shape of the pelvis. Conversely, love handles are fat deposits above the hips, which are influenced by overall body fat levels. Therefore, while dieting should minimize or reduce love handles, it won’t have any effect on hip dip shape, since this is dependent on underlying bodily structures.
The formation of hip dips is largely dictated by genetics and bone structure, specifically the shape and width of the pelvis and the distance between the hip and thigh bones. Misconceptions abound, suggesting that weight fluctuations and activity levels are to blame, yet the reality is that hip dips are a natural anatomical feature.
The primary cause of hip dips is the shape and design of your pelvis. Hip dips appear where the skin attaches to the deeper part of your thigh bone (trochanter), creating a slight indent or dip on the sides of your hips. The width and shape of your hips, as well as how high or low your pelvis sits, can influence the size of hip dips.
The amount and distribution of muscle and fat in your body also play a role. Individuals with less fat in the hip and thigh area or those with more defined muscles in the region may notice more pronounced hip dips. Conversely, increased fat deposits in this area can sometimes make hip dips less noticeable.
Your genetic makeup significantly influences your bone structure, muscle mass, and where your body stores fat, all of which can determine the presence and visibility of hip dips. If your family members have hip dips, there’s a higher chance you might have them too due to hereditary.
While less directly impactful, your posture and how you carry your body can influence the appearance of hip dips. Certain postures may accentuate or minimize their appearance, although this effect is usually minor compared to structural and genetic factors.
Absolutely. Hip dips are a normal and common feature of human anatomy. The decision to embrace them or seek alteration is a personal choice, contingent on individual preferences and body acceptance.
While exercises can target muscle mass around the hip area, their effectiveness in eradicating hip dips is limited. This is because the shape of hip dips is dictated by the underlying structures of bone, muscle, and tissue.
Yorkville Sports Medicine Clinic in Toronto suggests specific exercises to target the muscles around the hip dips, including side leg raises, squats, and lunges.
SpaMedica offers a variety of solutions, from surgical interventions like the Brazilian Butt Lift and hip implants to non-surgical options such as Sculptra injections.
This procedure (sometimes shortened to BBL) involves fat grafting, where fat is harvested from other body parts and injected into the hips, filling the dips for a smoother contour.
Natural Results: Since the procedure uses the patient’s own fat, the results tend to look and feel more natural compared to implants.
Recovery time varies by individual but generally includes several weeks of avoiding direct pressure on the buttocks to ensure the successful uptake of the transferred fat cells.
This provides another surgical route, involving the use of implants to achieve the desired shape and volume.
Recovery involves several weeks of avoiding direct sitting or lying on the buttocks. Full recovery and results may take a few months to become apparent.
Sculptra injections, a non-surgical alternative, involve the use of Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA) to stimulate collagen production, gradually improving the appearance of hip dips.
Stimulates Collagen Production: When Sculptra is injected into the area of the hip dips, it stimulates the body’s natural collagen production.
Achieving the desired outcome typically requires multiple treatment sessions spaced several weeks apart.
Please schedule a consultation via the contact page to explore their options for hip dip correction with TPS’s team of experts.
The timeline varies based on the chosen method, with some treatments offering immediate improvements and others requiring several sessions over months.
Strategic clothing choices, such as high-waisted pants and skirts, can help in camouflaging hip dips, offering a temporary solution for those seeking to minimize their appearance.