Hip dips are the inward curves on the side of the body just below the hip bone. They are caused by the shape of your pelvis and thigh bone and how muscle and fat sit over them, so they are a normal part of human anatomy rather than a sign of being unfit or overweight. Exercise can change the muscle and fat around them, but it cannot change the bones; where the shape still bothers you, fat transfer and liposuction can soften the contour.
What are hip dips?
Hip dips, sometimes called ‘violin hips’, are the indentations between the top of the pelvis (the iliac crest) and the top of the thigh bone (the greater trochanter of the femur). Over this area sit the gluteus medius muscle and a variable layer of fat. Where the skin is more tightly attached to the deeper tissues, or where the bony landmarks are wide apart, the surface curves inwards. Almost everyone has some degree of this curve; it simply shows more in some body shapes than in others.
What causes them?
- Skeletal anatomy: the width of the pelvis, the height of the hip bones and the angle and position of the thigh bone are inherited and are the main factor.
- Fat distribution: genes and hormones decide where you store fat. Fat above and below the dip, on the flanks and outer thighs, can make the dip look deeper.
- Muscle bulk: the size of the gluteal muscles changes how full the area looks.
- Skin attachments: fibrous bands tether the skin to deeper layers in this region.
Hip dips are not a medical problem and do not need treating. Many people are happy with them; treatment is only ever a personal, cosmetic choice.
Can exercise get rid of hip dips?
Exercise cannot alter the shape of your pelvis or thigh bone, so it will not remove hip dips completely. What it can do is build the gluteal muscles, particularly the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus, which may make the area look fuller and the transition smoother. Exercises such as side-lying leg raises, hip abductions with a resistance band, squats, lunges and hip thrusts all work these muscles. Losing or gaining weight changes the fat around the dip too, but you cannot choose where your body loses or stores fat. Be cautious of online programmes that promise to ‘fix’ hip dips in weeks.
Non-surgical options
Clothing cut, high-waisted styles and shapewear can smooth the outline. Injectable fillers have been marketed for the hips and buttocks, but UK plastic surgery bodies have warned against large-volume filler ‘non-surgical BBL’ treatments because of the risk of infection, lumps and other complications. Fat-reducing devices may slightly reduce small fat pockets above or below the dip but will not fill the dip itself.
Surgical options: fat transfer and liposuction
The most common surgical approach combines two steps. First, liposuction removes fat from areas where there is excess, often the flanks, lower back, abdomen or outer thighs. This alone can reduce the ‘shelf’ above or below the dip. Second, some of that fat is purified and carefully injected into the dip itself, in the layer of fat beneath the skin, to fill the hollow. This is the same technique used in buttock fat grafting (a Brazilian butt lift), and hip dip correction is often performed as part of a BBL.
- Who is suitable: adults (18+) in good health, at a stable weight, with enough spare fat to harvest.
- Fat survival: not all transferred fat survives, and the amount that takes varies between people. A second procedure is sometimes needed.
- Liposuction around the dip only: in slimmer patients, contouring the surrounding areas may be all that is needed.
Recovery
Most people have some bruising, swelling and soreness in both the treated and donor areas for the first two weeks. A compression garment is usually worn for around six weeks. Many people return to desk-based work after about two to three weeks and to gentle exercise after four to six weeks, although this varies. If fat has been transferred, you will be advised to avoid direct pressure on the grafted areas for several weeks. Swelling settles gradually and the final contour is usually judged at around six to twelve months, once the surviving fat has stabilised.
Risks and cost
All surgery carries risks, including bleeding, infection, blood clots, contour irregularities, asymmetry, changes in skin sensation and uneven fat survival. Where fat is transferred, there is also a risk of fat necrosis (hard lumps of dead fat) and, when fat is placed near large blood vessels, fat embolism, which is why fat should be kept in the layer under the skin. Mr Nassab will explain these risks in detail at consultation. Buttock fat grafting (BBL) is from £12,500; smaller hip-only procedures are quoted at consultation. The consultation fee of £150 is separate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are hip dips normal?
Yes. They are caused by the shape of the pelvis and thigh bone and are a normal part of anatomy, not a sign of being unhealthy.
Can squats get rid of hip dips?
Squats and other glute exercises can build muscle and may make the area look fuller, but they cannot change the underlying bone structure.
Is hip dip fat transfer permanent?
Fat that survives the first few months generally behaves like the rest of your body fat and can shrink or grow if your weight changes. Not all transferred fat survives.
Can hip dips be treated with liposuction alone?
Sometimes. Removing fat from the flanks or outer thighs can soften the dip, but filling it usually requires fat transfer.
How long before the final result is visible?
Swelling settles over several months, and the result is usually assessed at around six to twelve months.
