What are hip dips? YouTube is filled to the brim with videos claiming to help get rid of this naturally occurring anatomical feature. Exercises, diets, and even creams are all touted as the end-all and be-all of creating the perfect hip curves — no dips in sight.
In this article, our aim is to help you understand not only what hip dips are and why they occur, but what can be done about them. Unfortunately, the real answer to the latter question is not what many YouTubers want you to hear.
In truth, a simple cosmetic surgery like a Brazilian butt lift, not an exercise or diet, is the most effective solution.
What Are Hip Dips and What Are Hip Dips Caused By?
A hip dip is a depression featured on the outer thighs and hips. On many people, a dip can be seen just below the hip bone and at the top of the upper leg. Hip dips are caused by a naturally occurring space between the ilium (the bone on the outer side of the pelvis) and the hip socket (where the hip meets the top of the thigh bone).
How large this space is is generally determined by how much space there is between these two bones. This amount of space is genetic and cannot be changed. Those with more space will have more noticeable hip dips.
Many people have hip dips, and there’s nothing wrong with having them. But they are also more noticeable on men and women who lack a lot of fat in the hip area. Those who do not have noticeable hip dips tend to have more fat around their buttocks, hips, and thighs. It depends on how your body stores fat.
Can You Get Rid of Hip Dips?
Yes, but not in the way you may think …
Exercise Won’t Fix Hip Dips
If you look up “what are hip dips workout” on Google, you’ll find tons of articles, videos, and products claiming that exercise can get rid of your hip dips for you. There are creams and diets that claim the same, but for the most part, exercise is advertised as the effective solution.
And to be sure, the theory is sound.
As you read above, hip dips are caused by a space in your bone structure — particularly the space between the ilium and the hip socket.
So, naturally, one might think that if we could only fill in this area with muscle mass, the dip would disappear and you’d be left with a beautifully uninterrupted curve from waist to thigh. With this in mind, fitness coaches and exercise enthusiasts often recommend working the buttocks and hip flexors with targeted strength training moves to build up the muscle.
The problem with this theory is that there is no substantial muscle to build up. We know this because even the strongest athletes (male and female), who work out endlessly and have almost no body fat to speak of, will have hip dips. Unfortunately, there is not enough substantial muscle between these two bony points to build up — only the potential for fat.
Some People Have Naturally Occurring Fat Over Their Hip Dips
“But I know someone who doesn’t have hip dips!” you might say.
Certainly, there are individuals who do not have hip dips. The reason? Those without natural hip dips tend to have naturally occurring fat in this area. And this fills in that gap. Body fat naturally gravitates to the hips, buttocks, and thighs of a woman with a classic “pear shape”, for example.
On yourself, you might notice that if you normally have hip dips when you stand up straight with feet hip width apart, if you look in the mirror with your knees bent, the hip dips sort of disappear. This is because the fat becomes concentrated in this area with a knee bent. Body fat fixes hip dips on the lower body.
So, how can we help you get more fat in the hip bones area?
Brazilian Butt Lift Surgery Offers a Viable Solution
Want to lose hip dips? Brazilian butt lift surgery is the most effective solution for correcting prominent hip dips, sometimes called “violin hips”.
What Is a Brazilian Butt Lift?
BBL surgery does not require any adjustment of muscle groups, implants, or other major changes. It is simply the exchange of fat from one area of your body to another.
If your body distributes fat naturally more in the abdomen than the buttocks and hips, we will simply remove this excess fat from the abdominal area (waistline) by using liposuction. Once it is outside of the body, we will then process it.
After processing the fat, your surgeon will reinject it into your right and left hip, sometimes extending the injections around to the actual buttocks and/or down the left leg and right leg (thigh area) so as to create a seamless transition from the waist, to the hips, to the upper legs.
How much fat is relocated to the hips and butt area depends on how much excess fat you start with, the goals you have for your intended body shape (how large you want your hips and buttocks to be), and, of course, safety guidelines.
FAQ: Hip Dips & Brazilian Butt Lift Surgery
Are hip dips normal?
Yes, hip dips are a completely normal part of a person’s anatomy. It is simply the space between someone’s hip socket and the prominent side bone of the pelvis (the ilium).
With that said, many people (women, in particular) want to get rid of hip dips, in which case BBL surgery is the most effective solution. See BBL before and after photos for examples of how this cosmetic procedure can improve and even eliminate hip dips.
What are hip dips on a woman and why are they so common?
Both men and women can have hip dips. A hip dip is simply a slight indentation on someone’s side, between the ilium (a bone of the pelvis) and the hip socket.
Women do not necessarily have hip dips more often than men, but they tend to be disliked more by women who may desire a more rounded curve to their hips and who may also prefer to wear tighter clothing that “hugs” their hips.
Will a BBL leave scars?
Yes, BBL scars will be present after you have healed from surgery. These scars are mainly caused by the liposuction portion of surgery.
Liposuction requires small incisions to be made for accommodation of the liposuction cannula. After six months to a year of healing, these should be almost impossible to see.
Is BBL surgery safe?
All surgeries come with risks, but BBL surgery is overwhelmingly safe. You may have heard that the BBL death rate is 1 in 3,000, but this has been proven to be inaccurate. The real estimate, according to a 2019 study, is more like 1 in 15,000.
How much is a BBL?
BBL cost depends on where you get surgery (geographic location), how much your surgeon charges (surgeon’s fee), the cost of the operating facility, and the cost of anesthesia. To get an estimate, please schedule a consultation appointment.
Is a BBL painful?
BBL recovery will come with some soreness and slight discomfort, but medication will help, and pain will slowly dissipate over time.
Request a Consultation Appointment
To learn more about how we can help you correct your hip dips with BBL surgery, please contact our office today and schedule a personal consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Matthew Schulman. He offers BBL surgeries in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Boston.
