Tag Archives: Dimples

Dimples – A Mark of Beauty

Dimples

Dimples are considered a mark of beauty and loveliness. They are most prominent during wide smiles showing small folds or indentations in the fleshy part of the cheek. The truth is that dimples are actually genetic defects and are caused by shortened facial muscles.

Continue reading

When some people smile, they have dimples in one or both cheeks. Dimples most often occur on both the cheeks and are rarely one sided.

This adorable facial feature is usually a genetically-inherited trait that is passed from one generation to the next.

Dimples are also linked with youth. Some children and youngsters show dimples at a tender age, but their dimples disappear when they grow up.

Transfer of dimples from parents to children occurs due to just one gene. Each parent provides one of these genes to the child.  So, if both the parents have dimples, the children have a 50-100% chance of inheriting dimple genes.

If, however, only one parent has dimple genes, the chances of the children inheriting the genes are only 50%. If neither of the parents has the dimple genes, their children will not have dimples. Dimples can be passed through multiple generations. The frequency with which a heritable trait is carried forth through genes is called penetrance.

But let’s face it – dimples are adorable!