Dimples do seem to run in some families, so genetics plays a role. But they are not the simple, single-gene dominant trait older textbooks claimed. No one has pinned cheek dimples to one specific gene, the inheritance pattern is inconsistent from family to family, and twin studies do not show the clean results you would expect from a tidy dominant-recessive trait. The honest summary is: partly inherited, but in a complicated, not-fully-understood way.

Is the dimple gene dominant or recessive?

There is no confirmed 'dimple gene,' so calling it dominant or recessive is not scientifically accurate. The dominant-trait idea comes from old classroom genetics, where dimples were taught alongside earlobes and tongue-rolling as simple Mendelian examples. Modern geneticists treat all of those as myths or oversimplifications. Dimples are better described as a complex trait with weak, inconsistent evidence for any single inheritance rule.

Can dimples disappear or appear with age?

Yes. Many babies and young children have dimples that fade as the face grows and the muscle and fat under the skin change. Some people develop a dimple later, or notice it becomes shallower over the years. This is one more reason dimples do not behave like a fixed, inherited on-or-off trait — they can change across a single lifetime.

If both parents have dimples, will the baby have them?

Not necessarily. Two parents with dimples can have a child without them, and two parents without dimples can have a dimpled child. Because the inheritance is not a clean dominant-recessive pattern, you cannot reliably predict a baby's dimples from the parents. Think of it as a fun family resemblance to watch for, not something you can calculate.

Are dimples genetic?

Cheek dimples are one of the most charming facial features, and almost everyone has wondered whether they are inherited. The short answer: dimples do seem to run in families, so genes play a part — but they are not the neat, single-gene “dominant trait” that old biology textbooks taught. Below we explain what actually creates a dimple (a small muscle quirk), where the dominant-trait belief came from, why the scientific evidence for it is weak and inconsistent, and why dimples can even fade or change as you age.

What actually causes a cheek dimple

A cheek dimple is not really about skin — it is about muscle. Most dimples are linked to a small variation in the zygomaticus major, the muscle that runs from your cheekbone to the corner of your mouth and lifts it when you smile. In many people with dimples, this muscle is shorter than usual or splits into two separate bundles. When you smile, the muscle tugs the skin inward and a little dent forms — which is exactly why a dimple usually only appears when you are smiling, and smooths out when your face is at rest.

Chin dimples (a cleft chin) work differently again — those come from the shape of the jawbone rather than a muscle, and have their own separate genetics. On this page we are focused on the classic cheek dimple, the kind that shows up with a grin.

The old belief: a simple dominant trait

For decades, dimples were a staple of school genetics lessons. The standard teaching went like this: dimples are a dominant trait. If you inherited even one “dimple allele” from a parent, you would have dimples; only people with two “no-dimple” copies would lack them. It was presented right alongside other tidy examples — attached versus free earlobes, tongue-rolling, widow’s peaks, and hitchhiker’s thumb — as a clean, textbook-perfect Mendelian trait you could chart on a Punnett square.

It is an appealing story because it is simple, and because dimples really do appear to cluster in some families. If your mum, your aunt and your sister all have dimples, “it’s a dominant gene” feels like a satisfying explanation.

The honest correction: the evidence is weak

Here is the part the old textbooks got wrong. Geneticists now treat the “dimples are a simple dominant trait” claim as a myth — the same way they have debunked the idea that earlobes, tongue-rolling, widow’s peaks and hitchhiker’s thumb are clean single-gene traits. The reality is messier:

No specific “dimple gene” has ever been confirmed. There is no allele scientists can point to and test for.
The inheritance pattern is inconsistent. Dimpled parents often have children without dimples, and dimples appear in children whose parents have none — which a true dominant trait should not do so freely.
Some people have a dimple on only one cheek, which is hard to square with a single inherited on-or-off gene.
Twin and family studies do not produce the clean ratios you would expect if one dominant gene were in charge.

The most accurate way to put it: dimples are partly genetic but complex. Inheritance likely involves several factors and is not cleanly Mendelian. So if anyone tells you dimples are “definitely a dominant gene,” that is a well-meant classroom oversimplification rather than settled science.

Dimples can change — or disappear — with age

One of the clearest signs that dimples are not a fixed, inherited switch is that they can come and go over a lifetime. Plenty of babies and young children have adorable dimples that gradually fade as their face grows and the muscle and the layer of fat beneath the skin mature and change shape. A dimple that was obvious at age three can be barely there by the teenage years.

The reverse happens too. Some people develop a dimple later in life as their face slims, while others find an existing dimple becomes shallower over the years. A truly Mendelian, one-gene trait would not behave this way — you do not lose your blood type or change your earlobe shape as you age. Dimples, by contrast, are tied to soft tissue and muscle that keep changing, which is one more reason they resist a simple genetic rule.

So, are dimples inherited? A fair summary

Yes and no. Dimples clearly have a familial, genetic component — they run in families more often than chance alone would explain. But they are not a simple dominant trait you can predict with a Punnett square, there is no confirmed dimple gene, the inheritance is inconsistent, and the feature itself can shift with age. Treat a dimple as a delightful family resemblance to enjoy spotting in baby photos — not as something you can reliably calculate or guarantee.

If you love exploring these inherited-or-not questions, the same honest caveat applies across nearly all the “fun” traits: most are more complicated than the classroom version. They make great entertainment and family curiosity, but they are estimates and stories, not precise genetic predictions.

Frequently asked questions

Are dimples genetic?: Dimples do seem to run in some families, so genetics plays a role. But they are not the simple, single-gene dominant trait older textbooks claimed. No one has pinned cheek dimples to one specific gene, the inheritance pattern is inconsistent from family to family, and twin studies do not show the clean results you would expect from a tidy dominant-recessive trait. The honest summary is: partly inherited, but in a complicated, not-fully-understood way.
What actually causes a cheek dimple?: Most cheek dimples are linked to a small variation in the zygomaticus major, the muscle that pulls the corner of your mouth up when you smile. In people with dimples, this muscle is often shorter or split into two bundles, so when you smile the skin is tugged inward and a little dent appears. The dimple usually only shows when you smile, because that is when the muscle pulls.
Is the dimple gene dominant or recessive?: There is no confirmed 'dimple gene,' so calling it dominant or recessive is not scientifically accurate. The dominant-trait idea comes from old classroom genetics, where dimples were taught alongside earlobes and tongue-rolling as simple Mendelian examples. Modern geneticists treat all of those as myths or oversimplifications. Dimples are better described as a complex trait with weak, inconsistent evidence for any single inheritance rule.
Can dimples disappear or appear with age?: Yes. Many babies and young children have dimples that fade as the face grows and the muscle and fat under the skin change. Some people develop a dimple later, or notice it becomes shallower over the years. This is one more reason dimples do not behave like a fixed, inherited on-or-off trait — they can change across a single lifetime.
If both parents have dimples, will the baby have them?: Not necessarily. Two parents with dimples can have a child without them, and two parents without dimples can have a dimpled child. Because the inheritance is not a clean dominant-recessive pattern, you cannot reliably predict a baby's dimples from the parents. Think of it as a fun family resemblance to watch for, not something you can calculate.