Written by: Dr. Akash Chandawarkar, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Mirror Plastic Surgery | Last updated: September 9, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Hip dips are a normal skeletal feature caused by bone structure and do not disappear with exercise or diet.
- Targeted gluteus medius training can soften their appearance, while the underlying indentation remains part of your anatomy.
- Non-surgical options like biostimulatory fillers and AlloClae offer minimal downtime for mild-to-moderate hip dips, and fat transfer provides more durable results for those with sufficient donor fat.
- Choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon with deep anatomical knowledge is essential for safety, especially for off-label injectable procedures in this area.
- Whether you choose to embrace your natural shape or explore cosmetic options, the first step is an informed conversation with a trusted expert.
What Are Hip Dips? Your Anatomy Explained
Hip dips are inward curves on the sides of the body, just below the hip bone. They are a normal anatomical variation that appears across all body types, sizes, and fitness levels. The shape of the pelvis and femur determines their presence, while muscle and fat distribution only influence how visible they are.
What Causes Hip Dips?
The indentation forms in the space between the iliac crest, which is the top of the pelvis, and the greater trochanter, which is the bony prominence at the top of the femur. Because the upper leg bone angles near the top, the greater trochanter sits below and outward from the widest point of the pelvis. That gap creates the visible dip.
Pelvic width, femoral neck length, and greater trochanter size are the three skeletal features that shape how noticeable a hip dip appears. Muscle size and fat distribution can soften or accentuate the curve, but they do not remove it. All three skeletal factors are set by genetics. You did not cause your hip dips through any habit, and no habit erases them.
Are Hip Dips Normal?
Everybody with typical anatomy has some degree of hip dip, and this has nothing to do with weight or fitness level. Two women at the same body fat percentage can have completely different hip shapes because of genetics. Some naturally have rounder hips, while others have more visible indentations.
Many influencers who appear to have no hip dips use posing, lighting, camera angles, and editing to hide them. That includes people whose bodies are often presented as the standard.
Can You Get Rid Of Hip Dips? The Evidence-Based Answer
Hip dips cannot be completely eliminated through exercise or diet because bone structure creates them, and exercise does not move bones. Building muscle in the gluteus medius and maximus can soften the appearance of the dip. The indentation itself remains part of your anatomy.
Many people assume that losing weight will help. In reality, weight loss often makes hip dips more noticeable because it reduces the soft tissue that partially fills the area. Hip dips are frequently more pronounced in lean, athletic people because less subcutaneous fat covers the gap.
Hip Dip Exercises: What Works and What Does Not
Can Squats Fill In Hip Dips?
Squats alone do not fill in hip dips. They primarily build the gluteus maximus. Squats also activate the gluteus medius to a lesser extent, especially in variations like single-leg squats, squats with isometric hip adduction, and back squats.
They are not the most specific exercise for targeting the gluteus medius, which sits at the side of the hip and can soften the dip’s appearance when developed. The depression lies over a region of the pelvis where no muscle can grow into the gap. Even well-developed glutes do not erase the underlying skeletal feature.
Targeted Exercises That Can Help Minimize Hip Dips
Consistent training of the gluteus medius and surrounding hip muscles over 8 to 12 weeks can create a fuller look that softens the curve of hip dips. It does not remove them entirely.1 The following exercises are among the most effective:
- Side-Lying Leg Lifts – Lie on your side and lift your top leg toward the ceiling, keeping it straight. This move directly targets the gluteus medius.
- Clamshells – Lie on your side with knees bent and open your top knee like a clamshell. This exercise targets the hip abductors but produces relatively low gluteus medius activation (around 32.6% MVIC), which may be insufficient to build strong hip abductors on its own.
- Fire Hydrants – On all fours, lift your bent leg out to the side. This engages the gluteus medius and minimus.
- Curtsy Lunges – Step one leg behind the other in a curtsy motion. This activates the gluteus medius and maximus at the same time.
- Lateral Band Walks – Place a resistance band around your thighs and step side to side in a partial squat. This builds hip abductor endurance.
- Glute Bridges – Lie on your back and lift your hips toward the ceiling. These activate the gluteus maximus, although one study found no significant increase in hip girth from bilateral bridges alone.
- Hip Thrusts – Rest your shoulders on a bench and drive your hips upward with a weight across your pelvis. The barbell hip thrust is one of the most effective exercises for gluteus maximus hypertrophy, and back squats also significantly enhance gluteus maximus growth.
According to the NSCA, at least three weekly training sessions focused on the glutes with around 12 sets per session provide a solid stimulus for growth while allowing recovery. Other experts suggest a range of 2 to 6 sessions per week, depending on recovery and program design. As Samantha Lee of Infinity Training Systems explains, the goal is a strong, capable lower body, not the erasure of a structural indentation. She describes hip dips as “the visible intersection of muscle and bone in an area where both are doing exactly what they are supposed to.”
Clinical Options For Hip Dips: A Plastic Surgeon’s Perspective
People who want to address hip dips cosmetically have several clinical options that range from minimally invasive to surgical. These are elective procedures and not medically necessary. The decision is personal and should align with your goals and comfort level.
No filler currently holds FDA approval specifically for the hip area. Provider expertise and anatomical knowledge therefore become central safety factors.
Schedule a consultation to discuss which option, if any, fits your anatomy and goals.
Non-Surgical Fillers: Biostimulatory Options
Biostimulatory fillers are the least invasive clinical option for hip dip correction. At Mirror Plastic Surgery, Dr. Akash uses two primary products in this area.
Radiesse (calcium hydroxylapatite) is a biostimulatory filler that stimulates collagen production. Results typically last 12 to 18 months, with possible extension to 2 years or more because of ongoing collagen stimulation.1
AlloClae is an adipose filler offered by Mirror Plastic Surgery. It is composed of approximately 60–84% confined lipids, 2–4% proteins, and 15–36% water, according to a 2025 peer-reviewed compositional analysis. Based on current data, AlloClae typically lasts about one to three years, although longevity varies by treatment area and individual factors, and long-term data remain limited.1 Dr. Akash serves on the advisory board for Tiger Aesthetics, the company behind AlloClae, which gives him direct insight into its development and evidence base.
Dr. Akash personally performs both treatments, using a surgeon’s command of subdermal anatomy. He places filler strictly in the superficial subcutaneous plane of the lateral trochanteric depression, where vessels are small and the risk profile is lower than with deeper gluteal procedures. Results are temporary and may require maintenance sessions.
Fat Transfer (Brazilian Butt Lift)
Surgical fat transfer involves harvesting fat from another area of the body with liposuction, purifying it, and injecting it into the hip dip depression. Approximately 60–80% of transferred fat survives long term, so surgeons inject more than the desired final volume to account for absorption. Fat that survives the first three to six months is generally considered permanent.1
This option is more invasive and requires anesthesia and a longer recovery. Most patients resume sedentary work within three to seven days. The surgical site usually heals in about six weeks, while final contour and complete settling of results can take up to six months.1
Very lean patients may not have enough donor fat and may be better candidates for biostimulatory fillers or AlloClae. Fat grafting is not automatically ruled out for patients with a BMI less than 20 kg/m². Studies show it can be safe and effective even in underweight women with a BMI of 18.5 kg/m² or lower. Serious complications such as fat embolism have been reported, particularly with intramuscular injection, which is why subcutaneous-only technique is now the safety standard.
Implants
Custom silicone implants are a surgical alternative for patients with deep, structural hip dips where fat grafting alone may under-correct the contour, or for patients without sufficient donor fat. In gluteal augmentation, implants have a higher complication profile than autologous fat transfer. They carry higher rates of capsular contracture, seroma, and wound dehiscence, and can also become palpable or migrate. Fat transfer has lower overall complication rates.
Implants are rarely the first recommendation for hip dip correction and are reserved for specific anatomical situations.
Comparing Your Clinical Options
The table below summarizes the main differences between clinical options for hip dips.
| Option | Downtime | Results Timeline | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biostimulatory Fillers & AlloClae | Minimal, usually 24–48 hours | Gradual, final at 3–6 months | Mild-to-moderate depressions, avoiding surgery |
| Fat Transfer | More invasive, 4–6 weeks of activity limits | Durable for surviving fat, final at ~6 months | Patients with adequate donor fat and surgical tolerance |
| Implants | Longest recovery | Permanent device, contour evolves as swelling resolves | Specific anatomical cases where other options fall short |
A thorough consultation helps determine candidacy, because anatomy, skin quality, donor fat availability, and goals vary widely.
What To Expect From Non-Surgical Hip Dip Treatment
At Mirror Plastic Surgery, the process starts with a comprehensive consultation. Dr. Akash often spends up to an hour assessing your anatomy, learning your goals, and building a personalized treatment plan. He does not recommend treatment without that foundation.
The procedure itself usually takes 30 to 60 minutes. Mild swelling, bruising, and tenderness are common in the first few days and generally resolve within one to two weeks. With biostimulatory fillers, collagen production continues over the first several weeks to months. Maximum clinical results often appear between three and six months, although the exact timeline varies by product and individual.
Results are temporary, and touch-up sessions form part of a long-term maintenance plan. Choosing a provider with surgical expertise is a safety requirement for off-label procedures in this area. A surgeon who understands the underlying anatomy and can manage complications if they arise provides a higher level of safety.
Hip Dips And Body Image: Normal Anatomy, Real Feelings
Hip dips are a natural part of human anatomy and do not signal poor health or low fitness. They have no inherent connection to weight or strength. Social media has amplified insecurities about features that are entirely normal, often using edited, posed, or carefully lit images that hide the same traits being labeled as flaws.
Body image concerns exist on a spectrum. Preoperative screening in aesthetic settings consistently finds elevated rates of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a specific form of body image distress, with meta-analytic prevalence estimates around 18.6% across plastic surgery patients. This is one reason a thorough consultation that explores your motivations and expectations honestly is central to safe, satisfying outcomes.
If thoughts about hip dips cause significant distress or interfere with daily life, speaking with a mental health professional is a meaningful and appropriate step. As Dr. Akash explains, “Hip dips are a normal skeletal feature, not a flaw. My goal is to help patients feel confident in their bodies, whether that means embracing them or exploring safe options to enhance their natural shape. The right answer is different for everyone, and my job is to help you find yours.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Hip Dips
Will Hip Dips Ever Go Away?
Hip dips are permanent because skeletal structure creates them, specifically the relationship between the iliac crest and the greater trochanter. Exercise, diet changes, and weight loss do not alter bone geometry. Their appearance can be minimized through targeted muscle building or softened through cosmetic treatments, while the underlying anatomical feature remains.
Are Hip Dips Attractive?
Hip dips are a common anatomical variation. Beauty standards are subjective, shaped by culture, and constantly changing. Many people find hip dips attractive, and they do not indicate that someone is unhealthy, unfit, or out of shape. The idea that they represent a flaw grew largely from social media discourse that emerged around 2017, rather than from medical or aesthetic consensus.
Can You Get Rid Of Hip Dips With Exercise?
As explained earlier, exercise cannot change the bone structure that causes hip dips. Building the gluteus medius and maximus through targeted training can add muscle volume that softens their appearance. Visible changes usually require at least 8 to 12 weeks of consistent training, and results vary based on genetics, starting point, and training consistency.1
How Long Do Hip Dip Fillers Last?
Results vary by product and individual. As mentioned earlier, Radiesse results typically last 12 to 18 months, with possible extension beyond that window because of ongoing collagen stimulation. AlloClae currently shows longevity of roughly one to three years based on available data, with ongoing studies in progress. All non-surgical results require maintenance over time, and your surgeon will outline a personalized plan during consultation.
Are Hip Dip Fillers Safe?
Mirror Plastic Surgery states that injectable treatments performed by Dr. Akash, a board-certified plastic surgeon with deep anatomical knowledge, offer precise placement and a strong safety focus. No filler is FDA-approved specifically for the hip area, so provider expertise becomes the primary safety variable. At Mirror Plastic Surgery, Dr. Akash personally performs all injectable treatments, using a surgeon’s understanding of subdermal anatomy and strict subcutaneous placement technique to reduce risk.
What Is The Best Treatment For Hip Dips?
The most appropriate treatment depends on your anatomy, goals, and tolerance for downtime. Biostimulatory fillers and AlloClae offer minimal downtime and work well for mild-to-moderate depressions. Fat transfer offers more durable results but requires surgery, anesthesia, and a longer recovery, and suits only patients with sufficient donor fat.
A consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon is the only reliable way to determine which path, including the choice to avoid treatment, fits you best.
The Bottom Line: Your Body, Your Choice
Hip dips are a normal skeletal feature shared by nearly everyone with typical anatomy. Exercise can help minimize their appearance but cannot remove them. Clinical options such as biostimulatory fillers and fat transfer exist for people who want to address them cosmetically, and each option carries specific benefits, limitations, and recovery demands. Choosing to embrace your natural shape remains an equally valid path.
The most important step is getting accurate information from someone who prioritizes your safety and well-being over selling a procedure. That principle guides every consultation at Mirror Plastic Surgery.
Ready To Explore Your Options?
If you are considering options to address hip dips, an honest, anatomy-first conversation with a board-certified plastic surgeon is the right starting point. At Mirror Plastic Surgery in St. Petersburg, FL, Dr. Akash Chandawarkar often spends up to an hour with every patient, because understanding your goals, anatomy, and concerns supports safe, satisfying results. Talk with the Mirror Plastic Surgery team to get started.
Disclaimer: Results may vary from person to person. Editorial content, before and after images, and patient testimonials do not constitute a guarantee of specific results.
1 Results may vary from person to person. Editorial content, before and after images, and patient testimonials do not constitute a guarantee of specific results.
