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Hip dips, also referred to as hip divots, violin hips, or pronounced trochanteric depression, are the inward curves that look like shallow indentations along the sides of the outer upper thighs, just below the pelvic bone.
They are often more visible when someone wears tight-fitting bottoms, such as leggings or yoga pants.
Common Body Shapes Associated with Hip Dips
Hip dips are evident in various body types, even in athletic bodies, especially those with a more prominent hip structure or distinct pelvic shapes, such as the pear and hourglass body shapes.
Pear Body Shape
Characterised by wider hips and thighs contrasted with a narrower upper body, individuals with a pear shape often have more prominent hip dips. The proportion of the wider pelvic bone and the angle of the thigh bone contribute to the shallowness in the area, causing a more visible hip dip.
Hourglass Body Shape
The hourglass body shape is defined as having a svelte waistline, proportionate breast and hip size. Due to the nature of the hourglass contour and definition, a hip dip indentation is inevitable.
Regardless of body shape, most of us have some degree of indentations in our hip area due to the nature of the body's physiological silhouette.
Causes of Hip Dips
Bone Structure
The shape of the pelvis greatly influences the appearance of the hip dip. The structure of the ilium (part of the hip bone), combined with the greater trochanter (a prominent point on the femur), creates the indentations. The wider or the more angled the hip bone area, the deeper the hip dip is.
Distribution of Fat and Muscle
The placement of fat and muscle around the hip area can accentuate or soften the appearance of hip dips. Those with a higher body mass index have less noticeable hip dips.
Addressing Hip Dip: The Role of Exercise
Engaging in strength training and exercises designed to build the gluteal muscles, such as bridges, squats, and lunges, can enhance the contours of the hips, improve functional strength, reduce discomfort, and may make the appearance of hip dips less pronounced.
However, no amount of lifestyle changes or exercises can COMPLETELY eradicate the hip dip appearance.
Popular Treatment Choices for Hip Dips
Liposuction
Procedure: MDC-Sculpt®️Lipo technique is Dr Ivan Puah's novel multi-dimensional contouring approach that targets unwanted fat. It is customised to work on each individual's unique body shape, fat anatomy, fat distribution and skin laxity.
Effectiveness: Fat removed will not return to the area. Results are permanent due to the unique nature of the fat cells. Skin in the treated area will naturally retract.
Considerations: This procedure works best on those who have excess fat in the hip area so that the doctor can sculpt a more symmetrical and even contour.
Buttock Fat Grafting
Procedure: Buttock Fat Grafting procedure includes the extraction of excess fat pockets from other body parts, which is then purified and strategically reinjected into the buttocks and hip area [1].
Effectiveness: It can improve buttock asymmetry and volume, as well as correct body type. However, this method may be challenging to fill the shallow hip dips [2].
Considerations: Patients should have ample fat to extract from to sufficiently fill the shallow area in the hip. A doctor's skill, anatomical knowledge, artistic capability and precision also play a crucial role in creating natural results.
Silastic hip implants
Procedure: Custom silicone hip implants are designed, fabricated, and surgically placed on the hip area to provide the patient with the desired cosmetic hip augmentation [3].
Effectiveness: They are usually sought after the patient is found to be unsuitable for liposuction or fat grafting due to a lack of fat or if the patient desires maximum hip projection [3].
Considerations: Implants have more serious complications than fat grafting due to having a foreign object in the body. Risks include implant migration or rupture, implant illness or post-surgical infection.
Ultimately, the most suitable treatment option for hip dips depends on each individual's anatomy, desired results, and suitability to undergo surgical procedures.
Hip dips are a normal part of the human anatomy. Embracing one's natural body shape is just as vital as exploring body sculpting treatments with a skilled and experienced doctor in Singapore.
