Piercings of the cheeks can go by a variety of names, but perhaps the most common is “dimple piercings.” These are cheek piercings specifically positioned to give the appearance of natural dimples, hence the cute and interesting name.
Dimple piercings are performed with a hollow piercing needle, and generally utilize a pair of pennington forceps like most other common facial piercings. The piercer will have you smile a few times and may feel or pinch the flesh of your cheek to decide on the most natural and viable placement. Most expert piercers will place these piercings far enough forward to avoid any possibility of tooth or gum damage from the backing of the jewelry that will rest inside the mouth. This usually means placing the piercings in front of the first molar, which also prevents any interference with the glands.
Healing can be difficult for piercings of the cheek, because they see so much movement on a daily basis. Smiling and laughing, talking, and especially eating will all be uncomfortable during the first few days, and avoidance of alcohol, makeup, and smoking are usually encouraged. Initial healing may take up to ninety days or more, with full healing normally occurring around the one year mark. Like other piercings of the lips and cheeks, dimple piercings must be cared for diligently both at the surface, and inside the mouth.
Both barbells and flat-back studs can be worn in most dimple piercings, but initial jewelry is often longer than average to accommodate any swelling that may occur. Since the cheeks tend to swell quite easily, some piercers will purposely use barbells during the initial healing phase, as the ball is less apt to be healed over due to excess inflammation than a flat disc.
For some, dimple piercings will cause mild a-symptomatic nerve damage, which basically creates a man-made dimple where there wasn’t one prior. Even after the piercings themselves are taken out, the dimpling or any small amount of scarring tend to be permanent for most individuals. Many choose to get the piercings for exactly this reason, as a cheaper and less invasive alternative to surgery for creating dimples. Becuase of the implications however, dimple piercings should always be considered carefully, just like any other permanent mod.
Want to see dimple piercings being performed up close? Then check out this short video, and follow us on YouTube for more.
