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Will my baby have dimples? Cheek dimples are commonly inherited as a dominant trait, so if one or both parents have them, your baby’s chances are higher. However, dimple inheritance isn’t perfectly predictable — some dimples appear without a family history, and others fade as a baby’s face loses its baby fat.

What causes dimples

A cheek dimple is created by a small variation in a facial muscle (the zygomaticus major). When the muscle is shorter or split, it tugs the skin inward during a smile, forming the dimple. Chin dimples work differently and come from the shape of the jawbone.

Key takeaways

• Cheek dimples are often treated as a dominant trait.
• One dimpled parent noticeably raises a baby’s odds.
• Dimples can appear even with no family history.
• Baby dimples sometimes fade as the face slims.

Are dimples inherited?

Dimples do run in families and are frequently described as an “irregular dominant” trait — meaning they behave as dominant but not with perfect reliability. That inconsistency is why a dimpled parent doesn’t guarantee a dimpled child, and why dimples occasionally show up unexpectedly. It’s a good example of the limits of the simple model in dominant and recessive traits in babies.

Dimple odds by parents

• Both parents with dimples: higher chance the baby has them.
• One parent with dimples: a moderate chance, since the trait is dominant.
• Neither parent: lower odds, but still possible.

Why some baby dimples fade

Many newborns show dimples because of extra baby fat in the cheeks. As a child grows and the face slims, those “fat dimples” can disappear. True muscle-based dimples, by contrast, usually persist into adulthood. So an early dimple is not always permanent.

Will My Baby Have Dimples? The Short Answer

Will my baby have dimples leans on a single, often-dominant trait, so one dimpled parent meaningfully raises the odds — even if some baby dimples fade as the face slims.

Frequently asked questions

Do dimples run in families?

Yes — cheek dimples are usually inherited as a dominant trait, so whether your baby has dimples often traces back to a parent or grandparent.

Can a baby have dimples if neither parent does?

Yes. Because the trait is irregularly dominant, dimples can appear without an obvious family source.

Are chin dimples inherited the same way?

Chin dimples (clefts) are also considered dominant, but they come from bone structure rather than muscle.

Will my baby’s dimples last?

Muscle dimples usually last; dimples caused by baby fat may fade as the face matures.

See how your baby’s smile might blend both parents with the MixMyBaby generator, or learn more about inherited features at MedlinePlus.