Back dimples are fairly common. In one study of 370 patients, about 42% had visible back dimples, suggesting they appear in a large portion of the population. These small indentations sit on either side of the lower spine, just above the buttocks, and are sometimes called “dimples of Venus” or, in medical terminology, fossae lumbales laterales. They’re a normal anatomical variation, not a medical condition.
What Causes Back Dimples
Back dimples form where a short ligament connects the top of your pelvic bone (specifically the posterior superior iliac spine) to the skin. Because the ligament pulls the skin inward at that attachment point, two symmetrical indentations appear on either side of the lower spine. Everyone has these bony landmarks and ligaments, but the depth and visibility of the resulting dimple varies from person to person.
There’s no muscle underneath back dimples, which means exercise won’t create them if you don’t already have them. Their presence is thought to be genetic. If your parents have prominent back dimples, you’re more likely to have them too.
Who Gets Them
Back dimples appear in both men and women. They tend to be more visually prominent in women, which is likely why the informal name “dimples of Venus” stuck, but men get them at similar rates. The study that found a 42% prevalence included both sexes, with roughly a third of participants being male and two thirds female.
Body composition plays a role in how visible they are. Lower body fat tends to make back dimples more noticeable. One analysis suggested that visibility improves around 22% body fat in women and 32% body fat in men. That said, many people with higher body fat still have clearly visible dimples, and some lean individuals have barely noticeable ones. Genetics is the bigger factor.
Myths About Back Dimples and Health
A persistent myth claims that back dimples indicate better blood circulation in the pelvic region, making it easier to orgasm. There’s no research supporting this. Back dimples are created by a ligament attaching bone to skin. They have nothing to do with blood flow, nerve sensitivity, or sexual function.
Back Dimples vs. Sacral Dimples
Back dimples and sacral dimples are two different things, and the distinction matters, especially in newborns. Back dimples (dimples of Venus) sit higher on the lower back, flanking the spine on both sides at the level of the pelvis. They’re purely cosmetic and harmless at any age.
Sacral dimples, by contrast, are small pits located lower, near the top of the buttock crease or directly over the tailbone. In newborns, most simple sacral dimples are also harmless. A study of 207 newborns found that none of the infants with a simple, shallow midline dimple had any underlying spinal abnormality. However, “high-risk” sacral dimples, those that are deep, larger than half a centimeter, located more than 2.5 cm from the anal opening, or accompanied by other skin markings like tufts of hair, carried a much higher concern. Among atypical dimples meeting at least one of those criteria, 40% were associated with spinal abnormalities.
If you’re an adult wondering about the two indentations on your lower back, those are almost certainly dimples of Venus and completely normal. The sacral dimple concern applies primarily to pediatric screening in newborns.
Can You Get or Remove Back Dimples
Because back dimples are created by ligament-to-skin attachments rather than muscle, you can’t develop them through any workout routine. Losing body fat may make existing dimples more visible, but it won’t create dimples that aren’t already structurally present. Similarly, gaining weight may make them less prominent without eliminating them entirely.
Some people pursue cosmetic procedures like dermal piercings placed over the dimple area to draw attention to them, but there’s no standard surgical approach to create or enhance back dimples. On the flip side, if you have back dimples and don’t want them, they don’t require any treatment. They carry no health risks and don’t change over time in any medically meaningful way.