Body condition · Abu Dhabi & Dubai
Hip Dips (Violin Hips)
Also known as: violin hips · hip dents · hip dip surgery · hip dip fat transfer · skinny BBL · hip augmentation with fat · hip dip filler
Medically reviewed by Dr. Paulo Michels, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon· Updated 22 October 2026
Hip dips, or violin hips, are inward curves on the side of the body between the hip bone and the top of the thigh. They come from the shape of the pelvis, muscle and fat distribution, and are normal. For a smoother curve, Dr. Paulo Michels at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi combines liposuction above and below the dip with transfer of your own fat into it, often as a skinny BBL, for patients from Dubai and across the UAE.
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What are hip dips (violin hips)?
Hip dips — also called violin hips or hip dents — are inward curves on the outer side of the body, just below the hip bone and above the top of the thigh. Instead of one smooth line from waist to thigh, the outline dips in and then out again, a little like the shape of a violin.
They are a normal part of human anatomy, not a medical problem. Many athletic, healthy people have them, and they are often more visible in photographs, in fitted clothing and when standing with weight on one leg. For some people, though, they are a genuine source of self-consciousness, especially when they want a continuous, feminine curve from the waist to the hip.
Why do hip dips happen?
The main cause is the skeleton. The dip sits between the top of the pelvis (the iliac crest) and the bony point at the top of the thigh bone (the greater trochanter). How visible it is depends on:
- The shape and width of the pelvis, and how far apart those two bony points are
- How prominent the top of the thigh bone is, which pushes the lower part of the curve outwards
- Muscle bulk at the side of the hip and upper buttock
- Where your body stores fat — fat at the flanks above and the outer thighs (saddlebags) below makes the dip in between look deeper
- How firmly the skin is attached to the deeper tissues in this area, which tends to hold the dip in place even when fat collects around it
Because the underlying structure is bone, hip dips are largely genetic. They are not caused by doing something wrong in the gym.
What can exercise and diet do — and what can’t they?
Exercise is worth doing for its own sake and can change how the area looks, within limits:
- Strength training for the side and upper buttock muscles can add some fullness around the dip and improve the overall shape of the buttock.
- Reducing body fat can soften the bulges above and below the dip — or, in some people, reveal the bony outline more clearly.
What exercise cannot do is change the shape of the pelvis or the position of the thigh bone. If your dip is mainly skeletal, it will remain visible however fit you become. Deliberately gaining weight to fill the dip is not recommended: you cannot choose where the body stores fat, and the effect is often the opposite of what you hoped.
What about hip dip fillers?
Some clinics offer injectable fillers to fill hip dips. They avoid an operation, but the area is large, so considerable volumes are needed; temporary products fade and need repeating; and any injected material carries its own risks. Fillers also add volume only — they cannot slim the flanks or outer thighs that make the dip look deeper.
Dr. Paulo Michels does not use fillers for this. He uses your own fat, which can reshape both sides of the problem in the same operation.
How is hip dip surgery performed?
The operation reshapes the whole curve from waist to thigh rather than simply filling a hole. It combines two steps:
- Liposuction above and below the dip. Fat is removed from the flanks and lower back above, and from the outer thighs (saddlebags) below. Taking down these bulges already makes the outline smoother, and provides the fat for the second step. The principles are those of liposuction, including VASER where appropriate.
- Fat transfer into the dip. The harvested fat is purified and placed in small amounts, in several passes, into the depression, so it blends with the surrounding contour.
When the buttock itself is also shaped, the same operation is usually described as a skinny BBL (see below).
Safety: where the fat goes
Fat is placed only in the layer under the skin — never into the muscle. This is the same rule that applies to every Brazilian Butt Lift performed by Dr. Paulo Michels, who carries out gluteal fat transfer with dynamic ultrasound guidance at Elyzee Hospital. Why that rule changed the safety of the operation is explained in is a BBL safe?
What is a skinny BBL — and is it the same thing?
A skinny BBL is an informal name for a smaller-volume, contour-driven BBL in a slimmer patient. The goal is shape rather than size: a narrower waist, a smoother transition into the hip, filled hip dips and a rounder upper and outer buttock, using the fat that is available.
Hip dip correction is often the centre of a skinny BBL, but not always. Some patients only want the dips softened; others want the whole buttock shaped. Both are planned from the same examination.
Who is a good candidate?
Hip dip fat transfer tends to suit people who:
- Are in good general health, with a stable weight
- Have enough harvestable fat to treat both sides evenly — far less is needed than for a full BBL, but some is needed
- Understand that the goal is a smoother curve, not a reshaped skeleton
- Accept that a portion of transferred fat is reabsorbed, and that a second session is occasionally discussed
Whether you have enough donor fat is decided by examination, not by weight or BMI alone. The guide do you have enough fat for a BBL? explains how it is assessed. If fat is genuinely scarce and you also want more buttock projection, buttock implants — sometimes with a little fat to refine the hips — may be discussed; buttock implants or fat transfer? explains how that choice is made.
Which approach suits which situation?
| Your situation | Usual approach |
|---|---|
| Mild dip, bulges at the flanks or outer thighs | Liposuction alone may be enough |
| Visible dip, some fat available | Liposuction above and below plus fat transfer into the dip |
| Dip plus wish for a rounder, fuller buttock | Skinny BBL, including the hips |
| Very little fat, wish for more buttock projection | Buttock implants, sometimes with a small fat graft |
| Loose skin and flattened buttock after major weight loss | See sagging buttocks after weight loss |
What should I expect from the result?
Expect a smoother, more continuous curve from waist to thigh, with a slimmer waist and outer thigh. Because the dip is shaped by bone, it does not always disappear completely, and deeper dips may soften rather than vanish. Swelling hides the final shape for several months; the result is judged once it has settled.
The transferred fat that survives becomes a permanent part of the area, but it behaves like the rest of your body fat: significant weight loss later will reduce it, and weight gain will enlarge it.
What does recovery look like?
Light walking starts on the day of surgery. Most of the discomfort comes from the liposuction areas rather than the hips. A compression garment is worn for about six weeks, and Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) sessions help reduce swelling and prevent hardening in the liposuction areas. You will be given specific instructions on sitting and sleeping positions so the grafted areas are protected from pressure in the first weeks — these depend on whether fat was placed only in the hips or also in the buttocks.
What are the risks?
Risks include asymmetry, uneven settling or small irregularities, partial reabsorption of the fat, firm lumps where fat did not survive (fat necrosis or oil cysts), prolonged swelling, bruising, fluid collection, infection and the general risks of anaesthesia. These are discussed individually at the consultation.
How are hip dips assessed at the consultation?
Most patients start with a WhatsApp message on +971 50 106 7981 and, if they wish, photos. At the consultation at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi, Dr. Paulo Michels examines you standing and in different positions, feels the donor areas to judge how much fat is available, and explains what part of your dip is bone, muscle and fat — and therefore what surgery can realistically change. Patients from Dubai and across the UAE are seen routinely, with visits grouped to reduce travel. Fees are quoted individually after the consultation, and the quote is all-inclusive.
Questions, answered
Hip Dips (Violin Hips) — your questions
What are hip dips?+
Hip dips — also called violin hips or hip dents — are inward curves on the outer side of the body, just below the hip bone and above the top of the thigh. They make the outline from waist to thigh look like a violin rather than a smooth curve. They are a normal anatomical feature, not a medical condition, and many fit, healthy people have them.
What causes hip dips?+
Mainly your skeleton: the width of the pelvis, the distance between the top of the hip bone and the bony point at the top of the thigh bone, and how prominent that point is. Muscle bulk on the side of the hip and the way your body stores fat add to it. Fat that collects above the dip, at the flanks, and below it, at the outer thighs, makes the dip look deeper.
Can exercise get rid of hip dips?+
Exercise can change how they look, but it cannot change the bone structure that creates them. Strengthening the side and upper buttock muscles can add some fullness around the dip, and losing fat from the flanks and outer thighs can soften the contrast. In many people a visible dip remains however fit they are, because it is skeletal.
Can weight gain or weight loss change hip dips?+
Yes, sometimes in either direction. Gaining weight may fill the area, or may add fat above and below and make the dip more obvious. Losing weight often makes the bony outline more visible. Because the effect is unpredictable, changing your weight to alter hip dips is not recommended.
How are hip dips corrected surgically?+
The usual approach combines two steps. Liposuction removes fat from the areas just above and below the dip — the flanks, lower back and outer thighs — which reduces the bulges that frame it. Your own purified fat is then placed into the depression to smooth the curve from waist to thigh. Both steps are done in the same operation.
What is a skinny BBL?+
A skinny BBL is an informal name for a smaller-volume Brazilian Butt Lift in a slimmer patient. The aim is contour rather than size: refining the waist-to-hip transition, filling hip dips and shaping the upper and outer buttock with the fat that is available. The safety rules are the same as for any BBL — fat is placed only in the layer under the skin, never into the muscle.
Do I have enough fat for hip dip fat transfer?+
Filling hip dips needs much less fat than a full BBL, so many slim patients are suitable. You still need enough harvestable fat to treat both sides evenly and allow for the portion that the body reabsorbs. This is assessed by examination at the consultation, not by weight or BMI alone; the guide [do you have enough fat for a BBL?](/blog/do-you-have-enough-fat-for-a-bbl) explains how.
What about hip dip fillers?+
Some clinics inject fillers into hip dips. This avoids an operation, but the area is large, so considerable amounts of product are needed, temporary fillers fade over time, and any injected product carries its own risks. Dr. Paulo Michels uses your own fat instead, which also allows the areas above and below the dip to be slimmed in the same operation.
Is fat transfer to the hips safe?+
When performed by a qualified plastic surgeon in a hospital, with fat placed only in the layer under the skin, it is a well-established technique. Dr. Paulo Michels follows the same rule as in every BBL: fat is never injected into the muscle. Risks include asymmetry, uneven settling, partial reabsorption, small lumps or firm areas, and the general risks of surgery and anaesthesia.
Is the result permanent?+
The fat that survives the transfer establishes a blood supply and stays, so the result is long-lasting. A portion is reabsorbed in the first months, which is why the final shape is judged after swelling has settled. The transferred fat behaves like fat elsewhere on your body: significant weight loss or gain later will be reflected in the hips.
Will the hip dip disappear completely?+
Not always. Because the dip is shaped by bone, the aim is a smoother, more continuous curve rather than a perfectly straight outline. Deeper dips or limited donor fat may give a softer improvement, and a second session is occasionally discussed. Realistic expectations are agreed before surgery, using your own anatomy as the reference.
What is recovery like after hip dip fat transfer?+
Light walking starts on the day of surgery. A compression garment is worn for about six weeks, and Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) sessions help reduce swelling. Most discomfort comes from the liposuction areas. You will be told how to sit and sleep so the grafted areas are protected from pressure during the first weeks; the exact instructions depend on where fat was placed.
Can hip dip correction be combined with a BBL or other surgery?+
Yes. Hip dips are often treated as part of a BBL, because the waist-to-hip curve is part of the overall buttock shape. They can also be combined with liposuction of other areas. Very thin patients who want more buttock projection than their fat allows may discuss [buttock implants](/procedures/buttock-augmentation), sometimes with fat used to refine the hips.
Do men have hip dips?+
Yes, hip dips occur in men and women, because they follow the shape of the pelvis and thigh. They are more often a concern for women, for whom a smooth waist-to-hip curve is usually the goal. The assessment and the options are the same.
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