Chin dimpling is often described as a skin surface concern. This is understandable because it is visually observed at the skin level. However chin dimpling is not primarily a skin problem. It is a muscle activity pattern involving the mentalis muscle and surrounding lower facial structures. This means the visible surface change is secondary to deeper movement behaviour. Results vary between individuals. All treatments are consultation based and individually assessed by a qualified, AHPRA-registered practitioner.
What Causes Chin Dimpling
Chin dimpling, the puckered, pebbly, or orange peel texture that appears on the chin surface, is caused by overactivity of the mentalis muscle. The mentalis is the muscle that sits in the central lower part of the chin. Its primary function is to raise the lower lip and wrinkle the chin, which is part of normal facial expression. In some people, however, this muscle is habitually overactive, contracting frequently even at rest, which creates the characteristic dimpled or cobblestone texture on the chin surface.
The degree of chin dimpling varies considerably between individuals. For some people, the dimpling only appears when specific expressions are made, speaking, eating, or pressing the lips together. For others, it is present at rest and becomes more pronounced with any movement. Age tends to worsen the appearance as the overlying skin thins and the muscle becomes relatively more visible.
Chin dimpling is one of the more common concerns that people bring to consultations at Core Aesthetics. It is a very treatment amenable condition when appropriately assessed, anti-wrinkle injections targeting the mentalis muscle can significantly reduce or resolve the dimpling with minimal downside. However, assessment at consultation is important because the degree of dimpling, the anatomy of the mentalis, and the relationship between chin texture and other features of the lower face all influence the treatment approach.
How Anti-wrinkle Injections Treat Chin Dimpling
Treatment for chin dimpling with anti-wrinkle injections involves placing a small dose of product into the mentalis muscle to reduce its activity. As the muscle relaxes, the tethering action that creates the puckered appearance is reduced, and the skin surface of the chin smooths.
The injection technique for the mentalis requires care because of the anatomy of the area. The mentalis muscle sits at the front and centre of the chin, and injections placed too low or too laterally can affect the depressor labii inferioris, the muscle that pulls the lower lip down, which would create an uneven smile or lower lip droop. An experienced practitioner places the injection conservatively in the central mentalis, away from the lip depressor muscle origins, and at an appropriate depth.
The dose used for chin dimpling is typically modest relative to larger muscle groups like the masseter or the forehead. Results are typically visible within one to two weeks and last between three and five months, though this varies between individuals. At the review appointment, the practitioner assesses whether the dose was sufficient, whether the texture has smoothed adequately, and whether any adjustment is needed before the next treatment cycle.
What Chin Dimpling Treatment Looks Like in Practice
A chin dimpling treatment appointment at Core Aesthetics follows the standard consultation based model. At the consultation, the practitioner assesses the mentalis activity at rest and during specific expressions, evaluates the overall lower face anatomy, and discusses what is achievable with treatment.
The treatment itself is brief, typically five to ten minutes once the plan has been established. The injection area is cleaned and the injection is placed with a fine needle. Topical anaesthetic is available but is not always necessary given the small number of injection points and the typical tolerance of this area. There may be a small mark at the injection site for a few hours; bruising is possible but uncommon.
Most clients find that chin dimpling treatment has essentially no social downtime, they return to normal activities immediately. The results develop gradually over one to two weeks as the muscle relaxes. The review appointment is typically scheduled two weeks post treatment, and the client can contact the clinic if they have concerns before then.
Is Chin Dimpling the Same as Chin Ptosis
Chin dimpling and chin ptosis are distinct conditions, though they can coexist and are sometimes confused. Chin ptosis refers to a drooping or descent of the chin pad, the soft tissue sitting below the chin bone, which can give the appearance of a weak or receding chin profile. Dimpling refers specifically to the surface texture created by mentalis muscle overactivity.
A person may have chin dimpling without chin ptosis, or chin ptosis without significant dimpling. When both are present, the treatment approach may involve a combination of anti-wrinkle injections to reduce dimpling and, in some cases, chin filler to restore projection and support the chin pad and reduce the ptotic appearance.
At consultation, the practitioner assesses which elements of the chin appearance are present and which treatment approach, or combination of approaches, is most appropriate. Not every presentation of chin concerns requires both treatments; the assessment determines what is clinically indicated.
Combining Chin Treatment With Lower Face Assessment
The chin sits within the lower face, bounded by the mouth above, the jawline laterally, and the neck below. When assessing a request for chin dimpling treatment, a thorough practitioner considers the chin in the context of the entire lower face, not in isolation.
For some clients, the chin dimpling is the primary concern and is the only thing that warrants treatment. For others, the chin concern is part of a broader picture, they may also have concerns about jawline definition, lip appearance, or marionette lines, and a more integrated lower face treatment plan may be appropriate. The consultation is where this broader context is explored.
At Core Aesthetics, the consultation for chin concerns includes an assessment of the full lower face so that the recommended treatment reflects what is actually indicated, not just the single complaint that prompted the booking. This does not mean that additional treatments are pushed, it means that the assessment is complete, and the client leaves the consultation with an accurate picture of their options.
long term Management of Chin Dimpling
For clients who find that anti-wrinkle treatment for chin dimpling produces results they are happy with, ongoing management involves periodic retreatment as the initial results fade. The timing varies between individuals, most clients find that a treatment interval of three to five months maintains results they are comfortable with.
Over multiple treatment cycles, some clients find that the mentalis muscle gradually reduces in activity, the repeated relaxation can create a cumulative effect where the muscle requires less frequent or lower dose treatment to maintain the same result. This is not a absolute claim, but it is a commonly observed pattern.
For clients who achieve a good result and then stop treatment, the dimpling will gradually return as the muscle regains full activity. There is no rebound effect; the return to baseline is gradual and predictable. The decision about whether to continue treatment is always the client’s, based on their own assessment of whether the result justifies the ongoing investment.
What to Expect at Your First Chin Dimpling Consultation
A consultation for chin dimpling is typically a focused appointment that can be completed within a standard consultation block. The practitioner will ask about the history of the concern, when it started, whether it is constant or only with movement, and what specifically bothers the client about it. This helps clarify whether the concern is primarily aesthetic or also functional (some clients with significant mentalis overactivity notice tension or discomfort in the chin area).
The physical assessment involves observing the chin at rest and during specific movements, speaking, smiling, pressing the lips together. The practitioner palpates the mentalis to assess its size and activity, and evaluates the lower face more broadly as described above.
If treatment is recommended and the client wishes to proceed, it can typically be performed at the same appointment or scheduled for a subsequent visit. At Core Aesthetics, many clients choose to have chin treatment alongside other lower face or upper face treatments in the same appointment, coordinating their injectable treatment across areas.
Chin Dimpling Treatment at Core Aesthetics Oakleigh
Core Aesthetics is located in Oakleigh, accessible to clients across Melbourne’s south east including Clayton, Chadstone, Carnegie, Murrumbeena, Bentleigh, Mount Waverley, and surrounding areas. Chin dimpling treatment is one of the more specific treatment requests handled at the clinic, and one that responds well to the consultation based approach.
Because anti-wrinkle treatment for the mentalis is a relatively simple procedure when the anatomy is clear and the indication is straightforward, some clients are surprised by the degree of assessment that precedes it. The reason for thorough assessment, even for a treatment with a small dose and a well understood mechanism, is that the chin sits adjacent to structures that affect lip and jaw movement, and understanding the anatomy before treating is what keeps results predictable and complications rare.
Clients in Melbourne’s south east who are bothered by chin dimpling and want to understand whether injectable treatment is appropriate for them are welcome to book a consultation. The booking system is available online and consultations are typically available within a short timeframe.
Chin Dimpling and Its Impact on Photographs and Video
One context in which chin dimpling becomes particularly noticeable is in photographs and video. Still cameras and video calls capture subtle texture differences that are less visible in person, and the puckered appearance of an overactive mentalis, which may be easy to ignore face to face, becomes a persistent background feature in headshots, professional photographs, and video meetings.
For clients who are frequently photographed for work, whether in corporate settings, in creative or public facing professions, or simply because social media has made photography a routine part of modern life, the chin texture concern is not merely cosmetic vanity. It has a practical dimension: it is visible in the medium through which many professional and social impressions are formed.
This context is useful to raise at consultation, because it informs the dose approach. If the primary concern is photographs rather than how the chin looks at rest, the practitioner may calibrate the dose differently than if the concern is primarily the resting appearance. Understanding what specifically bothers the client, and in what context, is part of the assessment that precedes any treatment decision.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chin Dimpling Treatment
A few additional questions come up regularly in chin dimpling consultations. Does the treatment affect the jaw or lower lip? When placed correctly in the central mentalis, the treatment should not significantly affect jaw movement or lower lip function, the adjacent muscles are not targeted. Any concern about lip or jaw movement post treatment should be raised at the review appointment.
Can chin dimpling be treated in someone who has never had injectables before? Yes, chin dimpling treatment is a reasonable first injectable treatment for people whose primary concern is the chin. The assessment and process are the same as for any other treatment area.
Is the treatment visible to others? No, the injection sites are small and, in most cases, not visible after a few hours. The treatment itself is not obvious; it simply produces a smoother chin surface as the muscle relaxes over the following one to two weeks.
How Dermal Filler Is Used as a Structural Tool
Dermal filler is often described in terms of volume, adding more to make something look bigger. This framing misrepresents how filler functions in skilled clinical practice. Filler is a structural tool. It can restore lost support in areas where facial volume has diminished with age. It can define a contour that was never clearly pronounced. And in some cases it can shift the proportional relationships between facial regions in a way that changes how the face reads overall.
Volume, in the sense of visible fullness, is sometimes a goal. But the mechanism is anatomical. Filler placed in the right tissue plane, at the right depth, with an understanding of the surrounding anatomy, produces a different result than filler placed superficially to fill a surface irregularity. This is why technique, placement, and clinical knowledge matter far more than product selection.
At Core Aesthetics, treatment decisions are based on a full facial assessment. Corey evaluates the face as a whole before deciding whether filler is appropriate, where it would be most effective, and what volume would be consistent with a proportionate outcome. This assessment may lead to a recommendation not to treat, and that outcome is equally valid.
Understanding Facial Volume Loss and Why It Matters
The face changes with age through a combination of processes: bone resorption, fat pad redistribution, muscle changes, ligament laxity, and skin quality decline. These processes do not happen uniformly or at the same rate in different people. Two people of the same age may present very differently because of genetics, lifestyle, sun exposure, and individual anatomical variation.
Volume loss is one of the most clinically significant contributors to an aged appearance. When the structural support provided by subcutaneous fat and bone diminishes, the overlying skin is no longer held in place by the same framework. Features that once appeared well defined become less distinct. The relationship between facial thirds can shift. Hollowing in specific areas, the cheeks, the temples, the under-eye region, creates shadows and contours that are often interpreted as tiredness or loss of vitality.
Understanding the underlying anatomy is essential to treating it appropriately. Filler placed to address a surface concern without accounting for the structural deficit beneath it will produce a less effective and less enduring result. The consultation process at Core Aesthetics focuses on identifying the anatomical contributors to the concerns you have raised, not just addressing the surface appearance.
The Assessment Process Before Any Filler Treatment
At Core Aesthetics, the consultation for dermal filler treatment is a structured clinical appointment, not a sales conversation. Corey assesses the face in three dimensions, at rest, during movement, and from multiple angles. The goal is to understand the structural landscape of your face before deciding where, how much, and whether filler is the right approach.
Key aspects of the filler assessment include evaluating facial symmetry and identifying natural asymmetries that should be preserved or addressed; assessing the depth and distribution of any volume deficit; reviewing skin quality to determine how filler would integrate; and discussing your goals in the context of what is anatomically achievable. For some concerns, filler alone is sufficient. For others, a combination of treatments, or a different approach entirely, may be more appropriate.
You will leave the consultation with a written treatment plan that documents the assessment findings, the proposed approach, and the expected outcomes. Treatment is scheduled at a separate appointment, allowing time to consider the plan, ask further questions, and make an informed decision without any time pressure.
Clinical accountability and how filler decisions are made
The filler related guidance in “Chin Dimpling and How It Is Approached With Injectables” reflects how Corey Anderson, AHPRA registered nurse (NMW0001047575), approaches dermal filler decisions at Core Aesthetics: anatomy led, conservative on volume, and willing to defer or refuse treatment when the assessment doesn’t support it. Filler is a structural intervention. The decisions about where, how much, what depth, and what cannula or needle approach are clinical judgements that depend on the individual face in front of the practitioner. Results vary between individuals, and the same volume can read very differently on two faces with different bone structure, fat pad distribution, or skin quality.
Specific to chin dimpling treatment: the assessment Core Aesthetics performs before any filler treatment includes facial proportions, skin quality, prior treatment history, and the patient’s stated goals, and considers whether dermal filler is the right intervention at all. For some patients, the right answer is no filler this visit. For others, the right answer is a smaller amount than the patient anticipated. For others, the right answer is to address skin quality or to dissolve existing filler before considering anything new. Results vary between individuals, and a conservative starting dose is almost always the better long term decision. The Anti-wrinkle treatment Melbourne page covers an adjacent filler decision in more depth.
Patients reading this page who want to verify Corey Anderson’s AHPRA registration can do so directly on the AHPRA public register at ahpra.gov.au using registration number NMW0001047575. The Core Aesthetics clinic operates from 12A Atherton Road, Oakleigh VIC 3166, Tuesday to Saturday, by consultation appointment. All new patient treatment at Core Aesthetics follows a structured clinical consultation, consistent with the September 2025 AHPRA cosmetic procedures guidelines. Treatment may be scheduled for the same day as consultation or at a subsequent appointment, depending on clinical assessment and individual circumstances. Patients with questions about the content on this page can raise them at consultation; the practitioner is happy to walk through any clinical reasoning that the written content does not fully capture. Results vary between individuals, and the consultation is the appropriate place to discuss what those individual variations mean for a specific person’s treatment plan.
Is this for you?
Consider booking a consultation if
- You are 18 or older and in good general health
- You want to understand how dermal filler may address a specific anatomical concern, volume, structure, or proportion
- You are prepared to attend a standalone consultation before any treatment decision is made
- You understand that injectable treatment is a medical procedure with individual risks and outcomes
This may not be for you if
- You are pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding
- You have an active infection, cold sore outbreak, or unhealed skin in a potential treatment area
- You have a documented allergy to hyaluronic acid or to local anaesthetic (lidocaine)
- You are taking anticoagulant medication or have a bleeding disorder, without clearance from your treating doctor
- You have had recent facial surgery, trauma, or dental procedures in the treatment area
- You are under 18 years of age
Suitability is confirmed at consultation. This list is general guidance, not a substitute for clinical assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Can anti-wrinkle injections fully eliminate chin dimpling?
For many people, anti-wrinkle treatment significantly reduces or effectively eliminates chin dimpling during the period the treatment is active. The degree of improvement depends on the severity of the dimpling and the individual’s anatomy. A review appointment two weeks after treatment allows accurate assessment of the result and whether any adjustment is needed.
Is chin dimpling treatment painful?
The chin area is generally well tolerated for injection. The treatment involves a small number of injection points with a fine needle. Topical anaesthetic can be applied beforehand if preferred. Most clients describe the sensation as a minor sting that resolves immediately.
How soon will I see results from chin dimpling treatment?
Results develop gradually over one to two weeks as the mentalis muscle relaxes. The full effect is assessed at the review appointment approximately two weeks after treatment.
How long do results last for chin dimpling treatment?
Results typically last three to five months, though this varies between individuals. Some people find results persist longer; others find they fade more quickly. The appropriate treatment interval is established over successive cycles.
Can chin dimpling be treated alongside other treatments?
Yes, chin dimpling treatment can be combined with other injectable treatments in the same appointment, subject to clinical assessment. Many clients treat chin dimpling alongside forehead, frown, or masseter treatment in the same visit.
Is chin filler or anti-wrinkle treatment better for the chin area?
It depends on the specific concern. Anti-wrinkle treatment addresses the texture caused by mentalis muscle overactivity, the dimpling or cobblestone appearance. Chin filler addresses projection, shape, and volume. They are different treatments for different concerns, and sometimes both are indicated. The consultation determines which is appropriate.
Who reviews the filler related clinical content on this page?