A similar principle explains why some people have dimples on their cheeks. The exact anatomy is different, but both features illustrate how the arrangement of underlying tissues can influence the skin's surface.
The role of skin and body fat
The amount and distribution of soft tissue around the pelvis can affect how visible the dimples are.
When there is less tissue covering the underlying landmarks, the indentations may be easier to see. When there is more soft tissue in the area, they may be less noticeable.
Nevertheless, body fat is only one factor. A person can be lean and have no visible dimples, while another person with a different body composition may have clearly defined ones.
The key point: Lower-back dimples are primarily an anatomical feature, not a condition that needs to be corrected.
4. Are Lower-Back Dimples Genetic?
Genetics likely contributes to the anatomical characteristics that influence whether someone develops visible lower-back dimples. These characteristics include pelvic shape, connective-tissue structure, and the distribution of soft tissue.
However, there is limited scientific evidence establishing a simple inheritance pattern for Venus or Apollo dimples specifically. It would be inaccurate to claim that a particular gene guarantees their appearance or that everyone with these dimples inherited them from a parent.
You may notice that several members of one family have similar lower-back features. This could reflect shared genetic influences on body structure, but it does not establish that the dimples themselves follow a specific genetic rule.
It is also possible for siblings to have different-looking lower backs, even when they share many inherited traits.
The same principle applies to other physical characteristics: genes influence body structure, but the visible result can vary considerably between individuals.
5. Can Exercise Make These Dimples More Visible?
Yes, exercise and changes in body composition may make existing lower-back dimples easier to see. However, exercise does not necessarily create the underlying anatomical feature.
Certain training programs strengthen the gluteal muscles, spinal stabilizers, and muscles around the hips. As these muscles develop and body composition changes, the contours of the lower back may become more noticeable.
Exercises commonly included in lower-body and core training programs include:
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Glute bridges: Strengthen the gluteal muscles and contribute to hip stability.
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Squats: Train the quadriceps, glutes, and other muscles involved in lower-body movement.
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Romanian deadlifts: Develop the posterior chain, including the glutes and hamstrings.
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Bird dogs: Train trunk stability and coordination.
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Side planks: Strengthen the muscles that help stabilize the trunk and pelvis.
These exercises can improve strength, posture, and overall muscular development when performed with appropriate technique.
However, it is important to distinguish between strengthening the surrounding muscles and changing the anatomical attachments that create the dimples.
You cannot reliably make Venus dimples appear through a particular exercise, and no workout can guarantee that everyone will develop them. The visibility of these marks depends partly on structural characteristics that exercise cannot substantially change.
What about losing body fat?
Changes in body fat may reveal contours that were previously less visible. But deliberately losing weight just to make the dimples more prominent is unnecessary and may be inappropriate for your health.
You cannot selectively burn fat from the two spots around your lower back. So-called spot reduction is not a reliable way to change fat distribution.
If your goal is a stronger lower back or more defined glutes, a balanced resistance-training program and adequate nutrition are more useful targets than the appearance of two small indentations.
6. Do Lower-Back Dimples Mean You Are Healthy?
This is one of the most common questions about the feature.
The short answer is no—not by themselves.
Visible lower-back dimples are generally a normal anatomical variation. Their presence does not prove that someone has excellent circulation, a healthy spine, strong core muscles, or an ideal level of body fat.
Likewise, the absence of dimples does not indicate poor health.
Some online discussions associate these indentations with athletic ability, flexibility, or physical fitness. While a person who exercises regularly may have prominent dimples, the dimples themselves are not a validated measure of fitness.
A person's health is better assessed through relevant factors such as physical function, cardiovascular health, strength, mobility, nutrition, sleep, and appropriate medical examinations.
The same caution applies to claims that lower-back dimples indicate good reproductive health. There is no established medical evidence that ordinary Venus or Apollo dimples predict fertility or reproductive function.
They are visible anatomical landmarks, not a health screening tool.
7. Do These Dimples Have Anything to Do With Fertility?
Lower-back dimples are sometimes discussed in beauty and reproductive-health content, but these claims often go beyond the available evidence.