Hip Dips: Causes and Honest Options in London
Hip dips are a normal feature of the skeleton, not a flaw. This page tells you what actually changes them, what does not, and why I do not offer injections for them.
Hip dips are the inward curves between the top of the hip bone and the widest point of the thigh. They are set by the width of your pelvis, the position of the greater trochanter of the femur, and how muscle and fat sit over that frame. Because the cause is skeletal, there is no injection, device or cream that removes them, and the treatments marketed for them carry risks I am not prepared to expose patients to. If they bother you, I will tell you honestly what makes a visible difference and what does not.
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GMC
Registered Doctor
MRCS
Royal College of Surgeons
Doctor-led
Honest advice
ABOUT HIP DIPS
What hip dips are
The outline of the hip is made by three things stacked on top of each other: the iliac crest of the pelvis at the top, the greater trochanter of the femur below it, and the muscle and fat draped over both. Between the crest and the trochanter there is a natural concavity where the gluteus medius muscle sits close to the bone. In a person with a wider pelvis, a higher trochanter or less fat over the area, that concavity is visible as a dip. In a person with a narrower pelvis or more fat there, it is hidden. That is the whole explanation.
Hip dips are not caused by weight, fitness, posture or anything you have done. Very lean, very fit people often have them precisely because there is less soft tissue over the frame. They do not change with age in any consistent direction. They are present in a majority of women and many men, and they are a variation of normal anatomy in the same way that the height of your cheekbones is.
I am aware of the volume of content online treating hip dips as a problem to be fixed. As a doctor I will say plainly that for most people no treatment is needed, and that the people selling one usually have something to sell.
WHAT CHANGES THEM
What can and cannot change hip dips
Five things people ask me about, and what each of them actually does.
Strength training
Builds gluteus medius and minimus, which sit in the dip. Subtle change over months, no risk, and the only thing I recommend.
Weight change
More fat over the frame softens the dip; less reveals it. Not a reason to change your weight either way.
Large-volume filler injections
Marketed as a hip dip fix. Serious complications reported. I do not offer it.
Collagen stimulator injections
Sometimes promoted for hips. Off-label, large volumes, no good evidence for this area. I do not offer it.
Fat transfer surgery
The only route that reliably fills a dip. A surgical procedure with real risks, for a plastic surgeon.
HOW I ADVISE
What a consultation for hip dips actually involves
Patients sometimes book expecting to be offered an injectable, and I would rather explain up front what the consultation is for. I examine the hip contour standing and lying, feel where the bone sits, and look at how much soft tissue is over it. That tells us whether the dip is mostly skeletal, which is usual, or partly a matter of tissue distribution. I ask what specifically bothers you, because the answer is often the outline in fitted clothing rather than the dip itself, and that changes the advice.
From there the conversation is honest. For a skeletal dip I recommend a targeted strength programme and nothing else, and I explain why the injectable options are ones I decline to perform. Where there is loose or crepey skin over the hip and outer thigh, which is a different problem, skin tightening with HIFU or RF microneedling improves the quality of the skin without changing the contour, and I say that distinction clearly so nobody expects more. Where a patient has decided they want the dip filled regardless, I explain fat transfer and refer to a plastic surgeon.
Nobody leaves with a course of treatment they did not need. The consultation fee is redeemed against any treatment you do choose, now or later.
“Hip dips are normal anatomy driven mostly by your bone structure. The most useful thing a doctor can do here is be honest: there is no easy non-surgical fix, and for most people no treatment is needed at all.”
Dr Chiké Emeagi, MRCS, GMC 4418489
WHAT IS CLAIMED AND WHAT IS TRUE
The options for hip dips, honestly compared
This is the comparison I would want if I were the patient. The right-hand column is the part that matters.
| Option | What it claims | What it actually does | Risk | My position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gluteal strength training |
Fills the dip with muscle |
Builds gluteus medius and minimus over months; softens the concavity modestly in most people |
None |
Recommended. The only intervention I suggest to everyone |
|
Large-volume hyaluronic acid filler to the hips |
Instant fix, no surgery |
Adds 50 to 200 ml of gel per side; migrates, forms lumps, and has caused infection and tissue death |
High |
I do not offer it and advise against it |
|
Collagen stimulator injections (PLLA) to the hips |
Builds your own collagen to fill the dip |
Off-label use of very large volumes; evidence for this area is poor; nodules and long-term irregularity reported |
Moderate to high |
I do not offer it for this indication |
|
Fat transfer (surgical) |
Permanent, natural fill |
Liposuction from one area, purified fat injected into the dip; part of the fat survives |
Surgical: infection, fat embolism, asymmetry, need for revision |
The only reliable fill. Refer to a plastic surgeon |
|
Skin tightening (HIFU, RF microneedling) |
Sometimes sold as a hip dip treatment |
Improves skin quality and crepiness over the hip and outer thigh; does not change contour |
Low |
Appropriate for loose skin only, and I say so |
|
Creams, massage, cupping, vacuum therapy |
Reshapes the hip |
Nothing measurable |
Low, apart from cost |
Not recommended |
If the outline in clothing is what bothers you, the quickest change is usually clothing cut rather than any of the above, and I will say that too.
WHAT TO EXPECT
What is realistic
A well-designed gluteal programme, three sessions a week for three to six months with progressive load on hip abduction and extension, produces a modest but real softening of the concavity in most people, more in those who are starting from little training. It does not remove a skeletal dip. Nothing non-surgical does.
Skin tightening, where the issue is crepey skin over the hip, produces firmer skin over three to six months without changing the shape. Surgical fat transfer fills the dip but a proportion of the transferred fat does not survive, so a second procedure is sometimes needed, and the risks are those of surgery.
I do not publish before-and-after photographs for hip dips because I do not perform a treatment that changes them, and I would not want to imply otherwise.
IF YOU DO HAVE TREATMENT
Recovery and aftercare for skin tightening
HIFU to the outer thigh and hip. Redness for a few hours, tenderness on pressure for up to a week, occasionally a small area of temporary numbness. No restrictions on exercise.
RF microneedling to the body. Redness and mild swelling for two to three days; avoid heat, swimming and tight clothing over the area for 48 hours. Three sessions a month apart.
Both come with written aftercare and my direct contact details.
IS THIS FOR ME?
Who should have a consultation about hip dips
The consultation is worthwhile if you want an honest answer from a doctor rather than a treatment. It is not the route to an injectable.
Worth a consultation
You want to know what your hip contour is made of and what would and would not change it. You have loose or crepey skin over the hip and outer thigh. You are considering fat transfer and want an independent opinion before seeing a surgeon.
Better served elsewhere first
You have not yet tried a structured strength programme, which is the first and safest step. You are in the middle of significant weight change; wait until it is stable before assessing the contour.
What I will decline
Any request for hyaluronic acid or collagen stimulator injections to the hips. I will explain why in the room, and the reason is your safety, not a lack of demand.
PRICING
What it costs
The consultation is £50 and is redeemed in full against any treatment you choose, on the day or later. Skin tightening prices are for the hip and outer thigh where loose skin is the concern.
| Treatment | What it does | Price |
|---|---|---|
|
Consultation with Dr Chiké |
Assessment, honest advice, written summary |
£50, redeemed against treatment |
|
HIFU, thighs |
Skin tightening over the hip and outer thigh |
£450 |
|
RF microneedling, body, single session |
Skin quality and firmness |
£700 |
|
RF microneedling, body, course of 3 |
Recommended course |
£1,900 |
|
Sofwave, thighs |
Single-session tightening |
£1,200 |
Prices are from the clinic price list. There is no injectable treatment for hip dips on the list because I do not perform one.
WHY US
Why get this advice from Hampstead Aesthetics
Because I have no treatment to sell you for this. I am a GMC-registered doctor (4418489) and a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and my surgical background is the reason I take the complications of large-volume body injections seriously: I have seen what they look like. The advice you get is the advice I would give a member of my family.
The clinic is on West End Lane in West Hampstead, NW6, two minutes from West Hampstead station, and sees patients from Swiss Cottage, St John’s Wood, Belsize Park, Primrose Hill and across North London.
PATIENT REVIEWS
What patients say
Google 4.8 ★★★★★
TRUSTED BRANDS
Clinically validated products we use
I work only with clinically validated, CE-marked products and devices sourced from authorised UK distributors. None of them is licensed or appropriate for filling hip dips, which is why I do not offer it.
WHO IS YOUR PRACTITIONER
Medical Governance & Practitioner Verification
Dr Chike Emeagi - GMC Registration No. 4418489
At Hampstead Aesthetics, every consultation and treatment is carried out by Dr Chike Emeagi, a fully registered medical doctor whose qualifications and licence to practise are publicly verifiable.
MRCS - Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
MRCGP - Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners
MSc Aesthetic Medicine - Postgraduate master's degree in aesthetic clinical practice
GMC Licensed - Full licence to practise, verifiable on the public medical register
You are encouraged to verify Dr Chike’s registration directly on the https://www.gmc-uk.org/
DOCTOR LED TREATMENT
Why Doctor Led Matters
Under current UK law there is no requirement for the person injecting a dermal filler or a collagen stimulator to hold a medical qualification, and the products themselves are CE-marked devices rather than prescription medicines. That is how large-volume body injections come to be offered in settings with no medical oversight. The government has committed to a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures; until it is in force, who advises you is your choice.
At Hampstead Aesthetics every consultation is with me, and my advice on this subject is that the risk of injecting large volumes into the hip is not justified by the result. I would rather lose the booking than take it.
YOUR SAFETY
Emergency Safety Protocols
- Anaphylaxis kit on site — full adrenaline protocol for allergic reaction.
- Hyaluronidase on site — reversal agent for hyaluronic acid filler and part of the vascular occlusion protocol.
- ACE-certified practitioner — I hold emergency complication management certification.
- 999 escalation protocol — written procedures for emergency hospital transfer.
Every product and device is CE-marked and sourced from authorised UK distributors. The clinic holds full professional indemnity insurance covering all treatments.
CONSENT
Consent, Privacy & Your Rights
Before any treatment you have a full written consultation covering medical history, contraindications, realistic outcomes and the associated risks. Treatment only proceeds with informed, documented consent. If you have a concern, raise it with me directly; if it is not resolved, you can escalate to the General Medical Council.
Your consultation, any treatment and your review are all conducted by the same doctor. There are no hand-offs.
Reviewed September 2026. Dr Chike Emeagi, GMC No. 4418489. Regulatory position correct at date of review; licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England is subject to change.
FAQ's
Frequently Asked Questions
Are hip dips normal?
Yes. They are the visible gap between the top of the pelvis and the top of the thigh bone, and whether you can see them depends on the width of your pelvis, the position of the femur and how much soft tissue sits over that frame. A majority of women and many men have them. They are not related to weight or fitness in any simple way and they are not a sign that anything is wrong.
Can you get rid of hip dips?
Not without surgery, because the cause is the shape of the skeleton. Strength training builds the gluteus medius and minimus, which sit in the dip, and softens it modestly over months. Fat transfer surgery can fill it, at surgical risk. Injections marketed as a non-surgical fix carry risks I am not prepared to expose patients to, and I do not offer them.
Can hip dips be filled with filler?
It is done, and I advise against it. Filling a hip dip takes 50 to 200 ml of hyaluronic acid per side, far beyond the volumes the products are designed for. Migration, lumps, infection and tissue damage have all been reported, and there is no reversal that works reliably at that volume. I do not offer it and I would not have it done to a member of my family.
Does Sculptra work for hip dips?
Poly-L-lactic acid stimulators such as Sculptra are excellent in the face and hands at the volumes they are designed for. Used in the hips they are off-label, need very large volumes, and the evidence for this indication is poor, with nodules and irregularity reported. I use Sculptra in the face and do not use it for hip dips.
What exercises help hip dips?
Exercises that load the gluteus medius and minimus: side-lying hip abduction, banded lateral walks, single-leg Romanian deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats and hip thrusts, progressed with weight over three to six months. The change is modest and it is real. It is the only intervention I recommend to everyone who asks.
Do hip dips go away with weight gain or loss?
More fat over the hip softens the dip; less reveals it. Neither is a reason to change your weight, and the dip is still there underneath. Patients on weight loss programmes sometimes notice hip dips for the first time as the fat over the frame reduces, which is expected and not a problem.
Is fat transfer to the hips safe?
It is a surgical procedure with surgical risks: infection, asymmetry, partial loss of the transferred fat and the need for revision, and in the buttock region specifically, fat embolism, which has caused deaths. It is the only route that reliably fills a dip and it belongs with a consultant plastic surgeon after a proper discussion of those risks. I can refer you.
Will HIFU or skin tightening change my hip dips?
No. HIFU and RF microneedling tighten skin. If the skin over the hip and outer thigh is loose or crepey, they improve it. They do not change the contour of the bone or the muscle underneath, and any clinic suggesting otherwise for hip dips is selling the wrong treatment.
Why do you not offer hip dip injections when other clinics do?
Because the complication rate at those volumes is not acceptable to me, the products are not designed for it, and the result is not reliable. Demand is not a reason to perform a treatment. I would rather tell you honestly what your options are and lose the booking.
What does the consultation cost and what do I get?
£50, redeemed in full against any treatment you choose on the day or later. You get a 30-minute examination, an honest explanation of what your hip contour is made of, what would and would not change it, and a written summary. If skin tightening is appropriate, I quote it; if not, you leave with advice and nothing to buy.
Arrange an honest consultation about hip dips
If hip dips bother you and you want a doctor’s opinion rather than a sales pitch, book a consultation. I will explain what is and is not possible, and the fee is redeemed against any treatment you choose. Patients come from West Hampstead, NW6 and across North London. Related: Flat bottom, Cellulite, Stubborn fat.
VISIT US
Our London Clinic
- Hampstead Aesthetics West Hampstead, London NW6
- Call us 020 3196 7222
- WhatsApp 07869 730 159
- Email: info@hampsteadaesthetics.com
- Opening hours: Mon–Fri 9am–7pm, Sat 10am–5pm, Sunday closed
Reviewed by Dr Chiké Emeagi, MBBS, MRCGP, MRCS, GMC No. 4418489.
Last reviewed September 2026. This page is for information only and does not replace a medical consultation. Results vary between individuals and are not guaranteed. All treatments carry potential risks, which are discussed before any procedure. Prices are taken from the clinic price list at the date of review. Hampstead Aesthetics, 269 West End Lane, West Hampstead, London NW6 1QS.
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