Hip dips are not a new type of tortilla chip, a new dancing routine, or anything else, they are the newest body part the internet appears to be making people feel horrible about.

In the previous year, our perception of our attractiveness has declined significantly. More than half of U.K. individuals actually felt “worse” about their body image, according to a 2021 study commissioned by the House of Commons Committee.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the world of social media has created a new body phenomenon to worry about: hip dips. This is in line with the “thigh gap” and “thighbrow” body trends. The “hip dip” craze has gained popularity in recent years, but during the lockdown, it became even more of a physical obsession, with the hashtag #hipdips being used more than 50,000 times on Instagram alone. Additionally, 40,000 of you on average look for the term each month, according to Google analytics.

What is the origin of the hip dip craze? What a (not) surprise, it’s primarily social media-based. It’s one of many non-problematic aspects of a healthy body that are highlighted and humiliated within the toxic diet and body-shaming culture, like not having a thigh gap, a thighbrow, those two lower back dimples, etc.

We’re all for focusing on our lower halves in a positive way, which includes toning your glutes to accentuate your booty. However, with the internet attempting to legitimize hip dips, all we actually want to provide is accurate information to prevent you from believing anything you read or see on social media.

So, What Are Hip DIps?

Hip dips, also known as “violin hips” or, in fancy scientific jargon, “trochanteric depressions,” are the colloquial term for the inward depression—or curve—along the side of your body, right below the hip bone.

What Causes Hip Dips?

In a nutshell, your genetics are to blame for hip dips. They are comfortingly described to us as a “totally normal anatomical phenomena” by Dr. Ross Perry, the medical director of CosmedicsUK. He says: “They are created when one’s hip bone is placed higher than his or her femur, causing fat and muscle to cave inward.”

The skeletal structure of a person’s pelvis, the width of their hips, and their overall body fat and muscle distribution will all have an impact on how visible their hip dips are when viewed externally, according to Dee Hammond-Blackburn, a personal trainer at OriGym(opens in new tab). For every single body part, that is essentially true.

The important thing to understand is that hip dips are not an indication of being obese or physically unfit.

Hip Dips vs Love Handles

The term “love handles,” commonly referred to as a “muffin top,” describes extra fat that builds up on one’s abdomen’s sides. Since they are situated far higher on the body, near the waistline, they are different from hip dips. However, some people are just more genetically predisposed to having love handles than others, similar to hip dips.

Are Hip Dips Good Or Bad?

It’s a frequent misconception that having hip dips, or not having hip dips, indicates how healthy you are. Hip dips are related to the shape of your bones, as we’ve already mentioned. You won’t be surprised to learn that there is something that cannot be altered.

Your hips may appear different from someone else’s hips, including your hip dips, because of the variety in pelvis forms.

Can You Get Rid Of Hip Dips?

Before continuing, we’d want to reiterate that there is absolutely nothing wrong with hip dips, and that while working out to increase muscle mass and reduce body fat will help minimize their appearance, it won’t totally eliminate them. You should find peace with that.

What you can do is concentrate on lower body exercises that use numerous muscle groups, such as squats and lunges, and substitute isolation exercises, such as fire hydrants and clams, as needed.

But be sure to concentrate on building your entire lower body, not just your glutes. Hip dips are only one aspect of life, and the same is true for fitness.

Due to the intense amount of booty squeezing, hamstring, hip, and leg work dancers perform, hip dips are occasionally referred to as “dancer’s dents.” We can’t guarantee a ballerina’s butt, but we can give you some pointers on how to tone it.