You’ve probably spent a good amount of time staring in the mirror, wondering why there’s a small inward curve between your high hip and your upper thigh. It’s frustrating. You do the squats. You try the fire hydrants. You buy the "glute-building" leggings. And yet, that little indentation remains. Honestly, the obsession with getting rid of hip dips has become one of the most profitable—and misleading—trends in the modern fitness world.
Here is the thing: they aren't a flaw.
They’re literally just bone. Specifically, hip dips (the medical term is "trochanteric depressions") are the natural result of how your pelvis is shaped and how your femur—the thigh bone—is positioned in the socket. If you have a wider pelvis or a higher "greater trochanter," that gap is going to be more visible. It doesn't matter if you have 5% body fat or 30%; if your skeleton is built that way, the dip is going to exist.
The Biological Reality of the Dip
Your body isn't a slab of clay. You can't just "fill in" a gap that exists because of where your ilium meets your hip joint. When people talk about getting rid of hip dips, they are often fighting against their own DNA. Dr. Sandra Galea, a sports medicine specialist, often points out that the visibility of these indentations depends heavily on the distance between the iliac crest and the greater trochanter of the femur.
If that distance is large, you get a dip.
If it’s short, your skin and muscle might appear smoother.
But wait. What about muscle? Can't you just "build out" the side of your hip? This is where things get tricky. The primary muscle in that area is the gluteus medius. While you can certainly strengthen and grow the glute medius, it is a relatively thin, fan-shaped muscle. It doesn't have the "bulking" potential of the gluteus maximus (the big part of your butt). You can train it until you’re blue in the face, but it’s never going to magically migrate into the space where your bone isn't.
Why Fat Distribution Matters More Than You Think
It isn't just about bones. Your body stores fat where it wants to, not where your Instagram feed says it should. For some people, fat settles right above the dip (the "love handle" area) or right below it (the "saddlebag" area). This makes the indentation look way deeper than it actually is.
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You can't spot-reduce fat.
That is a hard truth. Doing a thousand side-lying leg raises will not melt the fat off your outer thighs. If you lose overall body fat, the dip might actually become more prominent because there is less padding covering the skeletal structure. Or, if you gain weight, it might fill in. It's a total toss-up based on your genetics.
Common Myths That Just Won't Die
You’ve seen the "7-Day Hip Dip Fix" videos. They’re everywhere. Most of them are clickbait garbage designed to sell booty bands or overpriced supplements.
Myth 1: Squats will fix it. Actually, squats primarily target the gluteus maximus and quads. While they're great for overall leg strength, they do almost nothing for the lateral (side) indentation of the hip.
Myth 2: It’s a sign of being out of shape. Nope. Many elite athletes and professional dancers have incredibly prominent hip dips. When you have high muscle tone and low body fat, the contours of your skeleton become more obvious, not less.
Myth 3: Special creams or massage can "smooth" them. This is just predatory marketing. No cream is going to change the position of your femur or the width of your pelvis.
How to Actually Improve the Appearance of Your Hips
If you still want to focus on getting rid of hip dips—or at least minimizing their look—you have to be smart about it. Forget the "quick fixes." You need to focus on hypertrophy (muscle growth) in specific areas to create a more "shelf-like" look at the top of the glutes.
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The gluteus medius and gluteus minimus are your targets. These muscles are responsible for abduction (moving your leg away from your body) and internal/external rotation.
Effective Exercises for Lateral Glutes
Don't just do mindless reps. Focus on time under tension.
- Cable Hip Abductions: These are superior to floor exercises because the cable provides constant resistance. Stand sideways to a cable machine, strap the cuff to your outer ankle, and kick out slowly.
- Clamshells (with a twist): Most people do these wrong. They swing their hips open. To make it count, keep your hips "stacked" and perpendicular to the floor. Use a heavy resistance band.
- Curtsy Lunges: This move hits the glute medius in a way that standard lunges can't. It forces the stabilizer muscles on the side of your hip to fire.
- Weighted Lateral Step-Ups: Find a bench. Step up sideways. This isn't just cardio; it's a massive strength builder for the side of your glutes.
The Role of Diet and Body Composition
Since we know we can't change the bone, we have to look at the "filler." If you are in a massive calorie deficit, you won't build the muscle needed to change your silhouette. You need protein. Lots of it. Aim for about 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight if you're trying to build that "glute shelf."
Also, consider your hydration. Dehydrated skin looks thinner and less "plump," which can make any skeletal indentations look sharper. It sounds basic, but drinking enough water and keeping your skin moisturized actually makes a subtle difference in how your body's surface looks under harsh gym lighting.
Surgical Options and Their Risks
Because the "BBL" (Brazilian Butt Lift) era took over the internet, many people are turning to plastic surgery to fill their hip dips. Surgeons use fat grafting—taking fat from your stomach or back and injecting it into the trochanteric depression.
It is expensive.
It is also one of the most dangerous cosmetic procedures if not performed by a board-certified expert. Fat embolisms are a real risk. Furthermore, the fat doesn't always "take." Your body might reabsorb 30% to 50% of the injected fat within the first year, leaving you right back where you started, but with a thinner wallet.
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Dermal fillers like Sculptra are another "non-surgical" option. These are injections that stimulate collagen production to add volume. They are less invasive than a BBL, but they require multiple sessions and can cost upwards of $5,000 to $10,000. And again, they aren't permanent. Your body will eventually break down the filler.
Why the "Solution" Might Be Your Mindset
Social media is a lie.
I know you know that, but it's worth repeating. Most of the influencers you see with perfectly round, "dip-less" hips are using specific posing techniques. They’re tilting their pelvis, popping one leg forward, and—let's be real—using Facetune. If you stand completely straight and face the camera head-on, almost everyone has some degree of a dip.
The "Instagram pose" involves pushing the hips back and slightly to the side. This compresses the tissue and hides the skeletal gap. Don't compare your "standing in the bathroom" reflection to someone's "third-retake-under-professional-lighting" photo.
Actionable Steps for a Stronger Silhouette
Instead of chasing an impossible anatomical change, focus on these tangible goals:
- Prioritize Progressive Overload: Don't just do 20 reps of the same exercise every day. Increase the weight or the resistance every two weeks. Muscle only grows when it's challenged.
- Stop Chasing "Tone": "Toning" is a fake word. You either build muscle or you lose fat. To fill out the hip area, you need to build muscle, which means eating at a slight caloric surplus or at least at maintenance.
- Focus on Functional Strength: Having strong glute medius muscles isn't just about looks. It prevents knee pain, improves your running form, and keeps your pelvis stable as you age.
- Check Your Posture: Sometimes, an anterior pelvic tilt (where your butt sticks out and your lower back arches excessively) can make hip dips look more pronounced by shifting how the skin hangs over the bone. Strengthening your core can help bring your pelvis into a more neutral alignment.
- Wear Clothes That Make You Feel Good: If the dips bother you, certain cuts of clothing help. High-waisted leggings with a thick compression band can smooth the transition between the waist and hip. A-line skirts or "mom" jeans provide more volume around the hips, naturally camouflaging the area.
At the end of the day, your hip dips are just a part of your skeleton. You wouldn't try to "get rid of" your collarbone or your wrist bone. Treat your hips with the same logic. Build the muscle because it makes you strong and capable, but don't expect it to rewrite your genetic blueprint. Focus on the "shelf" (the gluteus maximus) and the "side" (gluteus medius), eat your protein, and let your body settle into its most powerful version.
Success in fitness isn't about erasing a curve; it's about the strength of the person carrying it. Change your programming to include heavy lateral movements twice a week and stop checking the mirror for a gap that is supposed to be there.