Woman reveals why she paid £1500 for surgery to create dimples like Cheryl and Ariana Grande

Jo spent years poking her fingers in her face to see what dimples would look like.

Longing for cute dimples like singers Ariana Grande and Cheryl, an employment consultant who spent years poking her fingers into her cheeks to see how they would look has paid £1,500 to have them created surgically.

It took three attempts before Jo Martin, 49, from Mirfield, West Yorkshire, achieved the pronounced indents she desired using a procedure called a dimpleplasty, where a hole is made in the cheek and a stitch is pulled through.

But Jo, who has always been happy with her youthful skin and general look, said: “I wasn’t unhappy about my looks, I just wanted dimples.”

Jo before her surgery (Collect/PA Real Life)

She continued: “I’m so pleased with how they look now and I think it has really softened my smile.

“I’ve had nothing but positive comments. People really notice that there is something different about my face. I think it’s money well spent.”

When two years ago, Jo came across the dimpleplasty procedure online, she immediately started looking into it.

Jo before her dimpleplasty procedure (Collect/PA Real Life)

She laughed: “I just think dimples are really sweet. They make a smile.

“I always wanted them and it always caught my eye when I saw other people with little dimples. I would look in the mirror and put my fingers in my face to create little dents.”

But having surgery was a big decision and not one Jo wanted to rush into.

Jo before her dimpleplasty procedure (Collect/PA Real Life)

She said: “I have never had surgery before. People do say I look young for my age, so I have never needed to, but this is something I just thought would look nice.

“I took a long time to think about it and researched before booking it at the Medical Arts for Cosmetic Surgery in London in April 2018.

“The surgeon there, Shailesh Vadodaria, has been doing these procedures for about a decade, so I felt like he was very experienced.”

Jo on her wedding day, after the first failed attempt (Collect/PA Real Life)

“I got in touch with them and they were very nice and extremely helpful, so it felt like the right decision to go with them,” she added.

“I was getting married in May to my partner, who I do not wish to name, so I wanted to have it done before then.”

After having the 15-20 minute procedure under a local anaesthetic, Jo was home a few hours later, experiencing very slight pain and bruising.

Jo on the way home from the procedure (Collect/PA Real Life)

But the dents did not stay in place, so, after consulting with the surgeon, she went through the procedure again.

She said: “It just hadn’t taken, which is nothing to do with the surgery. It just depends on the type of tissue and, obviously, each person is different.

“I had it down again about seven weeks later and it was really straight forward but, once more, the results weren’t quite perfect, so in the end, I went for a third time about seven weeks after that.”

Jo on the way home from the procedure (Collect/PA Real Life)

She added: “It was third time lucky, because it turned out perfect. I have lovely little indents and both the surgeon and I are really happy.”

Now finally embracing her new smile, Jo has been showered with compliments.

She said: “Not everyone realises exactly what has changed but they tell me I look really well.”

Jo's new dimples (Collect/PA Real Life)

She continued: “Some of my clients have even told me how nice my smile is. I know that some people might think it’s a waste of money but it was something I wanted and it has made me happier.”

Despite being happy with her looks, after such a positive outcome, Jo says she would now consider having more surgery in the future.

She said: “I’m turning 50 next year, but most people say I look much younger, so I don’t feel like I need anything else right now.”

Jo after her surgery, showing her new dimples (Collect/PA Real Life)

“But I would absolutely consider having surgery in the future. I think that if my eyelids start to drop, I would have those lifted,” she added.

“The team at MACS were great and they really did make this so much easier. They were so kind and really worked around what I wanted so I would feel confident going back there.”

For more information about the procedure, visit www.dimplecreations.co.uk

CHICAGO (AP) — Connor Bedard is back. The rest of the Chicago Blackhawks, well, that's a day-to-day situation at the moment.

Bedard played Friday night against Washington in his first game since he hurt his right shoulder on a draw during a 3-2 loss at St. Louis on Dec. 12. But the Blackhawks were hit hard by an illness that swept through their locker room, leaving them without their top two goaltenders.

The 20-year-old Bedard recorded four shots on goal while skating for more than 17 minutes in a 5-1 loss to the Capitals. He didn't take any faceoffs, and coach Jeff Blashill said that is the plan for the foreseeable future.

“I thought he played solid," Blashill said. "I thought he got better as the game went along, which is probably to be expected. I think part of it is trying to feel out what's going to hurt and what's not. So I know he felt probably more comfortable at the end than he did at the beginning.”

Bedard ranked among the NHL leaders with 19 goals and 25 assists at the time of the injury. The Blackhawks went 5-6-1 while he was out.

The No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft got a big ovation from the United Center crowd when he was announced with the starting lineup.

“I felt fine,” Bedard said. “I think it was kind of one of those games where the puck was kind of bouncing around a little bit, tough to get a lot of crisp pucks."

Bedard returned at an opportune time for a team that had to scramble to fill out their lineup for the matchup with the Capitals.

Goaltenders Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom, along with forward Ilya Mikheyev, defenseman Louis Crevier and forward Sam Lafferty, were scratched. Blashill missed the morning skate, but he was behind the bench for the game.

Bedard was activated from injured reserve, and defenseman Kevin Korchinski and goaltender Drew Commesso were recalled from Rockford of the American Hockey League. Commesso made 19 saves in his second career NHL start, while Dave Nozzolillo served as his emergency backup. Korchinski, the No. 7 pick in the 2022 draft, skated for almost 14 minutes in his first game with Chicago since April 15.

The Blackhawks play again on Saturday night in Nashville.

“I do not know how I am going to deal with the goalies for tomorrow,” he said. “I don't know for sure who's available to me yet.”

Bedard and fellow center Frank Nazar were shelved during a stretch of 10 losses in 12 games for Chicago. But the Blackhawks had won a season-high four in a row before the loss to the Capitals.

Nazar, who turns 22 on Wednesday, is skating again, but there has been no word on when he might return to the lineup. He was hit in the face by a puck during a 6-4 loss at Ottawa on Dec. 20.

Bedard also missed part of his rookie season with a broken jaw, but he played in all 82 games last year.

“No one wants to have anything happen, but it's part of the game,” Bedard said after Friday's morning skate. “You just got to try to take that time to get better.”

Bedard's fast start moved him into contention for a spot on Team Canada for the Winter Olympics. But he was left off the roster when it was announced last week.

Bedard still could make the trip to Italy if he is needed as an injury replacement.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/NHL

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard attends warmups before an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard warms up before an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Hockey fans hold a sign as Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard warms up before an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard warms up before an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)