A seal assembly for preventing the flow of fluid includes a rotating component having a first sealing surface, a stationary component coaxial with the rotating component and having a second sealing surface with the second sealing surface configured to form a seal with the first sealing surface of the rotating component, and indents in one of the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface. The indents are configured to control a width of a gap between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface to allow fluid to flow into the gap. At least two of the indents are at least partially aligned in the radial direction.