A centralizer for use in a wellbore includes a body for disposing around a periphery of a downhole tubular. The body has a plurality of bow springs biased toward an expanded position and a pair of end rings connecting the bow springs. The centralizer further includes an indentation or row of indentation segments formed in a surface of and along each bow spring. The indentations or indentation segments are operable to reduce a stiffness of the centralizer as the bow springs move from the expanded position to a restricted position.