At A Glance Temple Enhancement
- Best Results1-2 sessions
- Treatment RecoveryImmediate
- Procedure Time30 minutes
- Skin SpecialistDermatologist, Nurse Injector
- Duration of Results24 months+
- AnaestheticNumbing in the hydration treatment
- Back to WorkImmediately
- Cost$$- $$$
Temples
Changes in the temple region can influence overall facial balance and the way light and shadow fall across the upper face. Over time, natural reductions in soft tissue, bone support, and muscle volume may create hollowing in this area. Supporting volume and structure within the temples can help restore smoother facial contours, soften shadowing, and reconnect the visual flow between the brow, orbit, and cheek.
FactsTemple treatments: The facts
- The temple forms a visual continuation of the orbit & cheek
- As we age, the temple becomes hollow & ‘volume depleted’
- Treatments can help reduce shadows
- Most importantly, treatments in this area can influence the shape & height of the eyebrow
- The temple area forms a ‘C’ shaped curve from the cheeks, cheek bone to the outer brow
- Facial harmony gives the most natural results
Why temples & what can treatments achieve?
Improving temple shadows & hollowing. This is especially important if the contours of the upper third is ‘pinched’. (In the industry we refer to this contour as ‘peanut silhouette -head.’ The description is self-explanatory.
Lifting the outer eyebrow; especially important if the tail of the lateral (outer) brow is weak. Subtle filling restores the curves, & in most cases can give a brow lift to the outer brow.
The ‘C’ Contour of the brows & cheek & the S Ogee curve that ties in the upper cheeks, temples & outer brow. Contours are best seen from an oblique angle. The gentle convex curved temple & brow area is rounded in youth. As we age & lose volume, these natural curves collapse resulting in loss of the attractive facial aesthetics of the Ogee curve.
What causes temporal hollowing - sunken temples?
Most cases are due to age related decrease in temporal fat in addition to less bone & muscle in the temples. A lean body mass index (especially in females) can lead to temporal hollowing. This is common amongst high level athletes & long-distance runners.
As a comparison, refer to photographs of your temples in your early 20s. Most people will have ‘full’ temples. As we age, temples become deflated & curves are lost.
How to approach temple treatment?
A personalised consultation is essential to determine suitability and discuss available options. Where clinically appropriate, carefully selected techniques may be used to support structure and contour in the temple region.
View our Treatment Gallery
Do I use fat transfer or fat grafting in the temples?
Yes. There are advantages & disadvantages of fat. The main advantages of fat is the amount of VOLUME it generates, additionally we use your own body’s supply – hence no concerns over allergies. The disadvantage of fat is that we don’t know how much will be reabsorbed. Most cases of fat transfer will last upwards of 10+ years or longer (depending on metabolism & weight).
What are the risks of treating this area?
All non-surgical procedures carry some form of risks, however the aim is to mitigate potential side effects. This is especially important in the vessel rich area of the temples.
- Swelling (often mild, less than 24 to 48 hours)
- Bruising
- Prominent veins (these veins are superficial, hydration treatment deep to these vessels can potentially ‘push’ them to the surface. Can be corrected with long pulse 1064 Nd Yag vascular laser, if required
- There have been cases of arterial injection in the temple area. This phenomenon is exceptionally rare. Knowledge of anatomy as well as safe injection techniques can greatly minimise this risk. HA hydrating treatments are reversible with an enzyme called Hyalase
Davin’s viewpoint on hydrating treatments in the temple zone
Truth be told, if you wear your hair down, the temple region is often not the ideal starting point when considering skin-supporting or contour-focused treatments. The temples form part of the upper one third of facial aesthetics and play a key role in eye area harmony, as the position and shape of the lateral brow are closely linked to underlying temple structure.
In clinical practice, treatment planning is individualised and other facial regions are commonly addressed first. That said, in patients with naturally narrow or hollowed temples, changes in adjacent areas such as the cheekbone or lateral cheek may accentuate the perception of upper-face volume loss.
Temple hollowing can be genetic, age related (often over 35s), or more commonly seen in high level athletes. A high metabolism and low body fat composition can lead to temple hollowing.
Certain treatments in the temple area typically last 18 to 36+ months.
