18 Feb Temple Fillers for Hollow Temples: Benefits and Risks
Temple Fillers for Hollow Temples: Benefits and Risks
When it comes to aging in the upper face; wrinkles would be the first sign that comes to our minds. Definitely, forehead lines, crows feet and glabella wrinkles are some of the earliest signs of aging. However, one region of our face that’s often overlooked, has a profound effect on our facial profile: our temples.
Our temples are located at the outer corners in the top half of our face. This natural fullness of temples gradually diminishes, contributing to a hollow or skeletal look.
The good news is that temporal hollowing or flat temples can be treated non-surgically and safely with temple fillers.
What causes hollow temples? Ageing, weight loss and facial structure can all contribute.
What causes hollow temples?
Hollow or sunken temples, also called temporal hollowing, can develop as several tissues change with age². These changes of ageing include loss of temporal fat, thinning of the skin, changes in the temporalis muscle and remodelling of the underlying bone².
Weight loss and inherited facial structure can also influence the appearance of the temples¹.
What are the benefits of temple fillers?
Hyaluronic acid fillers replenish volume loss in the temples and reduce the definition of the forehead and zygomatic arch¹. A randomised trial of temple fillers found that 80.4% of treated participants improved by at least one grade (temple hollowing scale) in both temples at three months, compared with 13.5% of untreated participants³.
For some of my patients who feel insecure about their hollow looking temples, temple fillers have restored their confidence. One of my patients remarked that she felt more confident about tying hair up at the gym after receiving temple fillers.
Can temple filler lift the eyebrows or face?
In a retrospective study of 14 patients who received temple fillers, the effects of brow lift differed according to the injection approach⁴. Some patients may notice a lift in their eyebrow after temple fillers. But this outcome is dependent on the patient’s underlying technique, extent of sagging and amount and distribution of temple fillers.
How long do temple fillers last?
The typical duration of hyaluronic acid fillers is approximately 9-12 months. I have noticed the effects of dermal fillers lasting beyond a year for some of my patients, so I do not routine recommend replenishing dermal fillers every year.
Before temple filler, your doctor should assess facial proportions previous treatments medical history and your goals.
Patient assessment before temple fillers injections?
As part of my facial analysis for patients, the upper face is evaluated together with their overall anatomy and skin health. The goal of any aesthetic treatment in my opinion, is for natural looking aesthetic results that enhance and refresh my patients’ appearances without looking distorted. During the consultation, we also discuss the distribution and estimated volume of temple fillers required to improve their hollowing; and if any other aspects of their skin health or anatomy should also be treated to improve the harmony of their results.
Can too much temple filler change your face shape?
Excessive or inappropriately placed filler can produce fullness or an uneven contours that distort a person’s appearance⁶. Hence I prefer to undercorrect my patients if ever in doubt.
My article on Telltale Signs of Too Much Filler Injections explores unwanted fullness and altered proportions. Read it alongside your treatment discussion, particularly when you are considering further filler after previous procedures.
Are temple fillers painful?
Discomfort occur during filler injections, even with local anaesthetic and fillers containing lidocaine can help reduce it⁶. Having received temple fillers more than twice myself, I’ll be honest with you- it’s tolerable but no one enjoys having a needle in their face.
Recovery after temple filler usually involves short term swelling tenderness or bruising, with review if concerns persist.
What is recovery like after temple filler?
Temporary swelling, tenderness and bruising can occur after temple filler injections ⁶. In a randomised temple filler trial, most injection site reactions were mild or moderate and resolved within a week, although individual recovery varied³. From my personal experience with temple fillers, I tend to get a headache and tightness for the first day that spontaneously resolves after.
In general for any filler injections, please avoid strenuous exercise for 24 hours after hyaluronic acid filler injections to help limit bruising and swelling⁶.
After temple filler, urgent symptoms such as vision changes severe pain or pale skin need immediate medical attention.
What are the risks of temple filler?
Possible complications include asymmetry, unwanted fullness, infection, persistent nodules and delayed inflammatory reactions⁶.
A less common but serious complication is vascular occlusion, where filler obstructs a blood vessel and compromises the tissue’s blood supply⁷. This can cause skin necrosis, and more rarely, if the vessels supplying the eye are affected, vision loss⁷,⁸. Temple injections are among the sites documented in published reports of visual complications⁸.
Which symptoms of temple fillers need urgent attention?
Severe or increasing pain, pale skin or a mottled skin pattern after filler require immediate medical assessment⁷. Sudden blurred vision or loss of vision is an emergency requiring immediate hospital assessment rather than waiting for a routine clinic review⁷,⁸.
Can temple fillers be dissolved away?
Hyaluronic acid filler can be broken down with hyaluronidase when clinically indicated, including for selected complications or unwanted results⁹. My blogpost How to Dissolve & Remove Fillers with Hyaluronidase explains the processes involved in dissolving away unwanted dermal fillers.
What are the alternatives to hyaluronic acid temple filler?
PLLA collagen biostimulators
Poly L lactic acid, or PLLA, produces a gradual tissue response that can improve volume¹⁰. A randomised trial demonstrated improvement in temple hollowing with a particular PLLA formulation, but it did not establish superiority over hyaluronic acid filler¹⁰.
The Skin Longevity Clinic’s guide to PLLA collagen biostimulator treatment explains this approach.
Fat transfer
Fat transfer uses fat taken from another part of the body to add volume to the temples¹¹. A systematic review found that published studies reported improvements, but fat retention, techniques and outcome measurements varied¹¹.
This is a surgical option requiring a separate discussion of recovery and risks¹¹. Using your own tissue does not remove the possibility of serious complications, including vascular injury and visual loss⁸,¹¹.
Conclusion on temple fillers in Singapore
Temple fillers correct hollow temples to reduce a skeletal and tired look in patients. Having administered temple fillers as an aesthetic doctor and received temple fillers to correct my own sunken temples, I’ve found treating hollow temples to be very underrated in improving a person’s facial harmony. If you’d like to know about temple filler treatments with me, please read my clinic guide to temple filler in Singapore.
Journal references
- Hong GW, Wan J, Choi W, Yi KH. Life. 2025;15(2):266. PubMed: 40003675.
- Müller DS, Prinz V, Sulovsky M, Cajkovsky M, Cotofana S, Frank K. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2021;20(6):1634 to 1642. PubMed: 33773034.
- Montes JR, Hooper D, Jones D, et al. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2025;156(1):25e to 36e. PubMed: 39808069.
- Casabona G, Frank K, Moellhoff N, et al. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2020;19(11):2830 to 2837. PubMed: 32946624.
- De Boulle K, Heydenrych I. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology. 2015;8:205 to 214. PubMed: 25926750.
- Signorini M, Liew S, Sundaram H, et al. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2016;137(6):961e to 971e. PubMed: 27219265.
- Murray G, Convery C, Walker L, Davies E. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. 2021;14(5):E61 to E69. PubMed: 34188752.
- Foster J, Aakalu VK, Freitag SK, et al. Ophthalmology. 2025;132(8):935 to 944. PubMed: 40167411.
- Murray G, Convery C, Walker L, Davies E. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. 2021;14(8):E69 to E75. PubMed: 34840662.
- Chang G, Tan Z, Ting W, et al. Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 2026;46(6):652 to 662. DOI: 10.1093/asj/sjag013.
- Nasim S, Nasim H, Kauke M, Safi AF. Frontiers in Surgery. 2024;11:1410162. PubMed: 39371685.
No Comments