Hi doctor,
In this lesson, we’re diving into temple filler — a treatment that’s often overlooked but incredibly powerful when it comes to facial balancing and rejuvenation. Temple hollowing can make a face look tired, skeletal, or aged — and by restoring volume there, we can subtly lift and soften the whole face.
Let me walk you through how I approach temple augmentation, from anatomy and product choice to technique and safety — just like I would if we were side by side in clinic.
🧠 Let’s Start With the Anatomy
The temple might look simple from the outside, but it’s actually a multi-layered zone with some very important structures.
Here’s what you need to remember:
- The temporal fossa is a concave area made up of the temporal bone and surrounded by strong muscles and fascia.
- There are two key planes we work in:
- Deep: Supraperiosteal (over the bone)
- Superficial: Just under the dermis, within the subcutaneous fat
- Important structures:
- Superficial temporal artery: runs vertically, anterior to the tragus
- Temporal branch of the facial nerve
- Deep temporal vessels (if injecting deep)
- Temporalis muscle — this can atrophy with age, creating the hollow
This area can be forgiving in some ways — but dangerous if you inject blindly or too deep without awareness.
✅ Who Needs Temple Filler?
A good candidate:
- Has noticeable concavity or hollowing in the temples
- Looks skeletal or sunken from the side or 45° angle
- Has visible volume loss around the upper face
- Wants subtle, natural rejuvenation without surgery
It’s especially effective for:
- Slim patients with high cheekbones
- Women over 40 who’ve lost soft tissue support in the upper face
- Balancing facial proportions (especially when doing cheeks or jawline)
💉 What Filler Do I Use?
Product selection matters here because:
- The skin is thin, especially in the superficial plane
- The area can be mobile, especially with muscle movement
- You often need a larger volume, but also need control and smoothness
For
Deep Injection
(supraperiosteal):
- Choose a filler with high G prime (firm structure)
- Examples:
- Restylane Lyft
- Juvéderm Voluma
- Radiesse (if you’re experienced and want a collagen-stimulating effect — not reversible)
For
Superficial Injection
:
- Use a soft, moldable filler
- Examples:
- Teosyal RHA 2 or 3
- Belotero Balance
- Restylane Refyne
Start with small volumes — usually 0.3–0.5 mL per side — and always assess as you go.
✍️ Injection Techniques
There are two primary techniques: Cannula and Needle. Let’s break both down.
🔹 Cannula Technique (My preferred method)
- Use a 25G or 22G blunt cannula, 50mm is ideal
- Entry point: around the lateral brow or hairline, depending on angle
- Insert in the deep plane, all the way to periosteum
- Inject using retrograde threads or fanning technique
- For additional blending or contouring, you can do a second pass in the superficial fat layer
✅ Cannula is safer — especially for avoiding the superficial temporal artery.
🔸 Needle Technique (Use with caution)
- Use a 27G or 30G needle
- Inject small boluses or linear threads
- Stay either deep to bone or superficial subcutaneous — but never in the middle (risk zone)
Only use this technique if you’ve had solid experience in vascular mapping and safe injection depth control.
🛑 Key Tips to Avoid Complications
- Always aspirate, especially with needle injections
- Use slow, controlled injection pressure
- Avoid high-volume bolus injections
- Start low — temple overfilling causes lateral bulging, which is hard to correct
- Watch out for vascular occlusion signs (pain, blanching, livedo reticularis)
📋 Post-Injection Aftercare
What I tell patients:
- Minor swelling or tenderness is normal
- Don’t press or massage the area unless instructed
- No exercise or heat for 24–48 hours
- Sleep with the head slightly elevated the first night
Final results are visible after about 1–2 weeks once swelling resolves.
⚠️ Complications to Watch For
| Problem | What It Means | What To Do |
|---|---|---|
| Artery occlusion | Intravascular injection | Hyaluronidase (if HA), emergency protocol |
| Lumpiness | Too superficial or uneven product | Massage or dissolve if needed |
| Asymmetry | Uneven injection volume or angle | Touch up on follow-up |
| Temporal headache | Injected into or near temporalis | Wait, ice, or NSAIDs if needed |
👨⚕️ Final Thoughts
Temple filler might not be the most popular treatment your patients ask for — but once you know how to do it well, it becomes one of the most effective for facial harmony. It subtly lifts the lateral face, restores contour, and complements treatments like cheek, brow, or jawline filler.
Remember: start slow, know your layers, and prioritize safety over speed.
🎓 Want to Learn More?
If you want to see exactly how I perform this injection step-by-step — including live video demonstrations, product selection rationale, cannula angles, and anatomical landmarks — you can get access to the full online video course now.
I’ve created a complete training for licensed medical professionals who want to master temple augmentation — all online, no in-person training needed.
👉 Click here to join now:
🔗 Temple Filler Masterclass – Enroll Now (Insert your Kajabi course link)
See you inside the course!