Using Dermal Fillers on Your Temples: What You Need to Know

Dermal fillers in your temples are largely considered safe and can be used for a variety of benefits.

However, your temples are one of the most anatomically difficult areas to inject due to the amount of vessels in the area and the kinds of vessels that are there.

One wrong injection in this area can lead to blindness. Be certain that you and your healthcare professional know and discuss any potential risks before opting for this solution.

Here’s what you can expect from injecting dermal fillers in your temples.

Fills in hollow temples

As you age, your temple areas lose fat, leading to a “hollow” look in the absence of natural volume.

Dermal fillers like hyaluronic acid can help fill in these hollows and restore volume to the temples and brow area.

Reduces wrinkles

Many dermal fillers can add volume to the temple area and plump skin up. This can help stretch out your skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles around your temples, eyes, and forehead.

Hyaluronic acid is especially suited for this purpose because your body naturally produces this substance. This means that your body can re-absorb it without causing any toxicity, with results lasting at least 12 months.

Increases skin firmness

Some dermal fillers help your body produce natural collagen that can restore the fats in your temples. They can firm up the skin and reduce wrinkles while giving the skin a more youthful look.

Poly-L-lactic acid is an example of a filler that can naturally stimulate your skin to produce collagen, resulting in a more natural firmness and reduction in wrinkles.

Has reduced procedure and recovery time

Dermal fillers in the temples only take a few minutes to inject and have a full recovery time of less than a few days. You also don’t need to be put under anesthesia or have someone take you home after the procedure.

Plastic surgery, on the other hand, requires anesthesia and, in some cases, admission to a medical facility. This can be more costly than an outpatient procedure.

Full recovery from facial surgery can sometimes take weeks and is associated with much more discomfort and complications.

Lifts your eyes

In some cases, using dermal fillers in your temples can help lift the sides of your eyes nearest to the temples.

The additional volume of dermal fillers can firm up and add volume in the skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles often called “crow’s feet” that accumulate around the eyes.

Is long-lasting but not permanent

Unlike plastic surgery, dermal fillers are temporary, lasting anywhere from 6 months to several years before needing to be redone.

This can be a downside for some, but it may be good if you end up not satisfied with your appearance or unhappy with the side effects.

You can also modify the amount of filler or exact position of the filler at different appointments in case you want to achieve different looks until you’re fully satisfied with the results.

Any kind of injectable filler has possible side effects. Some are common and not serious, as they usually go away within a week or so.

But some rarer side effects are more serious and can lead to long-term complications if not properly treated. Make sure that the medical professional you see is using FDA-approved filler, as many serious side effects have been connected to the use of unregulated, needle-free injection devices.

Common side effects

Here are some common side effects near the injection site that are mild and usually go away within 1 to 2 weeks:

• swelling
• redness
• pain
• bruising
• rash
• itching

Rare side effects

Here are some more rare but serious side effects:

While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several dermal fillers, they haven’t approved any of them specifically for use in the temples. This is an off-label use for these products and must be used with caution by a trained provider.

Here are the following dermal fillers that are approved by the FDA for use in other areas:

• hyaluronic acid (Juvéderm and Restylane), which is mainly FDA approved for cheeks, chin, dorsal hands, lips, perioral lines, nasolabial folds for moderate to severe facial wrinkles
• calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse), which is approved for nasolabial folds and dorsal hands
• poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) (Sculptra Aesthetic), which is approved for nasolabial folds
• polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and collagen (Bellafill), which are approved for nasolabial folds and moderate to severe atrophic facial acne scars on the cheeks

Once you’ve completed an initial examination and medical history, here’s how the rest of the procedure will typically be done by a surgeon or specialist:

1. You’ll be taken to a clean room where you can sit or lie down.
2. The area to be injected is cleansed very well with alcohol and cleaning solutions to insure there’s no makeup or bacteria sitting on your skin.
3. A topical anesthetic will be applied, or lidocaine will be injected, into the areas where you’re receiving the fillers to reduce pain from the injection. Note that some dermal fillers, such as Radiesse, may already have lidocaine or other numbing agent in the solution.
4. A sterile syringe containing the dermal filler is prepared.
5. The surgeon or specialist will gently insert the needle into the temple area and slowly release the substance from the syringe into the temple. You may feel a brief stinging or pinching sensation when the needle goes in.
6. They’ll remove the needle and clean up any blood or leakage that comes from the injection site.
7. Your provider may also massage the area gently to make sure there are no lumps or bumps.
8. This will be repeated for each temple area. Each site may require multiple injections per visit, depending on your desired results.

Aftercare

Here’s what to do after you’ve gotten your dermal fillers:

1. Don’t sleep on your temples or put any pressure on them for a few days after your injections. Sleep on your back with your face up.
2. Don’t do any intense exercise until about 48 hours after the procedure.
3. Try not to touch your temples until any pain, swelling, or discomfort has passed.
4. Gently clean and rinse your temples regularly (at least once per day) to reduce infection risk.

Here’s an overview of the results you can expect when you get dermal fillers in your temples.

Dermal fillers in your temples typically cost about $1,500 per treatment, depending on the type of filler used and how long the treatment is meant to last. The experience and popularity of the provider may also affect cost.

Here’s a breakdown of the average price for an individual injection for some of the most popular dermal fillers, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS):

• hyaluronic acid: $644
• calcium hydroxylapatite: $687
• poly-L-lactic acid: $773
• polymethylmethacrylate beads: $859

You may also need to return for multiple injections throughout the year to sustain the appearance that you achieve with the use of these fillers.

Here are some questions you should ask before you choose a provider:

• Do they have an educational and medical background or specialization in facial cosmetic procedures?
• Are they currently licensed to practice medicine?
• Are they licensed to perform the procedure?
• Are they trained specifically in injecting dermal fillers?
• Do they have before-and-after photographs of their work specific to what you want done?
• Do they understand what look you’re going for?
• Will the provider themselves be injecting the dermal fillers or will it be delegated to another provider?

Ultimately, you should find the right person that understands what you want and an injector who you are comfortable with and trust to get the cosmetic outcome you want.

Dermal fillers in your temples can be a low-cost, relatively low-risk way of achieving a more youthful look around your eyes and brows, especially in contrast to plastic surgery or other extensive cosmetic procedures.

Dermal fillers aren’t without some risk, though. Talk to a doctor about whether it’s safe for you to get dermal fillers and how you can receive this treatment while minimizing your risk for long-term complications.