Filler for the Temples
Creating Balanced Volume with Temple Fillers
For far too long, doctors and patients alike have focused on the easy targets when using fillers. Lines and folds should not be the main focus.
This blog post will review some key points about an overlooked treatment option that can provide tremendous benefit to many patients without the risk of looking “done.”
Why
Each patient’s face should be treated with an overall aesthetic improvement in mind. By analyzing and then treating the face as a whole it is far easier to acheive a global aesthetic improvement and provide a more balanced and youthful look instead of picking and choosing areas to overfill (which is unfortunately done far too often).
A simple concept for the use of fillers is to attempt to bring the focus back to the eyes. Restoring the proper balance to the face brings a youthful fullness higher to the cheeks and draws attention to the patient’s eyes. Width and fullness should taper as we move down the face. As a normal part of aging, the fullness in the cheeks sinks in then drops creating a bottom-heavy appearance. At the same time we naturally lose volume just above in the temples which accentuates the volume loss of aging.
How
There are 2 main decisions to make after carefully analyzing your individual anatomy. We need to decide on which filler (or combination of fillers) to use and exactly where to place them to get the best results.
Hyaluronic acid gel fillers are the most popular choices and are an excellent option for this area. The latest advanced techniques inlcude the use of a blended mix of a soft filler such as Restylane Refyne with a custom mix of added saline. This filler can be placed close to the surface to restore the natural cushioning where the fat pads under the skin have lost volume. We often combine this technique with a deeper placement of a sturdy filler like Restylane Lyft to address more hollowing within the temple.
HA filler injections in the temples can be performed with a blunt tipped cannula technique for minimal discomfort and very little risk of bruising.
Sculptra is another treatement option that works well in this area. This collagen stimulator encourages your body to regrow collagen and restore lost volume for a more long-lasting result. Sculptra requires a series of treatments over a few months, and the technique used is similar to that with the Restylane products.
Fat injections are a third option for adding volume to the temples.
Dysport or Botox can also be used to for softening wrinkles around the eyes and forehead for an overall improved look that complements the result of filler near these areas.
What to Expect After
The treatment itself is quick and easy. A small amount of numbing medication (lidocaine) is added for comfort at the injection sites. Because of the lidocaine mixed in with the filler all patients need to expect that the muscles that normally raise the eyebrows will be affected by the lidocaine for a few hours. This looks and feels similar to what you would expect if you had way too much Dysport or Botox to the forehead.
When using Restylane fillers or Sculptra there is typically some added saline or lidocaine mixed in with the filler, so you need to expect a small amount of extra volume that will be reabsorbed quickly. For this reason, it is best to plan for a follow up appointment a few weeks after a treatment to check on everything after the filler has settled in some.
Some mild swelling is normal. Bruising is uncommon but can occur. As with any filler injections it is common to have some mild soreness in the area. We also suggest that patients refrain from exercise for 24 hours, but you can resume all of your normal activity after that.
If you are considering temple fillers in Charleston, contact Dr. Rodwell today to discuss your candidacy.