Temple Hollowing (Atrophy)

What is temple hollowing?

Temple hollowing, also known as temporal atrophy or temporal wasting occurs when the temple shrinks causing a hollowed out appearance to the temple. When severe, it can give your head the shape of a peanut.

Women rarely know they have temple hollowing; they simply know they look less attractive. This is because temple hollowing changes the shape of your face from a “heart” to a “rectangle”. Treating this area can easily restore your “heart” shaped face and  can also “lift” your brows, making your eyes look larger.

What causes temple hollowing?

Temple hollowing commonly occurs in healthy people in the early 40’s. It is most common in average size and thin women. The normal subcutaneous fat and temporalis muscle that are located in the temples atrophy (shrink). It can also be caused by malnutrition and chronic diseases.

How can I treat temple hollowing?

By becoming obese!  Excess fat will fill the temples. Obviously this is not a good option. At Physical and Aesthetic Medicine we use Voluma and Sculptra injections to “fill” the hollowed out area of the temples.

What is the procedure like?

You will first have a consultation with Dr. Kuhlman or Jodi Wilhelm, CNP to make sure you are a good candidate. Photographs will be taken and the temples properly cleaned. An ice pack will be applied for a minute before the injections (which contain lidocaine) are given. Voluma or Sculptra will be injected deep under the temporalis muscle at one to three sites per temple.

When will I see results?

With Voluma, the results are immediate. With Sculptra it can take several weeks.

How long will the results last?

Voluma and Sculptra typically last 2 years. However, several physicians worldwide have reported improvement for 4 years following voluma injections in the temple. It is believed that it lasts longer because the injections are deep under the muscle and there is no movement in this area to break it down.

Is the treatment comfortable?

Most patients state it is about a 4 on a 1-10 pain scale. However, the injections only take a few minutes and thus are much easier than other filler injections that require several minutes to complete.

What are potential side effects?

Mild temporary pain and swelling should be expected. Bruising is rare. Infection or significant injury to blood vessels are rare but possible complications.

How much does it cost?

The fee depends on the amount of filler given. Sculptra and Voluma are the 2 most expensive fillers we offer. Because the injections require minimal time to inject and most clients require more than one vial, we reduce the cost from $700 per vial to $600 per vial for temple injections.

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