Is Temporal Augmentation Safe?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in temporal augmentation but I have questions regarding it and how it may be used for hollowed temples and cheeks on one side of the face. It appears to myself that the areas where the buccal fat pad would sit on one side of the face is abnormally thin. This contributes to a visibly old-like or sick appearance one one side of the face, but the other half looks healthy and normal for a young adult. My concern is more so on the temples than the cheeks. Is there enough protection of the temples on that side? (are there concerns regarding temple injuries) It also concerns me that I look “unhealthy” and abnormal because of it. What do you suggest for my temporal augmentation? Thank you for your time.

A: Temporal augmentation surgery is very safe and there are no concerns about ‘temple injuries’. Temple augmentation is about developing an increased muscular appearance using either implants placed in the subfascial location or fat injections directly into the muscle. Each temporal augmentation method has advantages and disadvantages with the primary difference being one has an assured permanence (temporal implant) while the long-term fate of fat injections can be more variable.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana