In short. The headache that follows a deep injection, swelling that moves down the face rather than staying put, and the four-week point at which the contour can be judged.
Key points
- Photograph yourself in daylight at the same time each morning and again in the late afternoon for two weeks, from the front and with the head turned slightly to one side.
- A fullness that is present at every hour and in both views is closer to the real result.
- A fullness that is marked in the morning and gone by the afternoon is fluid, and the answer to it is time rather than more material.
The recovery from a temple session is short and it behaves in a way that catches people out, because the swelling does not stay where the needle went. Understanding the first fortnight is most of what makes the result judgeable.
The first two days
A dull pressure headache over the temple is common after deep placement, and it usually settles within a day or two. There can be an ache on opening the mouth wide or chewing hard, because the temporalis muscle is what the material was placed against. The temple looks fuller immediately, part of it the material and part of it swelling. Cold compresses, sleeping with the head slightly raised and avoiding strenuous exercise for the first days are the ordinary measures.
Why the swelling moves down the face
Swelling peaks over the first three days and follows gravity once you are upright. The upper lid and the outer eye can look puffy while the temple itself looks calm, and bruising, if it appears, is often lower than the injection site. This is the pattern that most often causes alarm, and it is expected. It is also why the temple looks fuller in the morning than in the afternoon throughout the first weeks, because fluid collects overnight while you are flat and drains while you are upright.
The fortnight of photographs
Photograph yourself in daylight at the same time each morning and again in the late afternoon for two weeks, from the front and with the head turned slightly to one side. A fullness that is present at every hour and in both views is closer to the real result. A fullness that is marked in the morning and gone by the afternoon is fluid, and the answer to it is time rather than more material.
The review at four weeks
Most of the fluid has gone by the end of the first fortnight and the contour reads close to its real state by the end of the first month. That is where the shape is judged against the photographs taken before treatment rather than against how the face felt in the first week, and the point at which the interval to any second session is estimated from your own response. It is also where the brow is checked again, since the way it lifts is part of the record.
Contact the clinic rather than waiting if
- Swelling is increasing after the first few days instead of settling.
- The skin turns white, grey, mottled or dusky, or the area becomes hot and red.
- There is any change in vision, or a brow that will not lift on one side.
How long the result then lasts, and why it fades more slowly here than in the lip or the cheek, is described in What Temple Filler Costs You in Sessions and Months. The anatomy behind the headache and the aching on chewing is set out in Vessels, Nerves and the Temple Danger Zone.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the swelling appear under my eye when the injection was at my temple?
Because fluid follows the tissue rather than the needle. The temple sits above the outer eye and the upper lid, and swelling in the upper face collects downward once you are upright. Puffiness in the lid with a calm-looking temple is expected in the first week and is not a sign that material has moved into the eye.
How long does the headache last?
A dull pressure ache over the temple is common after deep placement and usually settles within a day or two. An ache when opening the mouth wide or chewing something hard comes from the temporalis muscle and follows the same course. A headache that is severe, one-sided in a new way, or worsening after the first days is not ordinary recovery.
When can the result actually be judged?
At about four weeks, and more honestly at three to six months. Most of the swelling is gone by the end of the first fortnight and the contour reads close to its real state by the end of the first month, which is why the review sits at four weeks. The deeper judgement, in daylight and in profile, is better made later.
Risks & Limitations
- The temple is crossed by named vessels in a small space: the superficial temporal artery and its branches, the vein known as the sentinel vein near the outer orbital rim, and the deep temporal vessels beneath the fascia. Material entering an artery can travel, and because the frontal branch of the superficial temporal artery communicates with the vessels around the eye, skin loss and — rarely — loss of vision are possible. This is time-critical rather than cosmetic.
- The temporal branch of the facial nerve crosses the same region on its way to the brow. If it is affected the brow will not lift on that side. Most such weakness improves over weeks to months, and a proportion does not recover fully, which is why the way the brow lifts is recorded before treatment rather than only examined afterwards.
- Deep placement beside the temporalis muscle is commonly followed by a dull pressure headache that settles over a day or two, and by an ache on opening the mouth wide or chewing hard. A headache that is severe, one-sided in a new way, or worsening after the first days is not ordinary recovery and should be assessed.
- Adding volume to the temple does not lift a brow that has descended. It fills the shadow beneath the brow tail and changes how the upper face reads, and the position of the brow is unchanged. Where the distance between brow and eye is the complaint, the answer is an operation rather than an injection.
- Swelling and bruising, firmness and small lumps in the first weeks, asymmetry, nodules and delayed inflammatory reactions can occur. Every result is temporary, the material is not fully cleared between sessions, and only the reversible class can be broken down at all.
When to Seek Care
- Any change in vision, including blurring or a patch of lost sight — seek emergency care immediately.
- Severe pain out of proportion to the injection, or pain that is worsening rather than settling.
- Skin turning white, grey, mottled or dusky anywhere near the treated temple, the forehead or the eye.
- A brow that will not lift on one side, or a headache that is severe or worsening after the first few days.
- Swelling that is increasing after the first few days rather than settling, or fever with spreading redness, warmth or discharge.
References & Further Reading
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) — procedure and safety guidance
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, UK) — relevant guidance
- Cochrane Library — systematic reviews
- Chinese Medical Association Plastic Surgery Branch — clinical guidance
This page is patient education, not medical advice, and it does not cite individual studies. Discuss your own case with a qualified clinician. To arrange an assessment at Chongqing West District Hospital, see Contact & Consultation.