Case Study When Sunken Temples Make the Face Look Less Soft (and More Tired)

She didn’t come in asking about her temples.

She came in saying something many people relate to:

“I look a bit unwell in photos.”
“My face doesn’t look soft anymore.”
“Even when I’m rested, I look tired… and somehow older.”

What bothered her most wasn’t one feature — it was the overall impression. Her face felt a little harsher, a little more aged, and less friendly.

And the tricky part?

It didn’t happen suddenly.
It was gradual — until one day she noticed it clearly in a photo.

Clinical Assessment

On assessment, we identified temporal hollowing (sunken temples) contributing to:

• A hollow, shadowed appearance at the sides of the upper face
• A sharper outer contour with reduced softness
• Reduced support through the brow–temple transition
• An overall impression that can read as tired, less friendly, and more aged

Temple hollowing is often subtle but can shift the character of the entire face.

Treatment Strategy

The treatment plan focused on restoring softness and facial flow rather than adding obvious volume.

• Restore gentle support in the temple region
• Smooth the transition from forehead to temple to cheek
• Reduce shadowing that contributes to a tired or unwell appearance
• Rebalance the upper and mid-face for improved harmony

Outcome

Following treatment, the upper face appeared more softly supported with smoother contour transitions. Shadowing was reduced, and the overall facial impression appeared softer and more harmonious.

Patients often describe this change as:

“I look healthier.”
“I look softer.”
“I look less tired — even without makeup.”