Temple Filler Before and After: The Realistic Change, Week by Week, from a Gangnam Doctor

I'm Dr. Hyunji Kim, director and lead physician at Delphic Clinic in Gangnam, one minute from Sinnonhyeon Station. I trained at Korea University Medical Center, I am a member of the Korean Filler Society and other Korean medical societies, and my work focuses on lifting, laser and anti-ageing care. Temple filler before and after photos are one of the things patients most often show me on their phones.

They arrive with screenshots and one question: will I look like this? I hear the temple filler before and after question most weeks, and my answer is always the same. The photo tells you less than you think, and the real change is quieter and more natural. Here is what you can realistically expect, how the first weeks feel, and how to judge your own result fairly.

What changes on the day, and what doesn't

Hollow temples make the face narrow above the cheekbones, which can look tired or older, especially from the front. Filler in the temple restores some of that curve, so the line from the forehead to the cheekbone looks smoother. The change is visible right away, but it includes swelling.

What it does not change is skin quality, fine lines or sagging lower down the face. The general first-timer overview, including how temple filler fits with other options, is in my temple filler in Korea guide. Here I will focus only on the before and after.

Days 1 to 14: swelling, tenderness and chewing

1. 1

   Day 0 to 2

   The temples look fuller than they will end up, and may feel tight. Mild tenderness is common.

2. 2

   Days 3 to 7

   Swelling eases. Some people feel soreness when chewing, because the temple sits over a chewing muscle.

3. 3

   Days 7 to 14

   The shape settles and any small unevenness usually evens out. Avoid pressing or massaging the area unless I ask you to.

4. 4

   Day 14

   This is when I judge the result and decide whether anything more is needed.

Bruising can happen, and makeup or hair usually covers it. Any pale patch, worsening pain or blotchy colour change is different: that means contacting the clinic straight away.

Week 2 to month 3: the result you will actually live with

After two weeks, what you see is close to your real result. Friends rarely notice 'filler' in the temples. They are more likely to say you look rested. That is usually a sign the amount was right.

The product then fades slowly over the following months, at a pace that varies from person to person. I do not promise a fixed duration, and I check what is still present before adding any more.

A good temple result is the one nobody can point to, but everyone notices.— Dr. Hyunji Kim, Delphic Clinic

Photos that make temple results look bigger than they are

• Overhead light in the before photo deepens the hollows; soft front light in the after flattens them.
• A slight head tilt changes how much of the temple you see.
• A smile in the after photo lifts the cheeks and changes the whole outline.
• Hair pulled back in one photo and loose in the other changes the frame of the face.
• Filters and editing can smooth the skin, which reads as extra fullness.

How to shoot your own before photo

If you want to compare honestly, take your photos the same way both times. It takes two minutes and saves a lot of second-guessing later.

Temples I'd leave alone

I would not inject temples with only slight hollowing that you mainly notice in photos under harsh light. I also decline when the main concern is sagging lower in the face, because filling the temples will not lift that. A plan that needs a large volume to reach a target photo is another case where I would rather say no.

Sometimes a small change elsewhere balances the face better. My guide to facial balancing with filler explains how I look at proportions before choosing an area.

Is one session enough for hollow temples?

For mild hollowing, one conservative session is often enough. For deeper hollows, I prefer two smaller sessions spaced apart, so we see how the first one settles. For international patients, that can mean one visit now and a review on your next trip.

When you compare clinics, ask who will inject and how they plan the amount. My guide to choosing a filler injector in Korea has the questions I would ask myself.

If you would like an honest look at your temples and a plan that fits your trip, book a free 1:1 consultation with me. English and Chinese interpreters are with us every day, international patients pay the same price as Korean patients, and we are one minute from Sinnonhyeon Station, Exit 3.