Temple hollowing is one of the subtler but more noticeable shifts that comes with facial ageing. As fullness fades from the sides of the forehead, faces can begin to look gaunt, skeletal, or disproportionate — even when the rest of the face appears relatively youthful. Understanding what drives this change, and what treatment options exist in the UK, helps you make an informed decision.
What Is Temple Hollowing?
The temples sit at the lateral edges of the forehead, between the outer corner of the eye and the hairline. In youth, this area tends to be gently convex — slightly rounded and full. With age, the fat pads beneath the skin shrink, bone structure gradually changes, and the skin loses some of its elasticity. The result is a concave or sunken appearance that can make the skull look more prominent and alter the overall geometry of the face.
Temple hollowing is not exclusive to older adults. Rapid weight loss, certain medical treatments, and genetic predisposition can cause it to appear earlier than expected.
How Temple Hollowing Is Clinically Treated
The most established clinical approach to temple hollowing in the UK is dermal filler — a hyaluronic acid or collagen-stimulating injectable placed carefully into the temporal fossa by a qualified medical practitioner. When performed correctly, temple filler can restore a subtle convexity to the area, improving facial symmetry and softening the skeletal appearance.
This is a medical injectable procedure. It is not offered at Wumi Body & Face Studio, and it falls outside the scope of non-surgical beauty therapy. Anyone considering temple filler should consult a regulated healthcare professional — a doctor, dentist, or nurse prescriber — who is registered with the appropriate UK regulatory body and experienced in facial anatomy.
Other clinical options sometimes discussed include fat grafting (a surgical procedure) and poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) stimulator injections, which encourage the body to produce its own collagen over time. Both require medical supervision and are well beyond the scope of beauty therapy.
Where Non-Surgical Face Sculpting Fits In
Non-surgical face sculpting — the kind offered at studios like Wumi Body & Face Studio — works on different principles. Rather than replacing lost volume, these treatments focus on improving the quality and tone of existing tissue, supporting circulation, and enhancing the skin’s surface appearance.
Treatments such as radio frequency use controlled thermal energy to stimulate collagen and elastin in the dermis. Over a course of sessions, this can improve skin firmness and reduce the appearance of laxity. Lymphatic drainage massage helps reduce puffiness and supports the body’s natural detoxification, which can contribute to a cleaner, more defined facial appearance.
These approaches will not restore volume to a hollowed temple in the way an injectable filler would. What they can do is improve overall skin quality, support facial tone, and help the face look its most balanced and healthy. For many clients, non-surgical face sculpting forms a useful complement to their broader skincare and wellness routine — or a first step before exploring clinical options.
You can read more about the full landscape of options in the non-surgical face sculpting UK guide or explore our body sculpting overview for context on what non-invasive treatments can and cannot achieve.
What to Expect from a Face Sculpting Consultation
If you are exploring non-surgical options for facial concerns — including overall tone, lift, or contour — a proper consultation is essential. At Wumi Body & Face Studio, every new client begins with a £20, 30-minute consultation before any treatment is agreed. This allows Toyin (Wumi) to assess your skin, discuss your goals honestly, and recommend a treatment plan that is realistic for your situation.
Wumi holds CPD-accredited certifications through Curvology Academy and is fully insured through Salon Gold and Hiscox. The studio is based in Dartford, Kent (DA1 2DE), with a mobile service covering Kent, all 33 London boroughs, and Essex.
No reputable therapist — surgical or non-surgical — should promise specific outcomes for temple hollowing. Any provider who guarantees a particular result should be approached with caution.
Combining Approaches: A Realistic Perspective
Some clients choose to have injectable treatments for volume restoration with a clinician, and then use non-surgical face sculpting sessions to maintain skin quality, support lymphatic flow, and enhance their overall results. These approaches are not mutually exclusive, but they serve different purposes and involve different practitioners.
If you have recently had facial injectable treatments and are interested in lymphatic drainage massage to support recovery, it is important to inform your therapist and obtain clearance from the practitioner who performed your injections before proceeding.
Keeping Expectations Grounded
The UK’s advertising standards (ASA/CAP) are clear: non-surgical beauty treatments should not claim to replicate medical procedures or promise results that are not substantiated. Temple hollowing caused by significant volume loss will not be resolved by massage or radio frequency alone.
What non-surgical face sculpting can offer is genuinely valuable: improved skin tone, a healthier-looking complexion, reduced puffiness, and a greater sense of confidence in your appearance. For those who are not ready for or interested in injectables, these treatments provide a non-invasive, no-downtime route to looking and feeling better.
To explore what face sculpting at Wumi might offer you specifically, or to ask questions about lymphatic drainage massage for facial health, get in touch or book a consultation today.
Non-surgical treatments have no downtime, but results build gradually and vary between individuals. Not a weight-loss or medical service. A consultation and suitability check are required; you must be 18 or over.