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Against that backdrop, Restylane Contour has received U.S. FDA approval for the correction of temple hollowing in adults 21 and older, providing an on‑label hyaluronic acid (HA) filler option for one of the key regions involved in “Ozempic face.” This new indication extends Restylane Contour’s use beyond cheek and midface augmentation and formally recognizes the temporal region as a distinct target for nonsurgical rejuvenation.
In its clinical study, treatment with Restylane Contour led to clinically meaningful improvement in temple volume and contour, with high patient and investigator satisfaction and durable results in many subjects out to roughly 18 months. Adverse events were generally mild to moderate and consistent with the expected safety profile of HA fillers in other facial areas, with no new safety signal identified specific to the temples.
For injectors, the approval is less about introducing temple treatment—which experienced clinicians have already been doing off‑label—and more about codifying a structured approach to a high‑impact, anatomically complex region in a rapidly growing patient population: individuals on GLP‑1s whose faces are changing faster than their chronological age would suggest.
In this article, you’ll discover:
As GLP‑1 receptor agonists move into mainstream use, more patients are losing 10–30% of their body weight under medical supervision—and their faces are often the first place that change shows up. The “Ozempic face” pattern consistently includes hollowing of the temples, infraorbital region, and submalar areas, with earlier onset of laxity in the lower face and neck.
GLP‑1 RAs reduce appetite, slow gastric emptying, and improve glycemic control, driving reductions in caloric intake and total fat mass. Facial fat pads—especially in midface and temporal compartments—appear particularly sensitive; as they deflate, bony landmarks and pre‑existing laxity become more visible, creating the hollowed appearance patients notice.
The temporal region is a prime example. Loss of temporal fat produces concavity near the hairline, deeper lateral shadows, and loss of upper‑face support, which patients interpret as “I look older and more tired” even with improved metabolic health.
The key question isn’t just whether you can use Restylane Contour in the temples, but how to evaluate a GLP‑1 patient and stage treatment safely. That starts with making GLP‑1 status a routine part of your intake.
This gives you a sense of how aggressively their soft tissues have been stressed and whether to recommend basic nutrition support before or alongside aesthetic intervention.
Many GLP‑1 patients will move through at least three phases—active loss, time at their lowest weight, and some degree of weight regain—and each can change how previous filler looks. Overcorrection becomes a predictable risk if you chase full normalization at the nadir weight.
Rapid, GLP‑1–driven fat loss shrinks facial compartments; injectors understandably rebuild volume in temples, midface, and jawline. Yet observational data show that a substantial proportion of patients regain a significant share of lost weight after GLP‑1 dose reduction or cessation, especially when behavioral and nutritional support are limited. As fat returns, previously “just right” volumes can look excessive, with overly convex temples or heavy midface, particularly if large volumes were placed quickly at the lowest weight.
Aesthetics in GLP‑1 patients don’t exist in isolation from nutrition and body composition. Reduced appetite and intake can lead to lower protein and micronutrient consumption and increased lean‑mass loss, particularly without resistance training, which may contribute to a frailer facial appearance in some patients. A quick screen for severe fatigue, hair thinning, very low intake, or suspected deficiencies can help you identify patients who may benefit from nutritional support before extensive aesthetic work.
For step‑by‑step nutrition strategies and sample meal frameworks, you can direct readers to a companion article on guided nutrition plans for GLP‑1 patients, instead of expanding this section here.
Do I need to stop GLP‑1s before doing fillers or neurotoxin?
For nonsurgical aesthetic treatments like HA fillers and neuromodulators, current evidence and expert experience do not identify a specific requirement to stop GLP‑1 therapy. Decisions to hold a GLP‑1 are generally tied to anesthesia and surgery or significant GI symptoms, not to routine injectable visits.
When should I start talking about fillers with GLP‑1 patients?
You can introduce the concept early—at or near GLP‑1 initiation or at the first aesthetic consult—without recommending immediate treatment. A simple forecast such as, “You may notice hollowing in your temples or cheeks as you lose weight; if that bothers you, there are nonsurgical options we can discuss later,” normalizes the change and plants the seed without pressure.
How do I phrase the ‘if this happens, we can help’ conversation?
Consider: “GLP‑1 medications often change the way the face looks before anywhere else—sometimes that means more hollow temples or looser skin around the jawline. That’s not a sign of damage, but if you don’t like those changes, we have nonsurgical tools, including HA fillers for temple hollowing and cheek support, and devices that can help tighten skin on the face and body. We don’t have to do anything today; I just want you to know what to expect and what options exist.”
Do GLP‑1 medications make filler dissolve faster or last less long?
There is currently no evidence that GLP‑1 medications directly change the longevity of HA fillers or neuromodulators. What changes is the underlying fat and soft‑tissue volume, so as patients lose or regain weight, their facial contours shift, making filler appear less noticeable or more prominent even though the product itself is behaving normally.
Should I wait until a GLP‑1 patient’s weight is stable before treating temple hollowing?
You don’t have to wait for complete weight stability, but you should adapt your strategy to where they are in the curve. During active weight loss, use conservative, staged volumes and emphasize that adjustments may be needed as they lose more weight; once weight has plateaued for several months, fuller correction becomes more reasonable, though the possibility of future weight changes remains.
What red flags should make me defer or modify aesthetic treatment?
Consider pausing or simplifying treatment plans if the patient reports severe or ongoing GI side effects, very low caloric intake, clear signs of undernutrition, very rapid ongoing loss, or poorly controlled comorbidities. In those cases, focus on minimal, low‑risk interventions and coordinate with the prescribing clinician or a dietitian before committing to larger, multi‑session aesthetic plans.
Temple hollowing, “Ozempic face,” and GLP‑1‑related skin changes are now everyday realities in aesthetic practice. If you want to feel confident managing both the metabolic and aesthetic sides of these patients, you need training that covers the full picture.
IAPAM offers integrated training in:
Our training bundles are designed around how successful practices actually grow—pairing medical weight loss and GLP‑1 expertise with core aesthetic skills so you can support patients through every stage of their transformation.
View our current aesthetic and GLP‑1 training options →
About IAPAM: The International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine has been training physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants in aesthetic medicine for over 20 years. Our courses are AMA PRA Category 1 CME accredited and taught by board-certified dermatologists and industry experts.
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Contains: Emerging trends, expert discussions, recommendations, technique comparisons… and more!