Women Turn to Fat Grafting for Hollow Temples After Weight Loss

Rapid weight loss can leave some people with hollows at their temples, a change that may make the face look older. Plastic surgeons say the loss of facial fat can occur with substantial weight loss, including weight loss while using GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro.

Melissa Rivers, 58, said she lost 25 pounds over six months on Mounjaro after menopause-related changes made her previous approach to weight loss less effective. She noticed more hollowing at her temples and sought treatments that included NuvaSculpt and radiofrequency skin tightening. Rivers said the gradual treatments made a substantial difference.

Other patients have chosen surgery. Veruzka Scavo Krause lost 50 pounds over six months on Ozempic and underwent fat grafting, in which a surgeon took fat from her waist and injected it into her temples. Her surgeon, Spero Theodorou, also treated lax skin and her jowls. Scavo Krause said she was pleased with the change.

Diane Petrowsky, 63, of New Jersey, lost significant weight through a combination of dieting and Ozempic. She said facial hollowness left her unhappy with her appearance. Anthony Berlet restored volume using fat taken from her inner thighs; Petrowsky also had face and neck lifts and eyelid and lip procedures. She said the results helped her feel more like herself.

Fat grafting can restore volume, but Berlet said results can sometimes be uneven or lumpy. He noted that patients who have lost a lot of weight may not have enough fat available for transfer. Surgeons say they are seeing more demand as GLP-1 medications become popular, while other options include temple fillers and nonsurgical treatments such as NuvaSculpt.