Maybe you are unfamiliar with the term “festoon,” but you certainly are familiar with what it looks like. Festoon is the formal name for puffy eyes. Dr. Donald Hause of Sacramento Aesthetic Surgery explains the various options for festoon treatment, especially laser resurfacing.
Festoons
Nothing says “aging” quite like bags under the eyes. Festoons resemble eyelid bags but are not exactly the same thing. Also known as malar mounds, festoons appear to bulge because the muscles beneath them are degenerating. Gaps grow as skin fibers weaken, leading to puffiness and swelling. For some patients, festoon swelling is so severe that it affects vision.
Patients may have both eyelid bags and festoons. Festoons extend from the cheek to the lower eyelid. Unlike eyelid bags, the swelling is larger on the cheek.
Cosmetic companies may tout eye creams that are supposed to reduce puffiness, but festoons do not respond to topical treatment. However, you may lower the odds of developing festoons by using sunscreen on a daily basis.
Festoon Causes
While aging is the primary cause of festoons, other issues can worsen the problem. These include:
- Heredity
- Smoking
- Sun exposure
While you can stay out of the sun and avoid tobacco, there is not much you can do about your genes. Light-skinned people are most vulnerable to festoons.
Festoon Treatments
In the past, festoon treatment consisted primarily of surgical removal or corticosteroid injection. Some patients received diuretics, or “water pills.” Diuretics may reduce edema, or swelling.
Lower eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), a procedure for repairing droopy eyelids, can make festoons more noticeable. That is because this surgery removes the lower eyelid’s fullness above the festoon. Even more attention is then drawn to the puffy area below.
Laser resurfacing can remove festoons without the risk of scarring. Unlike other treatments, laser resurfacing provides long-term rather than temporary results.
How It Works
The surgeon uses YAG and CO2 lasers to create a small wound in the festoon area. Higher-quality skin, with no scarring, results as the wound heals. The entire procedure takes just 10 minutes per eyelid.
During the healing process, patients must visit the plastic surgeon on a regular basis. The doctor examines the wound to ensure it is healing properly. If any issues arise, they are dealt with promptly before complications ensue.
There is another advantage to laser resurfacing for festoons. The treatment may remove precancerous areas that are either visible or below the skin’s surface. The presence of festoons, which are not cancerous, may indicate pre-cancerous conditions.
Learn More About Festoon Treatments
If you are dealing with puffy, baggy eyelids, learn more about festoon treatment and your best options. To schedule a personal consultation with Sacramento plastic surgeon Dr. Donald Hause, please call (916) 646-6869 today.
