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Festoons are sagging baggy swellings below the eyes primarily over the cheek mounds. They make you look constantly tired or unwell and are a significant cosmetic derangement.
These are not to be confused with lower eyelid fat pads which are fat swellings involving the lower eyelids and are caused by enlargement of normally existing fat pads with age.
There are 4 main causes
Historically, these fat and fluid filled pouches have been difficult to remove both medically and surgically. Recurrence of the problem was common.
Since festoons are caused by a combination of skin laxity and weakening of the muscles and tissues under the eyes creating spaces that allow a build-up of fat and fluid then treatment should aim at reversing these.
Topically applied remedies such as eye creams or products do not help because they cannot fix or correct the underlying structural problems.
Treatment should be directed at regenerating both the dermis (skin layer) and the sub-dermis structures in order to regain long term elasticity and support. Only this way can we achieve long term improvement.
Dermis regeneration – Sun protection to minimise further damage. Tretinoin (retinoic acid) creams for cell health. However, the best results are achieved with laser resurfacing as this removes all the old damaged skin and replaces it with brand new skin that has never been exposed to the sun before, and so it is firmer and more elastic, improving the skin laxity. It also tightens the subdermal layers. This is usually a single treatment.
Sub-dermis regeneration – Radiofrequency (RF) microneedling (“Morpheus8”) is proving to be the most reliable and safest option to achieve subdermal as well as dermal regeneration. This is new technology and is not the same as the common radiofrequency microneedling as the depths and energy levels required to achie correction of this condition are unique to this technology. Usually, one or two treatments may be required for long lasting results however, because this treatment is non-invasive, carried out under local anaesthetic, is well tolerated and has little downtime it can be readily repeated whenever required for maintenance! The Morpheus8 needles penetrate deeply into the pouches and discharge the high levels of RF energy required to contract, tighten and sometimes obliterate these fluid and fat filled pouches and to tighten and flatten the subdermal structures.
The two treatments can be combined for optimum results.
A full-face laser resurfacing is recommended and is a single procedure carried out using an Erbium-YAG laser under twilight-type sedation and anaesthesia. It requires 10 – 12 days downtime however, this treatment will also give you a full-face skin regeneration that is permanent (over 10 years) and unparalleled in results by any other facial treatment.
Morpheus8 RF microneedling is non-invasive, performed under local anaesthetic, has minimal downtime (there is swelling and redness for a few days) and can easily be repeated if required. Apart from improving the festoon area it also tightens and smooths the under-eye skin. It can be used to treat the festoon/under-eye area alone or the full face to capitalise on the skin regenerative benefits.
Most concerns have more than one course of treatment. Feel free to contact us so one of our team can discuss options for your unique concern.
