Under Eye Bags - Festoons
Festoons, also called Malar Bags or Under Eye Bags, 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 the enlargement of normally existing fat pads with age.
Festoons can be caused by four key things: Heredity – There are inherited anatomical structural problems here that run in families; Sun exposure – chronic skin damage with thinning, loss of elasticity, and support by the skin; Aging – loss of underlying structural support allowing skin sag as well as fat and fluid buildup; Lifestyle factors – in particular, smoking which weakens skin support, circulation, and lymphatic drainage
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.
Sub-dermis regeneration – Radiofrequency (RF) micro needling (“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 micro needling as the depths and energy levels required to achieve 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!
Benefits
Reversal of skin laxity and weakening of the muscles and tissues under the eyes to stop or reduce a build-up of fat and fluid.
Treatment guide
What can I expect from the two main treatment procedures?
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 of 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.
The Morpheus8 needles penetrate deeply into the pouches and discharge the high levels of RF energy required to contract, tighten, and sometimes obliterate the fluid and fat-filled pouches and tighten and flatten the subdermal structures. 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.
Pricing guide
Book a consultation to discuss the best option for your under-eye area.
Considerations
Laser resurfacing - refer to the laser resurfacing page on our website for considerations for the treatment.
Morpheus8 RadioFrequency - micro-needling 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.
Before & after photos
Start your own before & after story
Contact the team at GMC to talk about how we can help with this treatment or recommendations for your unique goals.
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