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Getting Rid of Undereye Festoons or Baggy Eyes

by Marisa Amorasak

Undereye festoons is the medical term for the excess skin or bags that tend to pop up underneath the eyes of aging men and women. These unpleasant bulges are harmless, but can make a person look significantly older and chronically sleep-deprived. Since festoons are a textural issue rather than discoloration, concealer, and other cosmetics fail to cover them. They are also notoriously difficult to treat both surgically and non-surgically, because the skin around the eyes is so delicate. Read on to learn more about pesky undereye festoons, and how you can safely and effectively remove them.

Understanding Undereye Festoons

Undereye festoons develop when the tissue beneath the eyes loses its structure. Muscle tension caused by aging, sun exposure, genetics, and smoking travels to the skin and damages essential muscle fibers. Without healthy fibers, the skin forms gaps between its layers. These gaps are what cause undereye puffiness and swelling, which may worsen over time.

Since undereye festoons are caused by structural issues beneath the skin, they are best treated by surgical procedures. But if you’re not ready for a blepharoplasty, certain dermal treatments can help lessen the look of undereye festoons.

Festoon Treatment Options

Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery. A common misconception is that blepharoplasty is only performed on the upper eyelids. Undereye blepharoplasty can involve a number of techniques including gentle liposuction and skin tightening. In the case of undereye bags, a plastic surgeon may perform a blepharoplasty that uses liposuction to remove a tiny bit of the fat buildup underneath the eyes. Alternately, he or she may choose to reposition the fat throughout the face.

Fractional Laser Resurfacing. Fractional Laser Resurfacing, or Fraxel, is a non-surgical procedure that can dramatically improve skin tone and texture. An erbium laser penetrates the skin’s outermost layers and actually wounds them so that they have to re-grow. The new skin will have more even pigmentation and texture. Dr. Adam Scheiner, a Tampa Bay plastic surgeon and a featured doctor on “The Doctors,” explained how Fraxel can help with festoons: “We intentionally injure the skin on the lower eyelid with the laser - just enough to stimulate it to re-grow itself with brand new skin." Dr. Scheiner calls this process “resetting.”

Dermal Injectables. Certain dermal injectables like Restylane and Radiesse™ can be used around the eye area to improve the look of festoons. However, these fillers are best used on festoons or eye wrinkles that are mild—if you have a substantial amount of excess tissue, it won’t be enough.

Thermage. If your undereye festoons appear to be a result of sagging skin, Thermage may help. Thermage uses radio frequencies to tighten facial skin. It’s safe for use around the eyes and for treating festoons.

If you’d like to learn more about undereye festoon treatments, contact our representatives today. We’ll be happy to book you a consultation with a cosmetic specialist in your area with experience in treating festoons.