Malar bags and festoons

Malar bags and fest­oons are swel­lings over the cheek­bone, below the lower eyelids. Malar bags are soft, lar­ge­ly flu­id-rela­ted mounds; fest­oons are lower-han­ging folds of lax skin and muscle.

Cau­ses

They usual­ly result from a com­bi­na­ti­on of tis­sue laxi­ty, impai­red lympha­tic drai­na­ge and flu­id reten­ti­on. Con­tri­bu­ting fac­tors include gene­tics, sun dama­ge, smo­king, all­er­gies, a sal­ty diet and lack of sleep. Pre­vious fil­ler in the lower eyelid area can also wor­sen swelling.

Sym­ptoms

The mounds appear as bul­ges on the cheek­bone, often more pro­no­un­ced in the mor­ning. Unli­ke eye bags, they sit below the lid mar­gin at the level of the cheek­bone and make the face look tired.

Tre­at­ment

Tre­at­ment is deman­ding becau­se fil­lers can make the swel­ling worse. Mil­der cases may respond to skin tigh­tening with laser or radio­fre­quen­cy micro­need­ling, com­bi­ned with mea­su­res against flu­id reten­ti­on. Pro­no­un­ced fest­oons are usual­ly cor­rec­ted sur­gi­cal­ly, with a reco­very time of one to two weeks.

Matching tre­at­ment at Swiss Der­ma Cli­nic: Tre­at Malar Bags and Festoons