Malar Bags (Cheek Bag) Treatment Options

Malar bags are on of the most difficult things to treat on the face.  Malar bags as a result from edema can be from a host of medical causes (i.e. allergies, thyroid, etc) are notoriously difficult to treat.  Treatments which fibrose the lymphatics can sometimes improve the appearance.  Isolated kenalog injections can help fibrose the lymphatics here with variable success as can some radiofrequency devices.   Malar bags as a result of muscle excess are more easily... more

Michelle, there are many causes of malar bags, and finding the correct treatment depends on the cause. Sometimes malar bags are caused by fluid collection. Fluid collection usually varies a little over time--often a little worse in the morning than at night. The fluid usually comes from allergies, but it can also come from other things, like eating too much salt or having a low thyroid level. Sometimes the bags are just contour defects. This can be inherited or due to loss of fat in... more

Hi Michelle, Definitely have your thyroid hormone levels tested. If normal, then I would recommend a consult with Robert Goldberg, MD at UCLA. Dr. Goldberg has a technique where he treats malar bags with radiofrequency with success. Good luck and be well. Dr. P

Malar bag excision, lower eyelid lift, facial implants and fat injections for malar bags are options. Direct excision is a more direct way of approaching the malar bags. Although I show a video on the direct excision it is probably not my first choice. I would rather carry out fat injections to smooth the bags out. The lower eyelid lift tends to remove fat from the lower eyelids and lifting of the muscle and skin can benefit the bags in the malar area. Implants can help by... more

there are a number of causes for malar bags or whats often referred to as festoons. If there is lid ptosis or sagging this must be addressed specifically. However the malar bags are often treated in my practice with either  the erbium laser or the new CO2 fraxel laser.  If done carefully both lasers can easily shrink the malar bags symmetrically and leave the eyelids in their normal position. The proceedure is easy, done under local anesthesia and takes 15 minutes. more

Greetings Michelle, Malar bags are a difficult problem to treat. Options that I have found useful include laser resurfacing with lower eyelid surgery and in some cases directly excising the malar bags. Direct excision seems to work the best but may not be a good option in someone your age. It does leave a scar which is usually better than the bag itself but does take several months to heal and for swelling to resolve. In some cases in younger people with minimal malar bags, a resurfacing... more

Malar bags can be difficult to correct. Laser resurfacing combined with a lower lid blepharoplasty can greatly reduce the appearance of malar bags. It may be necessary to perform laser resurfacing twice – six months apart. The cause of "malar bags" can be localized edema fluid, poor lymhatic drainage, excess fat and poor quality skin or skin damage.

Malar bags are usually due to swelling. It is like having swelling in your legs. Unfortunately there is not a lot that can be done for malar bags except to camouflage them.