Festoons or just swelling? (Photo)

Festoons are not a result of surgery and this swelling should resolve unless they were present before surgery. I would advise continued follow up of the swelling by your surgeon.

In general, festoons develop chronically with aging in the upper malar region below the eyelids.  If you did not have this kind of swelling preoperatively, then it would most likely represent swelling related to the surgery and not a festoon.  It can take up to a few months for all swelling to resolve, especially when having eyelid surgery.  I would recommend continuing to followup with your surgeon, and things should continue to improve.

Thank you for your question. If the elevated area was not present before surgery, then it would be unlikely to be a festoon. There usually is some swelling present 6 weeks post lower eyelid blepharoplasty. The swelling after surgery can last for a few months, so give it a little more time. See your eyelid surgeon at the 3 month point. Good luck.

The timeframe of 6 weeks is certainly consistent with the possibility that this is just related to swelling. One indication would simply be to consider to what extent you had festoons before surgery. If you did not have them before then there is no reason to think that you will have them after blepharoplasty. On the other hand if you had festoons prior to surgery, a blepharoplasty will not correct them so they will persist. 

Thank you for your question and photos. I'm sorry to hear about your complication of a hematoma. At this early time point you certainly have some residual swelling. Usually this resolves, however I have seen patients with hematoma's present with scar tissue in the cheek region that looks similar to a true festoon and these do need to be treated surgically. At this point, I would recommend close follow up with your surgeon. If after 6-8 months the swelling has not resolved you may want to seek another opinion. It is always recommended that your surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.Best Regards,Dr. Stutman

Hi santi14,Thanks for your question. Looking at your photo, I see some post-operative fluid collection in the malar region (the area of your upper cheek). This can take some time to completely resolve. Unfortunately, it is difficult to predict preoperatively who will swell in this region. If the swelling still persists at 4-6 months, you may be a candidate for an injection of tetracycline which has been very effective in our practice for reducing malar edema. Thanks again for the question and good luck.

It is not uncommon to have some degree of persistent swelling 6 weeks following lower blepharoplasty. These are not festoons, and you are not going to develop festoons from surgery. Time is going to be your friend. Follow-up with your surgeon per your instructions.Best wishes!  Harry V. Wright MD, Sarasota, Florida