Surgery for festoons? (Photos)

Hi. You do appear to have lower eyelid festoons. These can be very difficult to treat. Surgical correction, laser resurfacing, and chemical peels are all options that have varying degrees of success. Injecting the festoon with tetracycline may also help.  Make an appointment with an oculoplastic surgeon for an in person examination to determine your best options. Best regards, Ira Vidor, M.D.

Thank you for your question and photographs.  Festoons are very tricky and resistant to treatment since they are often caused in part by collection of fluid and swelling which is difficult to eradicate.  In your case I would recommend CO2 fractionated laser peel to tighten the skin.  This may not remove the festoons completely but can be repeated if necessary and should provide noticeable skin tightening and improvement.  Most difficult cases respond best to direct excision leaving a small incision line in that area.

Discuss this with your board-certified plastic surgeon or oculoplastic surgeon before proceeding.  Best wishes and good luck.

Jon A Perlman M.D., FACSDiplomate, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)Beverly Hills, California