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Am I too young to have festoons? (Photo)

I am 18 years old and just a couple of days ago I noticed the festoon. It only appears on my right cheek. Could there be a specific cause to this such as pms, stress, not enough sleep, etc.? I have read that it is high uncommon for younger people to have this so I'm a bit confused.

Doctor Answers 3

May 3rd, 2014

Festoon

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You have a little bit of puffiness in the malar fat pad. When this gets larger it is called a festoon.  Looks pretty minimal at this point.  If it gets worse, you could try a little laser to tighten the skin on top.  Or put some filler around it to blend it in.  
John J. Martin, Jr., MD


Coral Gables Oculoplastic Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 31 reviews

May 4th, 2014

Am I too young to have festoons?

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Yes, at 18 years of age it would be very unusual to have festoons.

It appears that you have some isolated swelling within your malar (upper cheek) area.  You may have noticed that the area will have some better days than others. That is, some days it will look more prominent (or worse) than other days.  This is typically secondary to sodium intake the day or night before.  Alcohol and allergies can also worsen the area.  Typically limiting your sodium intake (if you have no health issues) to 1500 milligrams a day often helps.

I would recommend trying diet changes first, and for an extended period of time (months).  If these changes do not improve the condition lasering the skin and/or fillers can sometimes improve the area.  But, fillers can also worsen the area if not performed correctly or if the wrong filler is used.  A consultation with a facial plastic surgeon would be helpful for you in the future.

I hope this helps.
Timothy R. Miller, MD

Timothy R. Miller, MD
Orange County Facial Plastic Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 74 reviews

May 3rd, 2014

These are baby festoons.

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Please do not drive yourself crazy.  You had to get very creative to demonstrate these.  The punishment should fit the crime.  If you are having no success with eye concealer and moisturizers, the next step  might be a little filler.  Try to stay out of the surgeon's hand as long as you can.

Learn more: http://www.lidlift.com

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD
Beverly Hills Oculoplastic Surgeon
4.9 out of 5 stars 26 reviews

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.