I count myself incredibly fortunate to have spent much of my medical training under the tutelage of Dr. Sterling Baker, the pioneer of Laser Eyelid Surgery. I learned so much about treating eyelid festoons and malar mounds from Dr. Baker, and then spent years perfecting the techniques that he taught me. Today I’m recognized for the remarkable results I’ve been able to achieve in treating this challenging cosmetic condition. 

I love talking, teaching, and writing about my deep laser festoon procedure and the transformative effect of my special resurfacing techniques, and I love performing the treatment even more. 

But unfortunately, that’s not what I’ll be discussing today. Instead, I want to address the sudden and concerning explosion of myths and misinformation being spread on the Internet regarding in-office festoon treatment.  To my great disappointment and alarm, it is largely physicians’ offices that are misleading patients about what can and cannot be done.

To be clear, festoons cannot be eliminated in a 45-minute, in-office, non-surgical procedure. 

Do not believe anybody who tells you that they can.

Festoons are also known as malar mounds. They are a medical condition in which the skin of the lower eyelids and cheek regions becomes swollen with fluid as a result of sun damage, lifestyle factors, genetics, or the natural aging process. 

Festoons are not a condition that can be addressed with creams or chemicals. They also cannot be repaired through use of radiofrequency microneedling. Physicians who report that they are successful in treating festoons using these techniques or modalities use the same types of misleading statements as are often seen in anti-aging cream commercials: they say “improve the appearance of” or that they “refresh” the area with minimal downtime, but that is not the same thing as eliminating festoons. Patients who are misled by this type of language are certain to end up disappointed by expensive treatments that don’t deliver what they’re looking for.

The only way to eliminate festoons is through the kind of deep skin resurfacing technique that I deliver with my RESET for Festoons procedure. Even surgeries performed using scalpels are likely to fall short of the mark, and may even leave festoons looking worse and more pronounced.

If you are looking for real, long-lasting improvement for festoons, your best answer for natural, balanced, permanent results is to seek the help of a true expert in their treatment. Request a complimentary assessment to learn more about what’s involved and how we can help you turn the clock back, rejuvenate your face and remove Festoons.