The Ultimate Guide to Double Eyelid Surgery

Why Double Eyelid Surgery?

Double Eyelid Surgery is also known as Asian Blepharoplasty and it is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures undertaken by Asian patients.

Around half of all Asians are born with eyes that have no crease when the eyes are open. These ‘single eyelids’ tend to make the eyes look smaller, and extra fat and skin can exacerbate this, creating a heavy, hooded look. Sometimes this may cause vision problems, or other issues such as eyelashes grazing the corneas (lenses).

Am I suitable for Double Eyelid Surgery?

If you are one of the 50% of Asians who has single eyelids you may be suitable for double eyelid surgery. You must be over 18 and have reasonable expectations of the outcome. There are several techniques that can be used and this may be swayed by your own individual circumstances or the method your surgeon has a preference for.

The Double Eyelid Surgery Procedure

The procedure takes only between half an hour and an hour and can be carried out as an out-patient, meaning you won’t need to stay in hospital overnight. You will probably be given local anesthesia and sedation and will probably be free to return to your hotel after only a few hours in the clinic.

The Double Eyelid procedure can be performed with varying techniques bases around either the Incision or non-incision varieties.

The Incision Techniques

This uses a cut across the eyelid to form the double eyelid. It is most suitable for patients with thick or excessive eyelid skin, or fatty tissue. The advantage of the incision technique is that results are permanent, but the disadvantages are that recovery times are longer and that scarring may be visible.

The Non-Incision (Suture) Techniques

These techniques are suitable for patients with thinner skin and who do not have obvious fatty deposits. Creases are formed by folding the eyelid skin and stitching the fold. The advantages of suture techniques over the incision methods is the downtime – many patients can return to work after a week – and little or no scarring. The disadvantage is that this is not a permanent solution and although results should last for several years, sometimes it is much less.

Double Eyelid Surgery Recovery Time

After surgery you should expect to be swollen and bruised, and this may take a frustratingly long time to disappear. For the non-suture technique it may take 1-2 weeks but the incision technique could take twice as long.

Stitches are typically removed between 5 and 7 days after the procedure. After that you will be able to wear make-up which will help to disguise any swelling, bruising and scarring, but it will take a number of months before the tissue around your eyes settles down and starts to look natural, taking up to 6 months to a year before the healing process is entirely complete.

How much will I save on Double Eyelid Surgery costs abroad?

Most Westerners can save at least 50% by going abroad for double eyelid surgery. In the United States the average cost is around $5,000 - $6,000, compared to $2,000 - $3,000 in somewhere like South Korea.

What is the recovery time after double eyelid surgery?

The swelling and brusing subsides completely between 2 and 4 weeks.

What now?

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