Asian blepharoplasty

Asian blepharoplasty, also known as "double eyelid surgery" and less frequently known as an Oriental blepharoplasty, is a type of cosmetic surgery where the skin around the eye is reshaped. The purpose of the procedure is to create an upper eyelid with a crease (i.e. "double eyelid") from an eyelid without a crease (i.e. "single eyelid"). Anatomically, there are a number of differences in the upper eyelids of East Asians compared with Caucasians.

Despite the obvious differences between a single and double lid, there is a large variation in the crease position (double eyelid size) of the Asian upper eyelid. The upper lid fold can range from 1 mm above the eyelash line to about 10 mm. Several methods can be used to create the double eyelid--including the full-incisional, partial incision and no incision methods (e.g. the DST method). Each has it advantages depending on the patient's anatomy and desires.

Asian blepharoplasties have been reported to be the most common aesthetic procedure in Taiwan and Asia. This procedure has been reported to have some risk of complications, but is generally quite safe if done by an expert plastic surgeon. Practitioners of Asian double eyelid surgery include plastic surgeons, otolaryngologists, and Oral and maxillofacial surgeon (facial cosmetic surgeons), and opthalmologists (oculoplastic surgeons). A procedure to remove the epicanthal fold (i.e. an epicanthoplasty) is often performed in conjunction with an Asian blepharoplasty.