How were surgeons able to create such Western eyelids on this Asian patient? (Photo)

Morning Amanda,  thank you for the question.  I brings up an issue I want to comment on but I'll answer your question.I'm not a fan of that term Westernized.  That's just a term created by non-Asian surgeons over three decades ago to describe Asian eyelid surgery.  It just as a description for a surgery that was performed on Asians when White surgeons soon and Asians wanted to look more"Westernized." That's nonsense. It's extremely rare that an Asian person truly wants to look no longer Asian.  I just saw a revision patient yesterday from out of state whose surgeons made an assumption about what their goals work. Now that woman has a crease that she doesn't like and it will be almost impossible to change it. It should be noted that Asian people from one part of the world to the next look very different and it is common for many Asian patients to have a naturally occurring parallel crease with a deep orbit that gives them a look that is associated with Caucasians or other non-Asians.  The Most important thing you can do in Asian eyelid surgery is listen to your patient and don't make assumptions about what their goals are.  Asian eyelid surgery is not new and it has existed for nearly 200 years well before White people started making the assumption Asian people wanted to look like white people.In any case to answer your question. They used an incision technique with anchoring technique possibly with deep sutures to hold this crease in place.  It's actually very hard to create a before and after like this on a patient unless they're fortunate enough to have very elastic skin.  In this particular case for this kind of result suture technique will not workChase Lay, MD

The eyelid anatomy in those of asian descent is unique. So are the goals of surgery. Forming a low, natural crease, remove a small amount of skin, repositioning some of the eyelid fat, may all be options to help you reach your goal.

Hello and thank you for your question. If you are looking for a more youthful and contoured eyelid crease, double eyelid surgery is suggested. Eyelid surgery will achieve symmetrical eyelid creases and a natural appearing fold. You should seek consultation with a board-certified surgeon who can better assess you and provide accurate options and results for your specific needs. Best of luck!

Hello Amanda,Asian double eyelid surgery has become a popular phenomenon in the last few years. Most asians are born with what is known as a 'single eyelid' where the crease is not visible and the muscles are not attached to the eyelid skin. Plastic surgeons are able to create the "double eyelid' appearance on their patients by creating a visible crease from the inside to the outside of eyelid. Typically, eyelid surgery is done using conscious sedation. This is a safer method than using general anaesthetic, as the eyes are delicate and your surgeon needs to ensure that the perfect amount of skin and tissue is taken from around the eyes. In an upper blepharoplasty, tiny incisions are created and through them skin is removed conservatively from around the upper eyelid along with a small amount of fat. This fat accumulation is what causes the bulging appearance that patients dislike. By removing the skin and fat from these areas of the eyes, it can create a youthful, contoured result and open-eyed natural look. The Facial Plastic Surgeon will also tighten the outer part of the eye before closing the incisions with very fine sutures.

There are more variations in the procedure for the lower eyelid: in the transconjunctival approach, the surgeon removes fat via a small incision made in the inside lining of the eye. This is a fantastic approach, since it leaves no visible scarring. The alternative cosmetic surgery method is the subciliary approach, where the fat is removed by making a tiny incision just underneath the eyelashes. Once this heals, this incision becomes invisible. Either method will result in the disappearance of the fat pad bulge below the eye and a nice, smooth contour in its place.

The complete eyelid surgery can take between 2 and 3 hours if both the upper and lower blepharoplasty are being performed at the same time.When you are exploring the options of a facial surgical procedure, make sure that you also explore the right type of cosmetic surgeon to perform your plastic surgery. A facial plastic surgeon is a cosmetic doctor that is an expert strictly in the head and neck and he/she should have substantial experience performing asian eyelid surgery.