Is There a Difference Between a Double Eyelid Surgery and Blepharoplasty Surgery?

Blepharoplasty is the generic term used to describe eyelid surgery which usually involves removing extra skin, and occasionally fat. Double eyelid surgery is a more specific surgery that is done to form an eyelid crease when one previously does not have one. This is usually done in the Asian eyelid.

It refers to any surgery performed on an eyelid. Double fold surgery is a specific type of blepharoplasty performed on the upper eyelids to create or better define the upper eyelid fold and upper eyelid platform. Regarding what precisely you need, every eyelid is unique. A personal consultation with an oculoplastic surgeon who is expert in Asian eyelid surgery will help you realize your goals. Remember, Asian double fold surgery is intended to make you a more attractive Asian eyelid. It is not about make the eyelid occidental.

Double eyelid surgery is a subtype of blepharoplasty generally used for people who don't have a prominent upper eyelid crease, such as Asians. Thus, it is also called Asian Blepharoplasty. Surgeries are comparable in complexity and therefore the cost tends to be the same.

Double eyelid surgery is a type of blepharoplasty that is frequently performed for Asian patients to get rid of the single eyelid fold.  They are the same price and take approximately the same amount of time.

There is a dramatic difference between double eyelid surgery and traditional blepharoplasty surgery. There is minimal skin removal in double eyelid surgery and the objective is to make a  crease by suturing techniques. Conversely, traditional blepharoplasty strives to remove a much larger amount of eyelid skin without any deliverate effort at creating a crease by suturing. These are not interchangeable procedures. For most Asian eyelids, particularly in younger patients, double eyelid surgery would be more appropriate. 

Blepharoplasty is surgery to change the shape and appearance of the eyelids to make them look younger, more beautiful, or both. Asian blepharoplasty is generally double eyelid surgery, to add a crease to enhance the beauty of the eyelid. It should not make the eyelid look Western.

The word blepharoplasty means to change the shape of the eyelid.  "Bleph" will refer to an eyelid.  There are many medical terms that start with "bleph" and all of them have something to do with the eyelid.  "Plasty" is added to the end of any other word to indicate a procedure in which the shape of that structure is being changed.  So, a double eyelid surgery is a type of blepharoplasty.  As a young Asian person, the odds are that the only type of blepharoplasty that you would want would be one to create a crease.  In the United States, the most common type of blepharoplasty is one to remove aged and lax skin.  In Asian countries I would not be surprised if crease formation surgery is the most common.  Also, the two can be combined.

Other similar words would include:

Rhinoplasty: to change the shape of the nose

Otoplasty: to change the shape of the ear

Mammoplasty: to change the shape of a breast (as in breast augmentation mammoplasty or BAM)

Brachioplasty: to change the shape of an arm

Septoplasty: to change the shape of a septum (in the nose)

Double eyelid surgery creates a crease in the upper lid which is absent or minimally present in the Asian face. A classic blepharoplasty involves removal of excess skin and fat from the upper lids, lower lids or both.

Double eyelid surgery is typically done on people who don't have a prominent upper eyelid crease, such as Asians.  Some people prefer a more "occidental" appearance and have surgery to form a lid crease.  Double eyelid surgery is technically a form of blepharoplasty, which is a word that can be applied to many plastic surgical procedures of the eyelids.  A traditional blepharoplasty involves removing excess skin and fat from the upper and lower eyelids to restore a more youthful appearance.  This can be done in a way that preserves the "oriental" eyelid appearance with a low crease, or can be done to form a more western appearing crease.  When seeking out a surgeon for either procedure, experience counts.  You must ensure your surgeon knows these differences and can adjust his/her surgical techniques to achieve the look you are after.  I've seen several Asian patients who had their eyes "westernized" by improper surgery, when all they really wanted was to correct the baggy upper lid skin. 

As an board-certified Cosmetic Oculofacial Plastic Surgeon super-specializing in surgery of the eyes and face, I perform blepharoplasty procedures. Blepharoplasty is general term for eyelid surgery. A Double Eyelid Surgery is a type of blepharoplasty which creates a visible crease in the upper eyelid when the eye is open. Asian individuals who do not have the upper eyelid crease often seek the “double eyelid fold” procedure, which is why "double eyelid surgery" is also referred to as "Asian Eyelid surgery" or "Asian Blepharoplasty".

This change to the upper eyelid makes it easier to apply makeup and is considered to be a desirable aesthetic appearance in many Asian cultures. The Asian eyelid is different from the Caucasian eyelid in many ways, which is why Asian eyelid surgery (Asian blepharoplasty) is so unique. One of the most frequent mistakes that plastic surgeons have made is “Americanizing” or “Europeanizing” the eyelids. This results in a very unnatural appearance. I recommend consulting with the right doctor to perform your procedure.

Here is a video with before and after photos of  Double Eyelid Surgery performed on a young Asian woman in New York at my practice.