Asian eyelid surgery is a type of eyelid surgery that creates a crease on a patient’s monolid, resulting in the appearance of a double eyelid and a larger and more almond-shaped eye. For those considering the treatment, it can be useful to know the history of Asian eyelid surgery and how it is still developing. This knowledge can help you feel confident in the research devoted to perfecting the procedure and appreciate it on a deeper level.
What is Asian Eyelid Surgery?
Asian eyelid surgery, also called double blepharoplasty, is a surgery performed to alter monolids. During this procedure, a physician incises the upper eyelid and removes the excess skin and fat from that section of the eyelid. The physician will then sew the disconnected sections of the eyelid back together to create an artificial fold.
A double blepharoplasty may be performed for either medical or aesthetic reasons. Most patients who are interested in receiving this treatment will ultimately qualify, though they will need to undergo a medical evaluation to determine their fitness for treatment.
The History of Asian Eyelid Surgery
The first version of double eyelid surgery was developed in Japan in the 1800s by a physician named M. Mikamo. Mikamo first performed this procedure in 1896. His goal with this surgery was to create more expressive appearances and rectify what he perceived to be a defect in a portion of the Japanese population: the presence of monolid eyes.
This development occurred before Japan’s initial encounters with the West and Europe but increased in time with globalization. This cultural sharing period ensued after several centuries of total isolation for Japan. During this period, women who had typically been cloistered in the home began to work and be seen in public more often than before.
The Influence of the West
The initial double blepharoplasties were performed to make Japanese women’s eyes appear more beautiful without considering Western influences. However, after several decades of integration and industrialization with the Western powers, more patients began requesting eye shapes that were rounder and more Western in appearance.
This trend exploded in the 1950s in South Korea, spearheaded by an American physician named Dr. Ralph Millard. Millard had been stationed as a reconstructive cosmetic surgeon in Korea following the Korean War. During this time, the primary motivator for undergoing this surgery was economic, as many in Korea believed they would be taken more seriously with rounder and more Western-looking eyes.
The Modern Incisional Technique is Developed
The contemporary method of performing double eyelid surgery was developed in the 1980s by a Singaporean physician by the name of Khoo Boo-Chai. The techniques developed by this physician created the modern categories of double eyelid surgery that still exist today. These categories are:
- External incisional
- Non Incisional (Suture Ligation)
These techniques brought the popularity of Asian eyelid surgeries to a whole new level. The widespread adoption of these surgeries spread to China, Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, and Asian Americans in the United States.
Asian Eyelid Surgery Now
The techniques for Asian eyelid surgery continue to be refined. In the past decade alone, physicians have refined their techniques to allow significantly greater levels of control in manipulating the eye crease and creating the patient’s desired shape. These advancements have made this type of surgery even more popular as the medical practice behind it becomes increasingly sophisticated.
Additionally, the focus of the surgery has changed dramatically from its initial motivating factors. These improvements imply that the aim of modern Asian eyelid Surgery is to accentuate the unique characteristics of the Asian eyelid rather than just imitate the appearance of Caucasian or Western eyes. This drastic and healthy evolution of the ultimate goals of the surgery represents that the procedure now serves to celebrate the beauty of monolids. This, in turn, has further enhanced the popularity of the procedure.
Miami’s Best Eyelid Surgeon
Dr. Sarah Avila is a top-rated eyelid surgeon with some of the best techniques for achieving your desired results from Asian eyelid surgery. If you are looking for an oculoplastic surgeon in Miami that you can trust, look no further than Dr. Avila.
