Among the cosmetic surgeries most commonly chosen by women in Korea, eye surgery is often cited first, including double-eyelid surgery, lateral canthoplasty, medial canthoplasty, and related procedures.
This is because the eyes play the biggest role in shaping a first impression. Recently, as more people prefer eyes that look both natural and refreshingly open, eye surgery is increasingly seen almost as a necessity rather than an option.
Dr. Ho-won Hwang, director of Hyundai Aesthetic Surgery, said, “The recent trend is not simply large eyes, but eyes that create a gentle, natural, and soft impression. However, eyes that are narrow and small, with outer corners that turn upward, can make the overall image look sharp or fierce.”
Then how can narrow, upward-slanting eyes be reshaped to match the latest trend?
Unlike Westerners, many Asians do not have double eyelids and often have smaller eyes, which is why eye surgery techniques in Korea have developed rapidly. In Asian eyes, the fat pads inside the eyelids tend to sit lower, making double eyelids less likely to form naturally. The connection between the levator muscle and the skin is also relatively thin, so fewer people have double eyelids. In many cases, an epicanthal fold is present at the inner corner of the eye, making the eyes appear short and far apart, and the distance between the eyes and eyebrows is not as deeply set as in Western facial features.
For these reasons, to create eyes that fit current trends, it is better not only to make the eyes appear larger through double-eyelid surgery, but also to consider advanced eye surgery techniques. One procedure that has received attention over the past several years is lower canthoplasty. Lower canthoplasty is said to be especially effective for Asians whose eyes are narrow not only vertically but also horizontally.
Lower canthoplasty is a procedure developed to address limitations of lateral canthoplasty, such as visible scarring, postoperative re-adhesion, and difficulty effectively lowering upturned outer eye corners.
Because the surgery lowers the outer part of the lower eyelid through the conjunctiva, no scar is visible on the skin. When performed together with lateral canthoplasty, the size and width of the eyes can be adjusted, and correction of the outer eye ligament is possible.
In this way, lower canthoplasty can create a natural, open-looking eye shape that matches recent trends, helping improve the overall facial image.
A specialist advised, “Even if lower canthoplasty is effective for improving eye shape, it should not be decided on hastily. It is important to consult with an experienced specialist, design the procedure according to one’s own eye shape, and find an appropriate shape that suits the face.”
▲ Article reported by The Korea Economic Daily (2012.12.06) Source: The Korea Economic Daily · Reported on 2012.12.06 · Original article hankyung.com
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