This particular procedure will make the eyes appear larger.

Q: I’m a 28-year-old Chinese female and dislike my eyelids. My eyelids have always had a flap of skin that hangs down to my lashes. I would like to have the extra skin removed from my lids but am afraid of not looking Chinese to my family. Can you do eyelid surgery and still have a patient look Oriental?

-Jennifer L., Irvine, Coto de Caza

A: You ask some very good questions about Oriental eyelids. First of all, Oriental patients do have different eyelid anatomy than most Caucasian patients. In the typical Oriental type of eyelid patient, the superior palpebral fold (the upper lid fold between the lashes and brow) is absent. This occurs in approximately 50% of Oriental patients and is a genetic feature that is passed on from parents to their children with a dominant gene. The Oriental eyelid without a palpebral fold is often referred to as a “single eyelid”, while an eyelid with a fold is called a “double eyelid”. Operations designed to construct a superior palpebral fold are becoming more popular in Oriental patients around the globe.

This surgery has become commonplace in large cities in the Orient as well as in the United States areas, especially in areas like Orange County containing large Oriental populations. The “single eyelid” occurs because a muscle called the levator palpebrae ends within the substance of the lid, instead of attaching to the top of the cartilage plate in the lid, and is not caused by a skin excess. In such procedures, every attempt is made to create the desired fold but not to alter the general shape of the eye or to destroy the web that many Oriental patients have medially, near the nose. Destroying this epicanthal fold would make a lid look more Caucasian and destroy this important Oriental feature of an eyelid.

A surgeon doing such surgery should be familiar with the differences between Oriental and Caucasian anatomy. If you have any specific questions about cosmetic procedures, your best bet would be to see a qualified plastic surgeon to review your options. Pease feel free to contact our office at 949.888.9700 to set up an appointment with Bunkis; you may also check out our web site at www.ocps.com to get further information about our office or procedures we offer.

29-year-old female before and after Oriental upper lid procedure

49-year-old female before and after creation of upper lid fold