The ABC's of Asian Blepharoplasty or 'Double Eyelid' Surgery

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - Aug 11, 2011) - There is an increased demand from the Asian community for blepharoplasty or 'double eyelid' surgery, a common plastic surgery procedure done to create larger looking eyes. Dr. Ioannis P. Glavas, founder and director of The Glavas Centre for Oculo-Facial Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, has seen the uptick in this procedure skyrocket from his practice alone.

A recent article in the New York Times online states, "According to Health Ministry statistics, cosmetic and plastic surgery ranks fourth in 2009 as the most popular way the Chinese spend discretionary income." Cosmetic procedures are doubling every year in China, which ranks it number three in the list of countries with the most cosmetic procedures performed annually. And, the most common procedure performed is the procedure known as 'double eyelid.'

Double eyelid surgery changes the appearance of the upper lids to either create a fold on the upper eyelids if there is not one, or adjusts the height of the already existing fold to a higher position. People with asymmetric eyelids (one fold higher than the other) look for symmetry.

"Creating a fold or moving it higher gives the eyelid a more pleasing appearance or a more culturally desirable characteristic," notes Dr. Glavas. "Many socioeconomic attributes besides pure vanity or desire for symmetry are associated with this procedure."

The Asian eyelid differs in several areas from the Caucasian eyelid, otherwise known as Western type eyelid, mainly due to the existence of fatty tissue and a connective tissue called tarsus which acts as a framework for the eyelid. The eyelid crease of the upper lid is formed by a muscle that lifts the lid but the muscle cannot create a high fold which defines the Western eyelid due to the fat, and instead creates a flat appearance in the brow.

Additionally, the skin of the eyelid comes in front of the eye in the area close to the nose and creates a fold that is known as the epicanthal fold, making the eye look smaller and it also pushes the eyelashes down, accentuating the effect.

Over time surgeons have utilized many different methods with varying degrees of success to create the fold by attaching the skin to the deeper tissues. Today, the most common procedures for double eyelid surgery are the incisional technique and the suture technique known also as DST. Each one has advantages and disadvantages.

"The incisional technique has a permanent result and you can customize the shape of the eyelid fold, it's a more involved procedure and there is a longer recovery time," states Dr. Glavas. While the suture technique (also known as DST) is a much simpler recovery since there is no incision of the skin but instead, a suture is used to "hold together" the tissues of the eyelid below the skin to form a new crease and the procedure is done under local anesthesia. "The main disadvantages of this procedure is the lack of customization and the risk of losing the result of double eyelid if the suture brakes for any reason; think of allergy, rubbing the eyes, getting hit in the eye or just degradation of the suture material over time," he noted.

"Creating a double eyelid fold is a very precise procedure and requires careful pre-operative planning. It is critical to work with an experienced cosmetic surgeon familiar with the procedures and the particularities of the Asian anatomy and skin due to the tendency to hyper pigment, the increased risk of keloids or hypertrophic scars," notes Dr. Glavas. "Communication with your doctor is the key factor to success."

Dr. Ioannis P. Glavas is a Board Certified (ABO) oculoplastic and facial cosmetic surgeon specializing in eyelid procedures with offices in Boston (Newbury Street) and Manhattan. Dr. Glavas takes a multidisciplinary approach to facial reconstruction with expertise in several surgical and non-surgical techniques to provide more choice for his patients including laser, fractional laser skin resurfacing or radiofrequency technology depending on individual, cultural and ethnic characteristics.

The author of numerous articles and reviews in major scientific journals and book chapters on cosmetic facial rejuvenation, Dr. Glavas is the Founder and Director of the Glavas Centre for Oculo-Facial Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, the Massachusetts Eye Plastic Surgery & Laser Center, and serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at NYU School of Medicine and Manhattan Eye Ear and Throat Hospital in New York.

Dr. Glavas is regularly quoted in newspapers and on TV and radio, and is available to comment on all issues related to cosmetic surgery and most particularly eyelid procedures.

For more information, contact Dr. Glavas at (617) 262-0070, or drglavas@gmail.com.
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