Upper Blepharoplasty

• Excess or hooding upper-eyelid skin that rests on the lashes
• A heavy, tired upper-eye look, often with age
• Skin that can interfere with the line of the eye or with eye makeup

If your main goal is to create or reshape a crease, double eyelid surgery may suit better; the right plan is decided at consultation.

• 01

  Where you are now, and where we start

  Drooping upper eyelid skin, fat and the ability to open the eye

• 02

  The change you want, the impression you keep

  If your main goal is to create or reshape a crease, double eyelid surgery may suit better; the right plan is decided at consultation.

• 03

  How it differs from similar options

  These procedures address the upper eye differently, so the right one depends on your goal — removing skin, forming a crease, or lifting the brow. This is not a ranking.

• 04

  Health information and recovery schedule

  Performed under local anesthesia, sometimes with light sedation; you can usually go home the same day. Fine sutures in the crease are typically removed at about 5–7 days, unless dissolvable sutures are used. Expect temporary swelling and possible bruising, with much of it easing within about 1–2 weeks; cold compresses and head elevation help. Side effects such as swelling, bruising, asymmetry, tightness or temporary dryness may occur and are explained at consultation.

Alongside shape, we examine how the eye opens and closes, the ocular surface, the fat, skin and adhesions, then set the incision and the extent of correction.

Upper blepharoplasty adjusts excess upper-eyelid skin to address a heavy appearance. Brow descent and eyelid-opening strength are assessed separately; skin removal alone does not correct every case of ptosis. The natural crease guides incision planning. Upper blepharoplasty uses a skin incision planned around the natural upper-lid crease. A red line or firmness may remain initially and can fade as healing progresses, but a scar-free result cannot be promised. This differs from the transconjunctival approach used for some lower-lid procedures.

How it works

• 01

  A measured strip of skin is removed

  The surgeon marks the natural crease and removes a measured strip of hooding upper-lid skin through an incision placed in that fold.

• 02

  The incision hides in the crease

  Upper blepharoplasty uses a skin incision planned around the natural upper-lid crease. A red line or firmness may remain initially and can fade as healing progresses, but a scar-free result cannot be promised. This differs from the transconjunctival approach used for some lower-lid procedures.

• 03

  Muscle or fat lightened if needed

  A thin strip of orbicularis muscle or a small amount of puffy fat may also be reduced to lighten a heavy lid.

• 04

  Local anesthesia, fine closure

  It is performed under local anesthesia, sometimes with light sedation, and closed with fine sutures within the crease. This differs from double eyelid surgery, which is chosen mainly to form a crease.

1. 01

   Anatomy and function exam

   Consultation, eye assessment and design of the crease line

2. 02

   Comparing scope and method

   These procedures address the upper eye differently, so the right one depends on your goal — removing skin, forming a crease, or lifting the brow. This is not a ranking.

3. 03

   Surgery and recovery plan

   This is usually a single procedure. Early swelling settles over about 1–2 weeks and the crease line continues to soften and settle over a few months. (Results vary by individual.)

What the procedure is like

• Performed under local anesthesia, sometimes with light sedation; you can usually go home the same day.
• Fine sutures in the crease are typically removed at about 5–7 days, unless dissolvable sutures are used.
• Expect temporary swelling and possible bruising, with much of it easing within about 1–2 weeks; cold compresses and head elevation help.
• Side effects such as swelling, bruising, asymmetry, tightness or temporary dryness may occur and are explained at consultation.

Safety & considerations

Risks include bleeding, infection, scarring, asymmetry, difficulty closing the eyes, dry eyes, changes in upper-lid height or crease and possible revision. Sudden visual change, severe eye pain or rapidly increasing swelling require urgent medical care.

1. DAY 0

   Surgery day

   Performed under local anesthesia, sometimes with light sedation; you usually go home the same day with mild tightness across the upper lids.

2. DAY 1-3

   Swelling & bruising

   Swelling and possible bruising are usually most noticeable now; cold compresses and keeping the head elevated help.

3. DAY 5-7

   Suture removal

   Fine sutures in the crease are typically removed at about 5–7 days, unless dissolvable sutures are used.

4. WEEK 1-2

   Settling

   Much of the visible swelling and bruising eases over one to two weeks, though the lid can feel tight for a while.

5. 1-3 MONTHS

   Crease settles

   The healing line continues to soften and settle over a few months. (Results vary by individual.)

Neither is “better” — they work differently and suit different goals. The right choice is decided after we assess your skin.

• Q. Will an Upper Blepharoplasty give me a double eyelid crease?

  A crease often appears on its own as the excess skin is trimmed away, but the approach is not the same as surgery whose whole purpose is to create a double eyelid. We need to settle beforehand whether you want a visible crease at all and, if you do, how high it should sit. During the consultation we work out the look you have in mind in concrete terms.

• Q. Will it also help if my eyes are hard to open?

  Upper blepharoplasty uses a skin incision planned around the natural upper-lid crease. A red line or firmness may remain initially and can fade as healing progresses, but a scar-free result cannot be promised. This differs from the transconjunctival approach used for some lower-lid procedures.

• Q. Could my eyes end up looking smaller?

  Removing too much skin can make the eyes harder to close or change your expression, so we decide carefully how much to leave. Taking too little can be refined later, but skin that has already been taken is difficult to put back. That is why we work conservatively as a matter of principle.

• Q. How long does it take for the swelling to settle and the result to look natural?

  The early swelling subsides considerably over one to two weeks, but looking natural takes several months. The height of the crease in particular keeps settling as time passes, so please do not judge the result by how it looks in the first weeks. We tell you in advance that in the days right after surgery the line normally looks higher and thicker than it really is.

• Q. Can I still have this surgery at an older age?

  Your general health and the condition of your eyelids matter more than your age. When the skin hangs far enough to block your field of vision, the aim of the surgery becomes reducing an everyday inconvenience. We check for high blood pressure, diabetes, the medicines you take and any underlying conditions before deciding whether to operate and by what method.

• Q. How do I choose a clinic for Upper Blepharoplasty in Gangnam, Seoul?

  Look at the examination and the plan rather than the treatment name. First, what the clinic checks before deciding — at QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, the first thing we look at for this treatment is “Drooping upper eyelid skin, fat and the ability to open the eye”. Second, whether it explains why it recommends that scope and method, compared with the alternatives. Third, whether it reviews your progress with you when results are expected. Our doctor goes through these three points at consultation before the treatment is decided.

• Q. Where can I get Upper Blepharoplasty in Seoul?

  At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea. We are at 3F, 502 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (Nonhyeon-dong, Seohee Building), a 4-minute walk from Exit 3 of Nonhyeon or Sinnonhyeon Station. Call +82-2-514-1650 or use the consultation form on this site to book a doctor’s consultation first.