Sunday, October 24, 2010

Is Asian blepharoplasty (double eyelid surgery) similiar to Westernization of the eyelids?

In Malaysia, double eyelid surgery or Asian blepharoplasty is the most common cosmetic  eyelid surgery performed amongst  people of Chinese descents. The purpose of the procedure is to make the eyes appear bigger and more animated without losing their ethnic identity. Consequently, it is a misnomer to call double eyelid surgery Westernization of the eyelids otherwise the results would be disasters as the end results will make the patient appear neither Chinese nor Caucasians because the shape of the eyes are the most distinctive parts of  Chinese faces. Westernization of the eyelids will make the skin creases too high and the eyes sunken. Using my basic photoshop skills, I use three famous actresses/singer to illustrate the points. Lucy Liu has the so called single eyelids and if she were to undergo double eyelid surgery, the surgeon who thought she want her eyes westernized may create double eyelids in the shape of Angelina Jolie. From the photoshop result, the result would be a disaster as she would appear weird with Caucasian eye and yet Chinese nose, cheek and mouth. On the other hand, a considerate and experienced surgeon will make her eyes appear bigger says in the shape of Wang Fei. The photoshop result shows she would retain her Chinese looks despite the double eyelids.




Unfortunately, some western surgeons who thought their Chinese patients want their eyelids to resemble that of Caucasians and may even display their results in textbooks as "successful" results. The pictures below are taken from two American textbooks on eyelid surgery under the chapters Asian Blepharoplasty. To most potential Chinese patients who wish to undergo double eyelid surgery, any surgeons who show these results are most unlikely to get any patients.



I will disuss more on double eyelid surgery later and show how I do the operation (with pictures).
The importance of retaining the Chinese features (at least in Malaysia) after double eyelid surgery will make or break the name of any surgeons. I think the same can be said about creating fuller lips with fillers. Most people would prefer fuller lips without ones that resemble Africans (Africanization of the lips), unfortunately some cosmetic surgeons give their patients the lips of Naomi Campbell!


5 comments:

  1. Hi Dr.,
    do you know where they do, if they may do, single eyelid surgery. I mean toget asian eyes shape?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really appreciate this post. I find it insulting when non-Asians are so sure that every Asian wants to "westernize" themselves simply because we like the look of bigger eyes. The double eyelid episode of the Tyra show was what originally offended me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. If you are looking for Best Blepharoplasty surgeon in India come to MedSpa. Dr. Ajaya Kashyap India's best plastic surgeon help you to make you understand all thing about Eyelid surgery.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is really a nice and informative, containing all information and also has a great impact on the new technology. Thanks for sharing it, how much is liposuction

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great article with excellent idea!Thank you for such a valuable article. I really appreciate for this great information.


    Regards,
    Blepharoplasty surgeon in Manchester

    ReplyDelete