Asian Eyelid Surgery Facts: Statistics of Youth vs Adults Going Under the Knife and Benefits

Asian eyelid surgery remains a consistently popular procedure among patients both in Asia and on other continents. When we look at the results and benefits that it can deliver for patients among a wide range of ages, we can see evidence for why it remains so prevalent. The procedure continues to develop as well, with newer, more efficient techniques being developed by experts in the field. In order to understand why this procedure appeals to so many potential patients, we looked through a fair amount of research to understand some of the statistics of its benefits for youth vs. adults.

What Is Asian Eyelid Surgery?

Asian eyelid surgery, or double eyelid surgery, is a cosmetic procedure that involves altering the shape of the eyes and upper eyelids to provide patients with an eyelid fold. The goal of this procedure is to create an aesthetically pleasing and dynamic appearance by making the eyes appear larger and more open than before. It typically involves creating a crease in the upper lid where none existed before. The procedure stands as the most popular procedure in the continent of Asia (Chen 2006), where approximately half the population is born without an eyelid crease (Nguyen 2009).

Why Patients Choose Asian Eyelid Surgery

Asian eyelid surgery is not about Westernizing the unique features of the Asian eyelid but instead about using aesthetic theory to develop a more dynamic appearance on the whole. Physician Foad Nahai published a work in which they described the aesthetic benefits of Asian eyelid surgery as pursuing the natural development of what they term “evolutionary beauty,” it being the idea that the transformation of traditional ideas of attractiveness into something that resonates more powerfully within a culture’s current society” (2014). Rather than looking at this procedure as a way to devalue unique Asian traits, it can help patients reach their own personal beauty ideals regardless of their age or background.

Statistics on Patient Demographics – Worldwide and mostly among Asian patients

Asian eyelid surgery is most often performed on patients in their 30s, because by this age the eyelids can begin looking lax and heavy with signs of aging. However, there is a significant cohort of younger patients who want to seek a particular eye shape and address functional problems.

Based on data from 18 years of the career of surgeon Dr. Kruavit that spanned over six thousand patients, a sample demographic of Asian eyelid patients falls mainly in patients aged between 18-39. However, this is in contrast to the USA, where patients typically benefit most from the procedure if they are 25 and up. Dr. Kenneth Kim has found that patients 25 and over achieve the best results and enjoy the outcomes, with patients 30 and over seeing the best outcomes of that age demographic.

Still, we can see the core role that patients in a younger age range (around 30 years of age) play in a surgeon’s demographic. The majority of patients for Asian eyelid surgery are 40 years old or younger. However, these statistics are representative only of the cited surgeon’s experience and may not reflect the wider audience of patients, especially in the USA.

Younger Patients Drive Advancements

While the adult population may be responsible for bringing this procedure’s popularity to the forefront, we cannot underestimate the role that younger patients have in pushing the procedure into the future. Most immediately, younger patients create a wider pool of candidates for the procedure, but their tastes and demands for the procedure are an impetus for development. One way younger patients drive the procedure forward is that they want cosmetic surgeries to result in little to no visible scarring and spend as little amount of time in recovery as possible (Sasaki 2006). Thus we have seen a proliferation of shorter incision methods that meet these goals, both reducing downtime and scarring in patients after their procedure (Kruavit 2009).

Benefits for Patients of All Ages

Patients, regardless of age, can generally expect to see multiple benefits after their Asian eyelid procedure. Some of the core takeaways that patients of all ages can enjoy are listed below.

Enhanced Eye Shape and Proportions
Asian eyelid surgery takes an approach that considers your entire facial expression on the whole. Your surgeon can then make adjustments that bring out the best and brightest aspects of your natural features while still maintaining your core sense of identity.

Improved Symmetry
Having one eyelid be different from the other is more common than our patients usually expect it to be. Asian blepharoplasty and our other eyelid procedures can also be performed on a single eyelid (or both) to bring out a better sense of balanced symmetry in your features.

The Appearance of Longer Lashes
The minute adjustments of the eyelid in this procedure do not affect lash length. But by changing the positioning of the eyelid, we can make your lashes more visible as they more effectively frame your eye area.

A Confidence Boost
And of course, all these benefits can come together to help patients build more confidence in their appearance. When the way you look matches with your beauty ideals, it can create a sense of comfort and pleasure whenever you look in the mirror.