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3 Types of Double Eyelid Surgery

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Dr Andrew Tay

March 17th, 2020· 5 min read

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Some people believe that having double eyelids can help increase one’s confidence. In order to do that, people sometimes undergo surgery. If you are interested in undergoing double eyelid surgery, there are some things that you might need to take note of before proceeding.

Here are the 3 most common types of double eyelid procedures I do that my patients request: [1]

  • Suture eyelid surgery (Suture blepharoplasty)
  • Incision or cutting method (Epicanthoplasty)
  • Drooping eyelid correction (Ptosis Correction)

If you have droopy eyelids that cause your eyes to look smaller, I recommend a ptosis correction surgery or muscle tightening to enlarge the eye.

Suture eyelid surgery (Suture blepharoplasty)

People who choose suture blepharoplasty are usually those who want to have a shorter recovery time. Suture blepharoplasty is a minimally invasive surgery using incision as for the cutting method. [2] With a price ranging between $3,000 to $4,000. Apart from that, this option is often chosen in order to avoid having a scar.

However, there is a concern that the double eyelid effect may fade after a few years. Therefore, if you are a bit more concerned and want a lasting crest, I suggest you go for an incision instead.

Incision or Cutting method (Epicanthoplasty)

The other procedure that we do quite often together with the upper blepharoplasty is an epicanthoplasty. Epicanthoplasty is a procedure to change the shape of the inner corners of your eyelid. [3] This procedure is often recommended for patients with rounder areas in the corner and they want to make it slightly different. This procedure is also good if you would like to have a more parallel type of crest.

Different types of crests:

  • Tapered crest
  • Parallel crest

There are patients with tapered crests who would like to get a parallel crest. To achieve this, the patient will need to undergo an epicanthoplasty.

The suture method

If you are afraid to go under the knife, you can opt to go for the suture method instead. We will still have to give you injections to numb the eyelids. Stitches will also be done during the suture blepharoplasty and there will not be any cutting involved. It will take roughly about a month for the swelling to go away. You may get back to work in about a week or less. Meanwhile, for the incision method, swelling may last for 2 to 3 months. You may get back to work within 2 to 3 weeks. The incision scar will take about 2 to 3 months to fade.

Usually, the results range from 3 to 5 years. And in several cases, the double eyelid effect can last even longer.

How is the consultation like?

When you first come in, we try to find what your objective is. From there, we also try to learn what kind of eyelid crest you would like to achieve. Often, patients would show me pictures as examples of eyelid crests they want. From there, I will assess and inform them if it is possible to achieve. It is important to give a realistic objective as unnatural eyelid crests do have their own downsides and risks. An example would be an eyelid crest that is too high.

After listing the pros and cons, we will come to an agreement on the crest that is best suited for you. Then, I will list the different types of methods of reaching your goal with different pros and cons. From there, you can decide which method you would like to choose.

What happens if I am not satisfied with the results?

When patients are not happy with their results, I suggest waiting for the swelling to resolve first. In some cases, swelling does make the eyelid look unnatural and the end results tend to be better when swelling subsides. This may take between 1 to 3 months. Afterwards, if there is something that needs to be changed, then it is possible to have a second revision of the double eyelid surgery.

At the end of the day, I suggest you make sure that you get proper information before choosing which procedure to go for in order to get the best results. To that end, I highly advise seeing your trusted doctor.


I hope that you've found this guide useful, and perhaps gained more insight into the application process. Most of the admissions-related information (admin and logistics wise) can be found on the official NUS Faculty of Dentistry website.

To help yourself out, you should take note of what people look for when they look for a dentist.

This article was written by Dr Andrew Tay and published on Wednesday, 25 January 2017. Human medically reviewed the article on Wednesday, 25 January 2017. The last update was made on Friday, 18 September 2020.

Disclaimer: Opinions belong to the author and not to the platform.

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