Korean Canthoplasty for Small, Narrow-Looking Eyes: Which Eye Corner Surgery Is Right for You?
By Urban Plastic Surgery Hospital
When we meet or talk to someone, one of the first features that naturally draws our attention is the eyes.
The eyes play an important role in shaping a person’s first impression. We often perceive someone’s overall expression and appearance through their gaze and eye shape. Because first impressions can form within just a few seconds, the eyes can have a significant impact on overall facial appearance and expression.
Today, we’ll take a closer look at Korean canthoplasty, a type of eye corner surgery designed for people with small or narrow-looking eyes, or for those who feel their eye shape does not appear as open, defined, or balanced as they would like.
This procedure has become increasingly popular among people who want their eyes to look larger and brighter while creating an eye shape that better complements their facial features.
For those with small, narrow-looking, or visually restricted eyes, understanding the different types of canthoplasty and eye corner surgery can help you choose the approach that best suits your individual eye shape and facial proportions.
1. Medial Epicanthoplasty (Inner Corner Eye Surgery)
Medial epicanthoplasty is a surgical procedure performed at the inner corner of the eyes to help increase the visible horizontal eye length and create a more open appearance at the inner eye corners.
This procedure is often suitable for people with a prominent epicanthal fold or a relatively closed inner eye corner, which can make the eyes appear shorter or narrower.
Medial epicanthoplasty (inner corner eye surgery) can help create a softer, more natural-looking eye shape while increasing the visible horizontal width of the eyes. This may make the eyes appear larger and more open, especially for those who want to improve eye proportions and achieve a more balanced appearance with their overall facial features.
URBAN Plastic Surgery’s Medial Epicanthoplasty TechniqueAt URBAN Plastic Surgery, medial epicanthoplasty is performed according to the natural shape of the inner eye corner. The skin layers are carefully separated, and the epicanthal fold is repositioned or trimmed as needed to create a more open and defined appearance at the inner corners of the eyes.
The degree of inner corner opening varies depending on each person’s eye shape and anatomical structure. In general, medial epicanthoplasty may create a visible change of approximately 1–3 mm.
Although this may seem like a small difference, even a few millimeters can noticeably affect the overall appearance, openness, and balance of the eyes.Medial epicanthoplasty typically involves a relatively short recovery period compared with some other types of eyelid surgery. It can be a suitable option for those who want their eyes to appear more open and defined while maintaining a natural-looking and balanced eye shape.
2. Lateral Canthoplasty (Outer Corner Eye Surgery)
Lateral canthoplasty is a surgical procedure performed at the outer corner of the eyes to help increase the visible horizontal length of the eyes. Similar to medial epicanthoplasty, it aims to create a more open-looking eye shape, but specifically focuses on extending and reshaping the outer eye corners.
This technique is suitable for people who want their eyes to appear larger and more open, as it helps increase the horizontal width of the eyes. Lateral canthoplasty can make the eyes look wider, brighter, and more defined.
It can also be combined with medial epicanthoplasty (inner corner eye surgery) to further enhance the overall eye shape, creating a longer and more open appearance.
URBAN Plastic Surgery’s Lateral Canthoplasty TechniqueAt URBAN Plastic Surgery, lateral canthoplasty is performed by placing the incision at the outer corner where the upper and lower eyelids meet. The outer canthus is then carefully repositioned and secured toward the inner conjunctival tissue to help extend and reshape the outer eye corner.
The surgeon carefully plans the incision to minimize impact on the lateral canthal tendon, which plays an important role in maintaining the shape and support of the outer eye corner. The tendon can then be repositioned and secured to the periosteum to help maintain the outer corner in an appropriate position.
Because the incision is placed along the outer edge of the eye, the scar is often relatively difficult to notice once healed. This technique may be suitable for those who want to create a more open-looking eye shape while maintaining a natural appearance.
3. Lower Canthoplasty (Lowering Canthoplasty)
Lower canthoplasty (lowering canthoplasty) is a surgical procedure performed on the lower outer area of the eyes to help make the eyes appear longer while also creating a softer, rounder, and more balanced eye shape.
This technique is often suitable for people with upturned outer eye corners or an overly sharp eye shape. By lowering the outer eye corner, lower canthoplasty can help the eyes look softer, gentler, and more approachable.Lower canthoplasty has also gained attention among those who want to create a softer and more youthful-looking appearance. When the angle and position of the outer eye corner are carefully designed, the procedure may help the eyes appear gentler and more relaxed, reducing an overly tired or sharp-looking expression.
URBAN Plastic Surgery’s Lower Canthoplasty TechniqueAt URBAN Plastic Surgery, lower canthoplasty is performed through an incision on the inner conjunctiva of the lower eyelid (transconjunctival approach). The underlying fibrous tissue is carefully released to reduce tension, and the lower outer eye corner is then repositioned downward to create a softer, more open eye shape before the incision is meticulously closed.
Because lower canthoplasty allows the angle of the outer eye corner to be adjusted, it can help reduce an overly upturned eye shape, making the eyes appear larger, softer, and more open while creating a gentler overall facial expression.
4. Upper Canthoplasty (Upper Eye Corner Surgery)
Upper canthoplasty is a surgical procedure performed on the upper part of the eye to help increase the vertical height of the eye opening, creating a more open and defined appearance.
It is often combined with double eyelid surgery (Asian blepharoplasty) to make the eyes appear larger while creating a clearer, more natural-looking eyelid crease.
Upper canthoplasty can also help create a softer, more natural curve along the upper eye area, giving the eyes greater definition and enhancing overall facial balance. It may also be considered for people with relatively thick upper eyelids, depending on their individual eye structure.
By improving the overall proportions of the eyes and face, this procedure can help create a more open yet natural-looking eye shape, making it suitable for those who want brighter, more defined eyes while maintaining a soft and harmonious facial appearance.
URBAN Plastic Surgery’s Upper Canthoplasty Technique
Upper canthoplasty is a procedure designed to release or remove the upper portion of the epicanthal fold. By opening the inner eye corner in an upward direction at approximately a 45-degree angle, the procedure can expose more of the previously covered eye area, helping the eyes appear more open and defined.
Opening the upper inner corner of the eye can help improve both the horizontal width and overall eye shape at the same time, creating more balanced eye proportions that harmonize naturally with the rest of the facial features.
Benefits of Canthoplasty
In general, canthoplasty is a type of eye surgery that adjusts the size and shape of the eyes at different points to help create a more defined, brighter, and livelier facial appearance.
After surgery, the eyes may appear larger and more open, while the overall facial expression can look softer, fresher, and more naturally youthful.
Another advantage of canthoplasty is that the surgical scars are often relatively difficult to notice once healed. When the procedure is carefully designed to suit the individual’s eye shape and facial structure, it can also help improve overall facial proportions and create a more harmonious, balanced appearance.
Which Type of Canthoplasty Is Right for You?
Although there are several types of canthoplasty, and eye corner surgery has become increasingly popular, opening the eyes more than necessary can sometimes lead to an unnatural-looking result or an appearance that does not match the patient’s desired aesthetic.
Because the eyes are one of the most important features of the face, Korean canthoplasty and eyelid surgery require precise surgical techniques, careful planning, and a customized approach based on each individual’s eye anatomy and facial proportions.
At URBAN Plastic Surgery, each individual’s eye anatomy, eye shape, and overall facial proportions are carefully evaluated to determine which areas actually need correction. Rather than performing unnecessary procedures, the focus is on selecting only the appropriate surgical approach and creating a natural-looking eye shape that best suits each person’s unique features.
Plastic surgery trends may change over time, but what matters more than following a trend is choosing the surgical technique that best suits your own facial features, eye shape, and overall proportions.
URBAN Plastic Surgery
Therefore, if you are considering Korean eye surgery—whether medial epicanthoplasty, lateral canthoplasty, upper canthoplasty, lower canthoplasty, or double eyelid surgery—it is important to choose a clinic or hospital with experience treating a wide range of eye shapes and anatomical structures. This can help achieve a natural-looking result that is well suited to your individual features and facial proportions.
URBAN Plastic Surgery Hospital has extensive experience in treating a wide range of eye shapes and eyelid structures. Drawing on this experience, the surgical team creates a customized eye surgery plan designed to achieve a more beautiful, natural-looking eye shape that harmonizes with each patient’s overall facial features.
If you are still unsure which eye shape or surgical approach is right for you, feel free to contact us for a consultation. Our team will be happy to provide detailed, personalized guidance in a friendly and approachable way.
Source: Column by URBAN Plastic Surgery
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