Hooded upper lids come from skin that has stretched and folded down over the lash line, sometimes with a pocket of fat beneath it. Upper blepharoplasty removes a measured strip of that skin through an incision in the lid crease, so choosing a surgeon in Korea means checking how much skin they plan to take and where the new fold will sit. ENTER Plastic Surgery in Seoul performs it under local anesthesia, adding sedation if needed, and Dr. Jang Jin-woo, a Korean board-certified plastic surgeon, operates.
How to choose
Eight things to check before upper blepharoplasty in Korea
Two quotes for the same operation can plan very different lids. Raise these points with each surgeon, using a photo of your eyes open and one with them gently closed.
Skin, fat or muscle
Excess skin is what upper blepharoplasty treats. A lid that sits low because the lifting muscle is weak needs ptosis correction, so ask the surgeon to check both.
The brow position
A heavy brow can push skin down onto the lid. If your brow has dropped, ask whether a sub-brow lift or forehead lift would be discussed first.
How much skin comes out
Ask how the amount is marked and how much skin is left for the lid to close fully, since closing your eyes comfortably matters for the tear film.
Crease height
The incision line becomes the fold. Ask for the planned height in millimeters and how it relates to your natural crease.
Muscle kept or trimmed
Some surgeons remove a band of the orbicularis muscle along with skin. Ask what is planned and why.
Hollowness above the lid
A sunken upper lid can look older after skin removal. Ask whether fat grafting to the upper lid would help in your case.
Dry eye history
Mention eye drops, contact lenses and past laser eye surgery before the plan is fixed.
Who stitches and who removes
Confirm that the surgeon you consulted performs the operation and that the stitch check is booked before you fly.
Clinic types
Best Upper Blepharoplasty in Seoul: Comparing Where You Can Book
Hooded-lid surgery is sold in Seoul under several names, by practices that differ in who measures and who operates.
| Where | What to expect | Ask before booking |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic surgery clinic centered on the eyes | The operating surgeon marks the skin to be removed | Will you mark my lids yourself on the day? |
| Hospital with several surgeons | Eye cases shared across a team | Who decides the crease height for me? |
| Double eyelid-focused practice | Crease surgery may be offered for hooding | Is skin being removed, or only a fold made? |
| Agency for overseas visitors | Package dates and coordination | Does the quote list surgery, sedation and add-ons apart? |
What you want back is a plan written for your own lids: the skin to be removed, the crease height and whether anything else, such as fat grafting, is proposed.
Prices
The upper blepharoplasty quote in South Korea, card by card
The upper blepharoplasty fee is the main card. Upper-eyelid fat grafting has its own card as an add-on, priced for use alongside an upper blepharoplasty or an incisional crease operation, never as an operation by itself. If sedation is used, IV sedation is billed on a line of its own.
All three amounts exclude VAT (10% VAT is added at payment). Ptosis correction is also offered as an add-on when the lifting muscle needs work; if your lids need it, it appears as an extra line in your quote. Ask for deposit and cancellation terms in writing before paying.
Prices exclude VAT (10% VAT is added at payment).
Before & after
Upper blepharoplasty results at ENTER Plastic Surgery
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
Your doctor
Chief Director · Korean board-certified plastic surgeon
“Natural, yet clearly visible change.”Eyelid and facelift surgery at ENTER is planned and performed by Dr. Jang himself.
- NowChief Director, ENTER Plastic Surgery
- TrainingPlastic surgery, Kyung Hee University Medical Center
- FormerChief Director, Jang Plastic Surgery
- FormerDirector, Secret Plastic Surgery
- MemberKSPRS · KSAPS · ISAPS · ESOPRS · ASPS
Which operation
Matching a hooded lid to the right upper-lid operation
Upper blepharoplasty is easy to confuse with three nearby operations. Sorting out which problem you have is the most useful step before comparing surgeons.
| What you see | Likely cause | Operation discussed |
|---|---|---|
| Skin folding over the lashes | Stretched upper-lid skin | Upper blepharoplasty |
| Lid margin sitting low over the iris | Weak lifting muscle | Ptosis correction, as an add-on |
| No fold, skin in good shape | No crease attachment | Double eyelid surgery |
| Heavy outer brow | Brow has dropped | Sub-brow or forehead lift |
| Hollow above the eye | Volume loss in the lid | Upper-eyelid fat graft, as an add-on |
More than one can apply. When the muscle is weak as well as the skin loose, ptosis correction can be combined with upper blepharoplasty in the same session.
Evidence
What upper blepharoplasty research has measured
A systematic review of 28 studies found improvements in visual field, headaches and vision-related quality of life after upper blepharoplasty, while results on dry eye and brow height pointed in different directions (Hollander, 2019). The operation can help function as well as appearance, but not every effect is settled.
Muscle handling is one of those open questions. A review of six small studies found that removing a strip of orbicularis muscle along with skin gave no better long-term appearance than removing skin alone, and caused more early eye discomfort (Samargandi, 2021). Asking whether muscle will be removed is reasonable.
Dry eye is the side effect most worth raising. In a review of eyelid-area surgery, dryness beyond two weeks affected 10.9% of patients and beyond two months 2%, and most cases improved with conservative care (Hamawy, 2009).
Your stay
Upper blepharoplasty at ENTER Plastic Surgery: the week in Seoul
Eyes and forehead make up most of the clinic's surgery. Every upper-lid operation is performed by Dr. Jang Jin-woo personally, whose memberships include ESOPRS, the European society for eyelid and orbital surgery, alongside KSAPS in Korea.
The operation takes 30 to 60 minutes. Stitches come out about five to seven days later at a clinic visit, and the clinic's guidance puts the flight home seven days after surgery, once they are out. Bruising and swelling take one to two weeks to fade and can be covered with glasses; the new fold takes one to three months to settle. Cold compresses are used for three days, then warm ones from day four. Avoid blowing your nose for two weeks.
The clinic's guidance gives five to ten years or more as the span of the result. English-speaking staff are available at the clinic. To start, send one photo with your eyes open and one with them closed using WhatsApp or this page's form, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Evidence
Research behind this page
- Preventing and Managing Dry Eyes after Periorbital Surgery: A Retrospective ReviewPlastic & Reconstructive Surgery · 2009 · Hamawy A et al. · doi:10.1097/prs.0b013e31819346ea
Dry eye after eyelid-area surgery lasted beyond two weeks in 10.9% and beyond two months in 2%, and most cases improved with conservative care.
- Is Orbicularis Oculi Muscle Resection Necessary in Upper Blepharoplasty? A Systematic ReviewAesthetic Plastic Surgery · 2021 · Samargandi O et al. · doi:10.1007/s00266-021-02131-8
Across six small studies, removing orbicularis muscle in upper blepharoplasty gave no better long-term appearance than skin-only removal and more early eye discomfort.
- Functional outcomes of upper eyelid blepharoplasty: A systematic reviewJournal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery · 2019 · Hollander M et al. · doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2018.11.010
A review of 28 studies reporting better visual field and vision-related quality of life after upper blepharoplasty, with mixed findings on dry eye and brow height.
FAQ
Upper blepharoplasty in Korea: questions from people comparing surgeons
How do I tell a good upper blepharoplasty plan from a weak one?
A useful plan says how much skin will be removed, where the crease will sit, whether muscle or fat is touched, and whether your brow or lid muscle also needs attention. It also names the surgeon. A quote that only gives a price leaves those decisions unexplained.
Is upper blepharoplasty the same as double eyelid surgery?
No. Upper blepharoplasty removes stretched skin that hangs over the lashes. Double eyelid surgery creates a fold in a lid that has none, and the skin may be in good condition. The two can overlap in technique, so ask which problem the plan is treating.
When can I fly home after upper blepharoplasty in Seoul?
About seven days after surgery. The stitches are removed five to seven days after the operation, and the clinic's guidance sets the flight once they are out. Bruising may still show, though glasses cover most of it on the journey.
What will the upper blepharoplasty quote include?
The surgery is ₩2,600,000 excluding VAT (10% VAT is added at payment). Upper-eyelid fat grafting is an add-on at ₩1,300,000, and IV sedation, if used, is ₩300,000, each before VAT. Each item appears on its own line.
Can upper-lid hollowness be treated at the same time?
Yes, with upper-eyelid fat grafting as an add-on. Fat is placed into the sunken area above the eye during the same session. It is priced only alongside upper blepharoplasty or incisional double eyelid surgery, so the surgeon will judge whether your hollowness needs it.
Will upper blepharoplasty make my eyes dry?
It can for a while. In one review of eyelid-area surgery, dryness lasting more than two weeks affected 10.9% of patients and more than two months 2%, and most improved with conservative care. Tell the surgeon about existing dry eye or contact lens use first.
Is general anaesthesia (UK spelling) used for upper blepharoplasty?
No. Upper blepharoplasty at ENTER Plastic Surgery is done under local anesthesia, and sedation can be added if needed. You are awake but numb under local anesthesia alone, and the operation lasts 30 to 60 minutes.
Google reviews
Reviews on Google Maps
Great experience! Dr. is very sweet and kind. He listened to what I wanted to fix and correct. He explained everything very well. Wasn’t pushy and didn’t try to sell anything extra. This isn’t a clinic that comes out on instagram, which I…
Jennifer LyuA month agoI came to Enter Plastic Surgery on a friend’s recommendation for under-eye fat repositioning. I was pretty nervous going in, but the doctor took the time to explain what would work for my under-eyes, what the procedure involved, and what…
Michael2 months agoThe staff are incredibly friendly, and the consultation was very thorough. I was very worried since it was my first procedure, but the director explained the aftercare in detail, so I felt completely confident trusting them!!
ROOHEUI SHIN (RHS)2 months ago · Translated by Google