A cosmetic surgeon has warned that patients looking to have eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) should be prepared to use tape or a paperclip to show your cosmetic surgeon exactly how high they would like the crease on the eyelid.

Dr. Peterson, Chief Plastic Surgeon at Athena Clinic, made the comments after discovering that many Asian patients were having eyelid surgery and ending up with the eyelid crease too high. The problem comes because the average Asian eyelid is smaller than the average Caucasian eyelid Asian eyelids are, on average, 7.49mm whereas Caucasian eyelids are 10mm.

Much of the plastic surgeon training is done in the US and on Caucasians therefore most calculations that cosmetic surgeons do are based on ‘Western’ creases. Even if an Asian patient wishes to have more Westernised eyes, it is still not a good idea to base measurements on Caucasian eyelid measurements because the end result will normally have the patient having a permanent surprised look on their face.

So, it is recommended that before eyelid surgery, patients ensure that their cosmetic surgeon has a good idea of exactly what the patient is after to ensure the best possible results after cosmetic surgery. Although Dr. Peterson’s comments are made in relation to Asian eyelid surgery, the same rings true for all patients and all surgeries the better your cosmetic surgery understands your aims for the surgery, the more likely you are to get the results you are after.

You may also be interested in reading our free guide on how to select a good Cosmetic Surgeon