June 2018

Seeing is Believing: The Rise of Eyelid Surgery

Plastic surgery is one of the most talked about cosmetic procedures of our age, making its way into magazines, online articles and general gossip every single day. As celebrities flaunt their newest looks on the red carpet, more and more people are gaining access to the same procedures they undergo. Arguably, it is thanks to medical tourism and plastic surgery travel that the public have been able to get affordable plastic surgery. Whilst this is a topic all on its own, I want to focus on one of the most popular procedures in the cosmetic tourism industry: eyelid surgery. Several years ago you may not have thought about this as a popular procedure, but the figures read differently and more people are talking about it than ever before.

 

 

So why the eyelids? We are more used to hearing about facelifts, tummy tucks and breast implants than anything else, but there is good reason to see why eyelids have become one of the most popular targets for plastic surgery. The eyes are one of the first places to find signs of ageing, something that comes with the term ‘heavy eyelids or ‘heavy eyes’ in popular terminology. This is a general term for all of the signs the eyes show: dark patches underneath the eyelids, wrinkles or folds down towards the cheeks, and more. Generally this is the area of the face which shows ‘tiredness’ – red eyes and dark circles are well known to be a symptom of lack of rest.

Whilst none of these things are normally a health risk, their ability to reflect age and vitality has naturally brought them to the world of cosmetic surgery and medical tourism. Countries all across Europe now offer the procedure at discounted rates, from Prague to Poland. Plastic surgery package deals extend well beyond this, however. Eyelid surgery is reportedly most popular in Asia, and customers of cosmetic surgery tourism are beginning to flock to Korea for renowned surgeons.

 

 

More Koreans have eyelid surgery than anywhere else in the world, making it the hotbed for this field of plastic surgery. It seems that the western world has followed, and now patients are keen to address the eyelids as the first sign of facial ageing. Doctors train for many years and undertake many operations before earning their names, which they build under their own practice in the country.

It seems that interest in this particular field of cosmetic tourism will not die down any time soon – especially as the eyes will always maintain their reputation as the ‘window to the soul’. It remains to be seen if any advancements occur in the field, but with this level of industry it seems highly likely that things can only become more efficient and popular.

 

Sources:

https://plasticsurgeons.com.au/eyelid-lift-surgery-and-causes-of-ageing-eyes-blepharoplasty-melbourne/

https://www.jasinfacialandbody.com/8-signs-of-aging-around-eyes/

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-most-popular-plastic-surgery-in-korea-2015-10

https://myseoulsecret.com/forums/topic/best-clinics-for-eyelid-surgery/