Incisional vs. Non-incisional Double Eyelid Surgery: Which Is Better?

Hello. This is Obje Plastic Surgery.

Today, we’ll take a look at the first thing that comes to mind when people think of eye surgery: 'double eyelid surgery.'

Among those, we’ll cover the two procedures people ask about most often: incisional double eyelid surgery and non-incisional double eyelid surgery.

Incisional vs. Non-incisional

Non-incisional: First, small openings are made, and the eyelid is corrected by pulling up the muscle. Threads are inserted according to the design, creating a double eyelid line through the threads.

Incisional: An incision is made along the design, and then the skin along the incised line—meaning the dermis and other tissues beneath the skin—are adhered to the tarsal plate, or to the eye or muscle, so that the double eyelid is created through the force of adhesion. This is called incisional double eyelid surgery.

Because of these differences in surgical method, the shape of the double eyelid is inevitably different.

In the case of non-incisional double eyelid surgery, very thin threads are used, so over time the threads naturally become buried under the skin, and the result looks naturally designed, as if no surgery had been performed.

In the case of incisional double eyelid surgery, because the dermis or muscle beneath the skin must be attached to the inner tarsal plate—that is, a process of adhesion is required—there is inevitably some slight sunken scarring. As a result, when the eyes are closed, the appearance is noticeably different from the non-incisional method.

Which method is right for me?

■ If you feel uncomfortable with a scar such as slight sunkenness when your eyes are closed: non-incisional is more suitable than incisional.

■ If there is a lot of fat in your eyelids: the non-incisional method can be done at the same time as fat removal. The double eyelid is created non-incisionally, while the thicker outer area is treated by removing fat through the openings.

Then can’t everyone just have non-incisional double eyelid surgery? Why is the incisional method needed?

■ If there is too much fat, it is difficult to remove all of it through the small openings made for the non-incisional method. Even if fat is removed, only some of it can be taken out, so for people with a lot of fat in the front part of the eyelids, incisional double eyelid surgery is unavoidable.

■ People with severe skin sagging also cannot avoid the incisional method, because non-incisional surgery does not cut the skin. In cases where some skin must inevitably be removed, an incision has no choice but to be made.

Therefore, rather than deciding whether you are better suited for incisional or non-incisional double eyelid surgery on your own, we recommend proceeding through a consultation.

At Obje Plastic Surgery, we recommend the method that can produce the most natural and refined result for each individual, and we provide personalized consultations.

● Differences, advantages, and disadvantages between non-incisional and incisional double eyelid surgery, explained in the voice of Dr. Lee Kyung-mook of Obje Plastic Surgery

■ If you’d like to know more about Dr. Lee Kyung-mook?

■ When can you meet Dr. Lee Kyung-mook at Obje?