Must large, refreshing-looking eyes always have a semi-out or out line?

When consulting with patients, most people want eyes that look larger and more refreshing. Even when choosing a double eyelid line, many prefer an out line, or more recently a semi-out line because an out line can feel somewhat 부담스러운. However, even when people want a semi-out or out line, they often ask for advice during consultations because they worry, “Will the line look too thick?”, “Will it become what people call sausage double eyelids?”, or “Won’t it look too artificial?”

Must large, refreshing-looking eyes always be semi-out or out line?

To give the conclusion first, surgery does not have to be performed with a semi-out or out line in order to achieve large, refreshing-looking eyes. During consultations, patients sometimes show photos of their favorite celebrities. Examples include Kim Min-ju of IZ*ONE, Karina of aespa, Irene of Red Velvet, Shin Se-kyung, Kim You-jung, Kang Tae-ri, Im Bora, and others. Looking at their eyes, they all give a large and refreshing impression, but it can be seen that most of their double eyelid lines are in-out lines.

Of course, there are also celebrities with semi-out or out lines, such as Jennie of BLACKPINK or Jang Won-young of IVE. But whether the line is in-out, semi-out, or out, all of them can still look large and refreshing. In the end, this means that other elements of the eyes have a greater influence than the double eyelid line itself. Today, let’s look at exactly that: the factors that make eyes appear large and refreshing.

The secret of large, refreshing-looking eyes seen through celebrity cases

1. Iris exposure that gives a clear impression

When you look at the celebrity photos brought in during consultations, they all have eyes that look clear and bright. This clarity is closely related to the degree of iris exposure. In general, when iris exposure is about 80–90% or more, the eyes are evaluated as clear and distinct.

When the upper eyelid barely touches the iris, or when the upper eyelid very slightly covers the upper part of the dark iris, the bright, lively impression is emphasized.

Sufficient strength in opening the eyes is needed to achieve this degree of iris exposure, and through this, a bright and lively impression can be created.

2. A wide horizontal eye length that feels open

The horizontal length of the eyes is also an important factor. When the eye is divided into five sections from left to right, the ideal ratio is roughly 1:1:1:1:1.

Of course, even if the ratio is not exact, a longer horizontal eye length can make the eyes appear more open and larger. One method that can be used for this is eye corner surgery. Eye corner surgery includes inner corner surgery, upper corner surgery, and dual corner surgery (outer-lower corner surgery). In particular, dual corner surgery helps soften the outer eye corners while improving them into a more open impression.

Dual corner surgery is more effective than performing only outer corner surgery or only lower corner surgery on its own. The outer eye corner is where the upper and lower eyelids are attached to each other. By releasing this fusion with outer corner surgery and lowering the elastic lower eyelid with lower corner surgery, the angle of the outer eye corner naturally widens, maximizing the effect.

Source: TS Plastic Surgery website

Also, if only outer corner surgery is performed by itself, the change in angle is limited, so the eyes may still look somewhat cramped. However, by expanding both the outer and lower areas through dual corner surgery, the outer eye corner area can be expected to look more open and longer.

Why choosing the right double eyelid line for you is important

Many people feel that a semi-out or out double eyelid line makes the eyes look larger and more refreshing, because there is a tendency to perceive even the height of the double eyelid line as part of the eye size.

TS Plastic Surgery - revision incision double eyelid surgery + incision eye-opening correction surgery

This patient changed the existing semi-out line to an in-out line. Incision revision double eyelid surgery was performed together with eye-opening correction surgery, and after surgery the amount of iris exposure increased, making the eyes look much larger and more refreshing, with a clearer impression. Compared with the semi-out line before surgery, the in-out line after surgery makes the eyes look even larger.

TS Plastic Surgery revision incision double eyelid surgery + eye-opening correction surgery

This patient also changed the existing out line to an in-out line, and underwent incision revision double eyelid surgery together with eye-opening correction surgery. Before surgery, there was a thick double eyelid often described as a “sausage double eyelid,” along with a somewhat sleepy-looking impression, but after surgery the eyes were improved to look clearer and more refreshing.

Due to the eye structure of East Asians, creating a semi-out or out line may require excessive correction of the epicanthic fold or setting the line too high. However, if the line becomes too high, it can look like so-called “sausage eyes” or create a somewhat unnatural impression, so caution is needed.

On the other hand, in the case of an in-out line, if the design makes the line clearly continue to the inner corner of the eye, even the height of the double eyelid can be perceived as part of the eye size. This can create a larger and more refreshing look without needing to perform surgery as a semi-out or out line. In this way, an in-out line can also be a very good option because it can create a glamorous eye shape while still feeling natural and not overly heavy.

A customized surgical plan tailored to each individual reduces revision surgery

There is a widespread perception that “in-line or in-out line double eyelids are natural, while semi-out line or out line double eyelids are glamorous.” However, a semi-out or out line is not necessarily the best choice for everyone. Depending on the patient’s eye structure, an in-out line can look more natural and still give a glamorous impression, while in some cases a semi-out or out line may look awkward.

Therefore, when someone wants “large, refreshing-looking eyes,” it is important to establish a surgical plan only after carefully diagnosing several factors such as the patient’s skin thickness, eye-opening strength, shape of the epicanthic fold, and facial bone structure. Surgery based on this kind of careful approach can increase patient satisfaction and also reduce the possibility of revision surgery due to dissatisfaction after surgery. Such precise diagnosis and customized surgery are possible only when there is an experienced specialist with extensive expertise.

※ Depending on the individual, side effects such as inflammation, bleeding, or nerve damage may occur, so sufficient consultation with the medical staff before surgery is necessary.

This is an example image to help with understanding.