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Surgery · 상안검 성형

Upper Blepharoplasty for Hooded, Ageing Eyelids

Removal of loose, overhanging upper lid skin in middle-aged patients, by the crease or just below the brow.

Quick facts
  • Korean name: 상안검 성형
  • Procedure time: 45 to 90 minutes
  • Anesthesia: Local anesthesia, optional sedation
  • Sessions: 1
  • Downtime: 7 to 10 days
  • Results: Lighter look in 2 weeks; scar softens over 3 to 6 months
  • Lasts: 10 years or more for most patients
  • Typical price: ₩1,500,000–₩2,500,000 (per surgery, both eyes)

What is Upper Blepharoplasty?

Upper blepharoplasty (상안검) is the age-related cousin of double eyelid surgery. Its goal is to remove skin that has dropped over the lashes, lighten a heavy look, and sometimes widen the field of vision.

Korean surgeons offer two main routes: incision in the crease line, which also creates or refreshes a fold, and sub-brow excision (눈썹하거상), which hides the scar under the brow and keeps an existing monolid or natural fold.

How it works

The excess skin is measured with you sitting upright, marked as a crescent, and removed under local anesthetic. A thin strip of muscle and some fat may be trimmed. The wound is closed with fine sutures removed at about a week.

Who it suits

  • Patients in their 40s and older
  • Skin resting on the lashes
  • Tired-looking eyes due to skin, not muscle weakness
  • People who want to keep their natural eye shape (sub-brow option)

Who should skip it or wait

  • Lids that droop because of weak muscle (needs ptosis repair)
  • Low, sagging brows (a brow lift may be better)
  • Severe dry eye

Side effects and risks

  • Removing too much skin, making the eye hard to close
  • Visible scar, more so with the sub-brow approach in women without brow tattoo
  • Asymmetry
  • Temporary numbness above the incision

Aftercare

  • Keep the head raised when resting
  • Cold packs for 2 days
  • Clean the incision and apply ointment twice a day
  • Hide the sub-brow scar with brow makeup after stitch removal

Planning around your trip

Allow 7 days in Seoul so the stitches can come out on day 5 to 7; most patients fly home the day after removal.

Plastic Surgery clinics near Apgujeong

Last reviewed October 2026. General information only, not medical advice. A doctor confirms what suits you at consultation.

Upper Blepharoplasty price in Apgujeong

₩1,500,000–₩2,500,000
per surgery, both eyes

Typical range at clinics around Apgujeong, Sinsa and Cheongdam, checked 2026-10. Source: Glass Wallet, plastic surgery cost guide (2026-04). Cosmetic treatments in Korea carry 10% VAT; ask whether a quote includes it.

Upper Blepharoplasty questions

Crease incision or sub-brow incision, which suits me?

If you already have a fold you like and the excess skin sits mostly at the outer corner, sub-brow excision avoids changing your eye shape. If you want a new or higher fold, the crease approach makes more sense.

Will my eyes look smaller or Western afterwards?

A conservative excision keeps your eye shape. Ask the surgeon how many millimetres they plan to remove and where the fold will sit.

Can I combine it with under-eye surgery?

Yes, upper and lower lids are often done in one session under sedation. It adds about an hour and a few days of swelling.

Is it covered by insurance?

Korean insurance covers only cases with documented visual field loss, and only for enrolled residents. Visitors pay the cosmetic fee.

How soon can I wear eye makeup?

Around 3 days after stitch removal, once the incision has sealed.

Is the sub-brow scar visible without makeup?

It sits along the lower edge of the brow hairs and is usually faint after 3 to 6 months. Women with sparse brows sometimes add a brow tattoo to cover it.

Plan your visit

Get a quote before you fly

Send the treatment, your dates and any past procedures. We reply in English with options, prices and clinic locations near Apgujeong Station.