Why Asian Eyelids Can be More Easily Made Symmetrical

Symmetry is perhaps the hardest thing for me to fix.  I can improve one’s asymmetry but I can’t fix it.  In fact, in all my consent forms I state “the two sides of the body are not the same and can never be made the same,” a point that I typically try to underscore to every prospective patient who is considering a procedure no matter how big or small.  Curiously, when it comes to Asian eyelid surgery, i.e., creating a crease in the upper eyelid, in most cases I can actually make the eyelids more symmetric even if one was born with a slight or gross asymmetry.  The reason for this is that the asymmetry results from a partial crease on one side and an absent crease on the other side that when I create symmetric creases surgically the asymmetry disappears. Let me explain it another way.  When one has a partial crease on one side and a non-existent crease on the other side, the side that has the partial crease typically has an eyelid opening that is wider or bigger than the side with a non-existent crease.  The reason for this is that the side without a crease has more fat that slides downward since the levator muscle does not insert into the skin crease causing the eyelid opening to be smaller on that side.  The side with a partial crease has less fat that slides down over the eyelid and therefore that side the eye opening is bigger.  When the surgery is performed and there is a much more durable and defined crease, then both eyelids open even more and look less “sleepy eyed” but typically also in a symmetric fashion.

Samuel M. Lam, MD, FACS is a board certified plastic surgeon in Dallas, Texas. To schedule a Asian eyelid consultation please call (972) 312-8188. To Learn more about Dr Lams’ Asian blepharoplasty surgery or to ask Dr Lam a question please visit his Asian plastic surgery forum.

Globalization of Beauty: Trends and Concepts

The traditional view on beauty has focused on the standard of the Caucasian, Nordic race.  In the past two decades the trend has been to incorporate many models of mixed heritage.  In fact, with the growing acceptance of marriage between races, racial lines have continued to blur in the United States; and racial barriers have diminished.  Reading an article in the New York Times recently stimulated this blog post.  Many students who are entering college today do not know how to respond when asked what race or ethnicity they belong to when they are perhaps part of several or at least two.  I think when I talk about “Asian beauty” or “Hispanic beauty” etc., I may be oversimplifying these terms for the sake of categorical purity.  However, the case is that these terms may already be outdated.  When I look at prospective patients’ faces I am always ethnically sensitive, especially growing up as an Asian kid in a primarily white Texas culture.  Travelling abroad and completing almost 6 months of training in Asia has made me more culturally aware of the effacement of racial lines.  In addition, I did all of my training in the East Coast, where there is truly a melting pot of cultures, identities, and ethnicities.  So forgive me if I tend to write in categorical ways on this Web site but take it that I am very sensitive to the composite of one’s ethnic persuasion when helping you achieve your desired aesthetic goals.

Samuel M. Lam, MD, FACS is a board certified plastic surgeon, specializing in facial plastic surgery. For more info, or to schedule a consultation please call (972) 312-8188. If you would like to ask Dr Lam a question please visit our Plastic Surgery Forum.