Eyes
Epicanthoplasty in Korea
Epicanthoplasty, or inner eye corner surgery, reduces the fold of skin over the inner corner of the eye, which can make eyes look short. The clinic lists 30 minutes to 1 hour under sedation and no hospital stay. Stitches are removed on day 5 to 7, so a stay of 5 to 7 days in Seoul usually covers it.
Who is a good candidate for epicanthoplasty?
- A strong epicanthal fold covers the inner corner of your eye, so the eye looks short or blocked at that end
- The fold hides the start of your double eyelid line, or will hide the line you plan to have made
- You want the inner end of the eye to show a little more, not a different eye shape
When it may not be the right choice
- Your eyes are already set close together. Opening the inner corners brings them visually closer, so the surgeon may suggest a different corner procedure or none
- Your skin tends to form raised or dark scars. An inner corner scar can thicken or darken
- You are unsure whether you want a lasting change. Reversing epicanthoplasty is possible but harder, and its result is less predictable
Which method fits you?
Surgeons use several designs for inner eye corner surgery. They differ in how much they release the fold and where the scar ends up. The surgeon chooses after measuring the distance between your eyes and looking at the fold.
| Method | What happens | Suits | Downtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skin redraping | A small cut along the edge of the inner corner frees the fold, and the skin is redraped so the corner opens and lies flatter. The cut stays close to the corner. | A common choice in Asia, often done with double eyelid surgery | Stitches out on day 5 to 7; most people resume their routine after about a week |
| Flap methods (Z-plasty, W-plasty and similar) | Small triangles of skin are cut and swapped to release the fold and lengthen the inner corner. | A strong fold that needs more release. The scar can extend a little onto the lower lid | Stitches out on day 5 to 7. The scar can take longer to fade |
What happens on the day of epicanthoplasty?
- Consultation. The surgeon measures the distance between your eyes, checks the fold and marks the design while you sit up.
- You have sedation, so you are drowsy and relaxed during the procedure.
- The surgeon releases the fold through a small cut at the inner corner and closes it with fine stitches. It takes 30 minutes to 1 hour, longer if double eyelid surgery is done at the same time.
- You rest until the sedation wears off and return to your hotel the same day.
What is recovery like after epicanthoplasty?
- Days 1 to 3
- The inner corners are swollen and may bruise, and a thin crust forms along the stitches. Cold packs help. Keep your hands away from your eyes.
- Days 5 to 7
- The stitches come out. The corners look pink, and the shape looks sharper than it will once it settles.
- Weeks 1 to 2
- Most people are back at work after about a week, though the inner corners stay pink and a little tight for longer. Eye makeup near the corner waits until the surgeon says the wound has closed.
- Months 1 to 6
- The scar is pink and slightly firm at first, then softens and fades. In some people it darkens for a while before it fades.
How long should you stay in Seoul after epicanthoplasty?
The only fixed visit after epicanthoplasty is stitch removal at the inner corners, between day 5 and day 7, so 5 to 7 days in Seoul is usually enough when it is done alone. Nothing else is booked at the clinic for inner corner surgery, so the flight can follow the stitch removal. Most people combine it with double eyelid surgery, and then that operation sets the stitch day and the length of the stay. Keep sun off the fresh scar on the way home.
What are the risks of epicanthoplasty?
- A scar at the inner corner that stays red, thickens or turns darker than the skin around it, more often in the first months
- Too much opening, so a lot of pink tissue shows at the corner and the look becomes sharp. This is harder to undo than the first operation, and often only part of the fold can be restored
- Less change than you hoped, or corners that look different from each other
- Swelling, bruising, infection or the wound opening
- Risks of sedation, and bleeding that needs treatment. Rarely, bleeding near the eye can affect vision. If your sight changes suddenly or pain becomes severe, get emergency care first, then tell the clinic
What affects the cost of epicanthoplasty in Korea?
Epicanthoplasty has no price on this page yet; the clinic sets one after seeing photos of your eyes. The figure changes with the method, with whether double eyelid surgery or outer corner surgery is done in the same session, and with the anesthesia. A written quote should name the surgeon and say how stitch removal is handled and what happens if the scar needs care later.
More questions
Does epicanthoplasty leave a scar?
Yes, a fine one at the inner corner. Most methods keep it close to the corner. It is pink for the first months, and how visible it stays differs from person to person; in some people it thickens or darkens before it fades.
Is epicanthoplasty usually done with double eyelid surgery?
Often. The fold can hide the start of the crease, so many people have both in one operation. The surgeon tells you whether the combination suits your eyes and how it changes the stitch day.
What if my inner corners look too open after surgery?
An over-opened inner corner can often be partly restored by canthoplasty revision, which rebuilds the fold. It is harder than the first operation and the outcome varies, which is why it is worth asking the surgeon how far they plan to open the corner and what the limits are.
What is the difference between epicanthoplasty and canthoplasty?
Epicanthoplasty works on the inner corner, next to the nose. Canthoplasty usually means the outer corner, and lower canthoplasty works on the lower lid near it. They change the eye in different directions, and some people have both.
Related procedures
Sources
- Clinic figures as published by Urban Plastic Surgery, collected October 3, 2026. Your surgeon confirms your own plan.
- Medial Epicanthoplasty with the Skin-Redraping Technique: Technical Refinements for Predictable Outcomes. PubMed Central, US National Library of Medicine
- Minimizing Postoperative Scars in Epicanthoplasty: A Concise Review. PubMed Central, US National Library of Medicine
- Medial epicanthoplasty using the skin redraping method. PubMed, US National Library of Medicine
- Eyelid Surgery Risks and Safety. American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Cases and clinic figures come from our partner clinic, Urban Plastic Surgery. The partnership does not change what we publish about risks and recovery.