Many people with small eyes, undefined creases, or those who spend time applying double eyelid tape every day are often advised to get inner eye corner surgery. This article explains exactly what this procedure entails, why TRP Hospital chooses not to perform it, and what alternative treatments can achieve similar results with significantly lower risks.
What Is Inner Eye Corner Surgery?
Inner eye corner surgery (epicanthoplasty) involves carefully removing excess skin at the inner corner of the eye. It is specifically designed for individuals with closed inner corners, aiming to open up the eye area so that your eyes appear longer, more defined, and noticeably brighter.
This is a highly popular procedure that is frequently recommended alongside double eyelid surgery It is especially common among individuals of Asian descent who naturally have a closed inner eye structure, commonly known as an epicanthal fold.
What Is an Epicanthal Fold?
Before deciding whether you need inner eye corner surgery, it is important to understand the underlying issue. Medically speaking, an epicanthal fold is an excess flap of eyelid skin or tissue that extends downward, covering the inner corner of the eye. This extra tissue causes your natural eyelid crease—whether you have single or double eyelids—to become hooded and hidden right behind the fold.
Common visual effects: The presence of this tissue fold typically leads to the following consequences:
- Eyes that appear smaller than their actual size.
- Drooping outer eye corners that can prematurely age the face and create a tired or sad expression.
- Noticeably asymmetrical eyelid creases.
- The daily frustration and wasted time of applying specialized makeup or double eyelid tape to temporarily correct the appearance.
Why We Avoid Inner Eye Corner Surgery
ased on over 40 years of clinical experience, Dr. Choladhis, and our medical team have found that making direct incisions at the inner eye corner—as traditional surgical theory suggests—comes with several significant limitations.
1. Risk of fibrosis
The inner eye corner is highly susceptible to developing fibrosis, or scar tissue, following an operation. Once this tissue forms, it is notoriously difficult and time-consuming to correct. Our medical assessment is that this risk simply outweighs the potential aesthetic benefits.
2. Highly visible scarring
An incision at the inner corner is one of the hardest scars to conceal on the face. Unlike standard eyelid surgery scars that naturally tuck away into your eye fold, inner corner scars sit right in plain sight.
3. Unresolved folding
A lesser-known fact is that even after an incision is made, the inner eye corner often remains stubbornly closed. This happens because the true root of the problem usually lies in the structural position of the eyelid crease itself, rather than just the volume of skin at the corner.
4. Unnatural appearance
Forcing the inner corner to open wider than your natural anatomy allows, or creating a crease that is too high, can lead to an unnatural, wide-eyed stare. This awkward appearance is both jarring and incredibly complicated to reverse.
TRP's Alternative: The Three-Point Lock System
A less invasive approach: Instead of making a direct incision at the inner eye corner, TRP Hospital utilizes a short incision technique seamlessly combined with the three-point Lock System.
How the Procedure Works
Redefining the crease: The surgeon creates tiny puncture points and uses the three-point Lock System to form an eyelid crease that naturally runs over the tissue fold covering the inner corner. This allows the inner corner to open up organically while simultaneously lifting any drooping at the outer corner, all without a single cut to the inner eye area.
Correcting the position: Simply put, we resolve the issue by adjusting the placement of the eyelid crease rather than cutting away skin. This delivers a remarkably similar aesthetic result but completely bypasses the severe risks associated with inner corner scarring.
Advantages of Our Lock System Technique
- Surgical time: The procedure is highly efficient, typically taking only 15 to 30 minutes to complete.
- Pain level: You may experience mild tightness on the first day, but there is no severe pain associated with the recovery.
- Swelling and Bruising: Post-operative swelling is very minimal, allowing you to drive home safely and resume your normal routine immediately.
- Scarring: The results are smooth and seamless. There are no visible incision marks or awkward folds, and there is zero risk of keloid formation.
- Fibrosis risk: There is absolutely no risk of developing scar tissue (fibrosis) at the inner eye corner because we strictly avoid making incisions in that area.
Honest Consultations and Natural Results
Respecting your anatomy: Our team of medical experts will conduct a thorough, detailed evaluation of your unique eye structure to recommend the most complementary shape for your face. We prioritize natural beauty and structural integrity, meaning our surgeons will advise against requested adjustments if they would ultimately result in a stark, unnatural appearance or an awkward, wide-eyed stare.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What Is Inner Eye Corner Surgery?
The procedure and its risks: This surgery involves removing excess skin from the inner corner of the eye to create a wider, more open appearance. However, this method carries significant risks, including the development of fibrosis and visible scarring that is notoriously difficult to conceal.
Does TRP Perform Inner Eye Corner Surgery?
Our approach: We do not offer this procedure. Instead, Teeraporn Hospital utilizes the three-point Lock System. This specialized technique allows the inner eye corner to open naturally without requiring any direct incisions in the area, thereby completely eliminating the risks of fibrosis and visible scarring.
Can Closed Inner Corners Be Fixed Without Direct Incisions?
A natural approach: Yes, it is entirely possible. By carefully adjusting the placement of your eyelid crease so that it runs smoothly over the excess tissue covering the inner corner, the eye will naturally open up on its own without the need for direct surgical cuts in that specific area.
Can Double Eyelid Surgery and Inner Corner Correction Be Done Together?
A single procedure: Yes, they can. Our three-point Lock System is a double eyelid surgery technique designed to simultaneously correct closed inner corners during one single operation.
What Is an Epicanthal Fold?
Defining the condition: An epicanthal fold is an excess flap of eyelid skin or tissue that extends downward, covering the inner corner of the eye. This extra tissue causes the natural eyelid crease to become hooded, which can make the eyes appear smaller and cause the creases on both sides to look uneven.
Recovery Time
Minimal downtime: The surgery itself only takes 15 to 30 minutes to complete and results in very minimal swelling and bruising. You can safely drive yourself home and return to your normal work routine immediately afterward.
Our Reviews
Summary
Closed inner corners are a treatable structural skin issue, but the correction method you choose significantly impacts both your safety and the natural look of your final result. Making a direct surgical incision at the inner corner carries a high risk of developing fibrosis and leaves scarring in a location that is notoriously difficult to hide.
For these reasons, TRP Hospital chooses to use the three-point Lock System technique instead. This specialized method successfully delivers wide, open inner corners and clearly defined eyelid creases without ever requiring an incision in the inner eye area itself.
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