Peep Korea
Eyes
Longer Eye. Not A Fox Eye.
Epicanthoplasty, lateral and lower canthoplasty, canthopexy and fox eye in Korea: which corner each one moves, scar and revision risks, recovery and trip timing.
Take one question into the consult: "Which corner is the problem on my face, and which way will it move?" If the answer is "all three, a bit," ask again.
They work on different corners and move them in different directions. Epicanthoplasty changes the skin fold over the inner corner. Lateral canthoplasty cuts and re-anchors the outer corner. Canthopexy only tightens the outer corner with sutures, without cutting the tendon.1, 12, 13
| Name on a Seoul menu | Corner | What it moves | Usual goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 앞트임 (epicanthoplasty) | Inner | The skin web over the pink inner corner | Eye looks longer toward the nose |
| 뒤트임 (lateral canthoplasty) | Outer | The outer corner, released and re-fixed further out | Longer eye, softer slant1, 2 |
| 밑트임 (lower canthoplasty) | Outer lower lid | The lower lid edge, set lower | Taller opening5 |
| Canthopexy | Outer | Existing tendon, tightened with stitches | Support, small lift, often with lower lid surgery12, 13 |
| "Fox eye" | Brow, temple, sometimes outer corner | Brow tail and skin pulled up and out | Lifted, almond look |
Q. Why does the same word mean opposite things? In the US, canthoplasty is often called "cat eye surgery" because it lifts the outer corner.12 In Korea, cosmetic lateral canthoplasty is usually done to lengthen the eye and lower its slant, because an upward slant can make the eye look smaller and sharper.1 Same surgery name. Opposite brief.
Often only one, and the fix depends on which. Look straight into a mirror in daylight, no makeup, and check each corner separately. Then let a surgeon measure; this is a conversation starter, not a diagnosis.
Q. Can a corner fix a droopy lid? No. If the lid sits low over the pupil, a longer eye can still look tired. Sort the lid first.
Usually not. "Fox eye" is a look, not one operation. It can be a thread lift that pulls the brow tail and temple up, a toxin brow lift, an outer-corner lift such as canthopexy, or a mix.12, 16
Quick decoder:
Q. If I want a fox eye, should I book 뒤트임? Not by default. The common Korean 뒤트임 brief lowers the slant.1 If you want a lift, say "lift" and point at the brow, the corner or both.
The two big worries are a visible scar and an inner corner opened too far. Surgeons agree there is no single standard technique, and fine, tension-free closure matters for the scar.6, 7
What the papers report:
Q. Can an inner-corner opening be undone? Partly. "Restoration" operations can pull skin back over the corner, but they leave their own scar and are judged case by case.9, 10 Treat 앞트임 as hard to reverse.
Q. Can Botox help the scar? In one randomized split-face trial, 5 units of toxin injected 6 to 7 days after epicanthoplasty improved scar scores on the treated side in the 30 people who finished.11 It is a doctor's call, not a routine add-on.
The most common letdowns are the corner sliding back and the corner changing shape. Korean surgeons list deformity of the outer corner (webbing or rounding), recurrence, visible pink lining and a lid that turns out as common complications.1
For context, in a US series of 600 people (mostly functional cases, average age 55), 18 had another operation within two years for a recurring lid or corner problem.19 Korean cosmetic series of 200 to 246 people report satisfied patients and no severe complications, but they are single-center reports without control groups.2, 3
Q. What is the one number to ask for? Millimeters. Ask how far the outer corner should move on your face and what happens if it settles back.
Plan on about a week to look presentable and about a month for most swelling. Bruising typically settles in 7 to 10 days, stitches usually come out at 5 to 7 days, and the incision can stay red for up to three months.14
A practical timeline:
ASPS suggests waiting seven to ten days after eyelid surgery before flying20, and our stay planner builds a trip around that window. Swelling tips are in our swelling guide.
Q. Is a canthopexy faster? Usually. ASPS surgeons describe canthopexy as less invasive, with a shorter recovery and lower risk than canthoplasty.12
This guide prints no Seoul prices, because quotes for the same name can cover different work. What moves the number is which corners, whether it is combined with eyelid surgery, revision versus first time, and the anesthesia.
Get an itemized won quote that lists:
The old tourist VAT refund on cosmetic surgery has ended; our cost guide explains quotes, fees and that change, and the foreigner price guide explains posted non-covered fees.
Q. What about fox eye lift cost? It depends on what "fox eye" means on that menu: threads, toxin or surgery. Ask which one before comparing numbers.
Yes, and it is common. In one Korean series of 712 epicanthoplasty patients, 707 had a double eyelid procedure at the same time.8
Keep three things straight:
People whose problem is somewhere else, and people with little room to move. A precise look at your lid anatomy comes before any plan.1
Patients with darker skin types can ask about scar and pigment risks in our guide for Black, Latina and other non-Asian patients.
Send photos first, then ask the same questions in the room. Written answers are your record.
Send the clinic:
Ask the surgeon:
Our consultation checklist has the full list for any procedure.
Epicanthoplasty, also called medial epicanthoplasty. It reshapes the skin fold over the inner corner.6 It does not change the eyelid crease.
Lateral canthoplasty. The outer corner is released and fixed further out.1 In Korea the goal is usually a longer eye with a softer slant.
In US usage, cat eye surgery usually means an outer-corner canthoplasty that lifts and lengthens.12 Fox eye usually means lifting the brow tail and temple.
Usually not. The common Korean version lowers the slant.1 If you want a lift, say so in writing.
Bruising for about 7 to 10 days, most swelling gone in about a month.14 Scars can stay pink for up to three months.
ASPS suggests seven to ten days after eyelid surgery.20 Keep the stitch visit in Seoul and let your surgeon set the date.
Every incision does. The question is how visible.7 Ask which technique, and what the plan is if the scar thickens.
Recurrence is a listed complication, and it can make the eye look unchanged or smaller.1 Ask about fixation and the revision policy.
Yes. Many people need only one. Picking the right corner matters more than doing all three.
Yes. In one 712-person series, almost all had both at once.8 Each should be a separate line on the quote.
Read them as single stories. A 2024 study of 173 YouTube canthoplasty videos rated most as poor quality, and 46.2% focused on advertising.18 Your own measurements matter more.
For a small brow lift, maybe. It lasts about three to six months.16 It does not change where your eyelids meet.
Wait. Patient guidance says no contacts for about three weeks.14 Pack glasses.
See the surgeon. Tear-gland fistulas after cosmetic lateral canthoplasty have been reported and can need repair.4 Do not wait until you are home if it starts in Seoul.
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This article is for general education and is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a promise of outcome. No prices for Korea are printed here; a clinic's itemized quote is the only number that counts. Techniques, recovery times and complication figures come from published case series and society or hospital pages, which vary by surgeon and patient. Dry eye, lid laxity, a previous eye operation, a tendency to thick scars and any vision problem need a qualified surgeon's review before eye-corner surgery.
A Seoul double eyelid quote is a method, not a crease. Suture, incision and ptosis explained, what moves the price, and why a cheap ad can hide the muscle.
Lower blepharoplasty in Korea can mean fat moved, fat removed or skin taken. The quote only makes sense once you know which one you are buying.
A heavy upper lid is extra skin or a low brow. How upper blepharoplasty and a sub-brow lift differ in Korea, and why the wrong cut changes the eye you get.
Korea plastic surgery for Black, Latina, white and mixed-heritage patients: what changes with your skin and anatomy, which risks move, and what to ask.
