An incision double eyelid sets the upper-lid crease through a full-length opening, so excess skin or fat can be addressed and the fold is anchored dependably. At Garnet it is planned and performed by one board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. In-Soo Baek, from consultation through every follow-up.
An incision double eyelid is an eyelid operation that creates the upper-lid crease through a full-length incision along the planned fold, fixing the skin to the deeper levator mechanism and, where indicated, removing redundant skin, fat or muscle. Because the fold is anchored through a healed incision rather than by buried sutures alone, an incisional crease is generally more durable and is the approach used for thicker or heavier lids.
A defined upper-lid crease forms where fibres from the lid-opening muscle attach to the overlying skin. When the lid is heavy, has excess skin or fat, or those attachments are weak or uneven, a buried-suture crease may not form reliably or may loosen. An incisional approach addresses this directly by opening the lid, building a firm skin-to-muscle attachment, and tidying any excess at the same time.
Through an incision placed exactly where the crease will sit, the surgeon adjusts the tissue layers, fixes the skin to the levator mechanism at the chosen height, and removes only the skin, fat or muscle that needs to go. The result is a crease anchored along a healed line, which is what makes it dependable on lids where a non-incision method would struggle — at the trade-off of more swelling and a fine scar that sits hidden in the fold.
At Garnet this is a single-surgeon operation. Dr. Baek plans the crease design at the consultation, performs it himself, and reviews healing at set intervals; the clinic keeps an unhurried, one-patient-at-a-time schedule. The stated aim is a crease that suits your eye and opening, not the deepest possible fold.
From crease design and incision to fixation and fine closure — every step by Dr. Baek.
A single surgeon, start to finish. Dr. Baek plans the case, performs the operation himself and reviews every follow-up. The clinic caps the day at two surgeries, so each operation has unhurried time.
An incision double eyelid typically takes about 40–60 minutes and is usually done under local anaesthesia, with light sedation added if appropriate for comfort; the approach is confirmed with you at the consultation after your history is reviewed. The steps below outline how the operation is carried out at Garnet.
Dr. Baek assesses the lid in person — skin thickness, excess skin or fat, lid opening and symmetry — and agrees the crease height, shape and how much (if anything) to remove. He also confirms that an incisional approach is the right one for your lid.
The crease line is marked to your eye shape and tested with you sitting up, so the height and curve match both eyes and your natural opening before the incision is made.
The lid is opened along the marked line; redundant skin, a measured strip of muscle and herniated fat are removed only where the plan calls for it, preserving what should stay.
The skin edge is fixed to the deeper levator mechanism at the chosen height, building a firm, even attachment so the crease forms reliably when the eye opens.
Fine closure along the crease, where the scar settles hidden. Where the consultation shows it, ptosis correction or inner-corner work is planned in the same sitting to balance the result, rather than added unnecessarily.
A check that both creases match open and closed, then aftercare guidance. Because Garnet is single-surgeon, Dr. Baek reviews you himself before you leave and at each follow-up.
The upper-lid crease appears where the levator aponeurosis sends fibres forward to the skin; the skin above those attachments folds over them as the eye opens. In heavier lids — with thicker skin, more orbital fat, or excess skin — a fold held only by buried sutures has more load on it and can flatten or loosen. Building the attachment along a healed incision distributes that load differently and tends to hold (Arch Plast Surg 2013; DOI 10.5999/aps.2013.40.4.409).
An incisional technique also lets the surgeon remove the excess skin, fat or muscle that makes a lid heavy in the first place, which a non-incision double eyelid cannot do. Where the main concern is redundant skin rather than the crease itself, an upper blepharoplasty may be combined or chosen instead; Dr. Baek advises which approach fits your lid at the consultation.
| Incision | Partial-incision | Non-incision | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skin opened | Full lid opening | Short opening | No (buried suture) |
| External scar | Fine crease-line scar | Short, fades | None visible |
| Removes skin / fat | Yes, where needed | Limited | No |
| Durability | Most dependable | Good | Can loosen over time |
| Best lid type | Thicker skin / fat / excess | Mild excess | Thin, little excess |
Partial- and mini-incision methods were developed to combine a less visible scar with a durable crease (Aesthetic Surg J 2010; DOI 10.1177/1090820X10374094). The right choice depends on your lid — Dr. Baek advises at consultation, and the non-incision double eyelid page covers the buried-suture approach in detail.
An incision double eyelid is usually performed under local anaesthesia, sometimes with light sedation for comfort, decided with you after your medical history is reviewed. You can often cooperate during the procedure so the crease can be checked while you open and close the eye.
Because Garnet keeps an unhurried, one-patient-at-a-time schedule, the same surgeon who planned the crease performs it and reviews recovery — there is no separate operating doctor and no rotation of care.
Garnet is registered with Korea's foreign-patient programme; pre-operative checks, scheduling and after-care are coordinated for international visitors in English.
If a lighter approach would suit your lid, or no surgery is needed, that is said at the consultation. Photos can be reviewed before you travel.
The incision is placed exactly along the planned crease, so the resulting scar sits within the fold and is hidden when the eye is open. Early on the line is pink and may be slightly firm; it usually settles to a fine, inconspicuous mark as it matures over several months.
Scars are permanent but are designed to fall inside the crease where they are not usually obvious in everyday settings once healed. Healing varies by individual and by skin type; Dr. Baek reviews scar maturation at the 1-, 3- and 6-month visits and advises on scar care.
Eyelid results are identifiable and individual, so incision double eyelid before/after sets are reviewed privately at consultation with consent rather than published here. Results, recovery and suitability vary by individual and are not guaranteed.
Keep the head elevated early, use cold compresses as advised, take medication as prescribed, keep the incision clean and dry, follow scar-care guidance, and keep your follow-up visits.
Rubbing or pressing the eyes, eye make-up until cleared, strenuous exercise and bending early on, alcohol and smoking, very hot showers or saunas, and direct sun on the healing scar until cleared.
Because an incisional crease is anchored through a healed incision rather than by buried sutures alone, it is generally the more durable of the two approaches and holds well even on heavier lids; loosening is uncommon. The crease will still soften and lower slightly as it settles in the first months, which is part of normal maturation rather than a loss of the fold.
How a crease ages over the long term depends on skin quality and how the lid ages afterwards. Garnet's approach is to set the crease at a height and depth that suit your eye from the start, since a fold that was never over-built tends to look natural as it matures. If a non-incision crease elsewhere has loosened, an incisional revision can give a more dependable result — discussed individually with Dr. Baek; the non-incision double eyelid page compares the two.
Where the lid opening itself is weak, ptosis correction is often planned alongside the crease so the height of the fold and the eye opening match — assessed individually at consultation.
Where redundant upper-lid skin is the main concern, an upper blepharoplasty is combined or chosen so excess skin is addressed as the crease is set.
An inner-corner (epicanthoplasty) or outer-corner opening may be planned where the consultation shows it balances the overall eye shape, rather than added by default.
Under-eye fat repositioning or lower blepharoplasty addresses the lower lid and is a separate decision from the upper-lid crease.
Every operation carries some risk. For incisional double eyelid the relevant issues are asymmetry between the two creases, a crease set higher or lower than intended, scar-related concerns such as a visible or thickened line, and prolonged swelling; over- or under-correction can usually be revised. Suture-related and crease problems are well documented and are explained individually at consultation (Facial Plast Surg 2020; DOI 10.1055/s-0040-1717147).
Other possible effects include temporary changes in lid sensation, dryness or incomplete eye closure early on, light bruising, and infection, which is uncommon. Smoking raises wound-healing and scar risks. Because tissue is removed, an incisional result is less easily reversed than a buried-suture one, which is why the plan is agreed carefully beforehand.
What reduces risk in practice: crease design judged to your lid, conservative removal of only what needs to go, sound fixation and a fine, tension-appropriate closure, and follow-up by the operating surgeon. Garnet's single-surgeon, unhurried model is built around exactly this kind of personal planning and after-care.
Most international patients plan about 7–10 days in Korea for an incision double eyelid, so sutures can be removed by the surgeon at around day 7 and the early swelling has begun to settle before travel. The coordinator confirms the timing for your specific plan.
Before you travel, send clear photos (eyes open, closed and looking up) and a note on the crease you have in mind and your dates through WhatsApp, LINE or the form below. You'll get an honest pre-assessment — including whether an incisional method is the right one for your lid — rather than a hard sell.
Garnet is registered with Korea's foreign-patient programme and coordinates consultations, scheduling and after-care in English. After you return home, Dr. Baek can continue to review your recovery by messenger.
| Incision | Partial-incision | Non-incision | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skin opened | Full lid opening | Short opening | No (buried suture) |
| External scar | Fine crease-line scar | Short, fades | None visible |
| Removes skin / fat | Yes, where needed | Limited | No |
| Durability | Most dependable | Good | Can loosen over time |
| Best lid type | Thicker skin / fat / excess | Mild excess | Thin, little excess |
Citations are provided for general education. This page is informational and does not replace an in-person consultation; suitability, technique and recovery are individual.
Send photos and your question before you travel. An English-speaking coordinator reviews every enquiry and replies with honest guidance on whether surgery is appropriate, the likely plan and timing.
Prefer to chat now? Reach the coordinator directly: