Upper blepharoplasty in Korea costs roughly 1.5 to 4 million KRW (about 1,100 to 3,000 USD). It removes excess upper eyelid skin that has begun to hood over the lash line, and it differs from cosmetic double eyelid surgery in intent: the goal is opening a heavy eye rather than creating a crease. Stitches come out on day five to seven.
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Director Ahn Sung-min runs a one-surgeon practice concentrated on eye revision surgery.
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Wide surgical menu covering eyelid, nose, contouring, lifting and body work.
Eye surgery and facial lifting across three floors, including mid-life eye procedures.
Built around lower eyelid work: fat repositioning, dark circle correction and mid-life eye surgery.
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Upper blepharoplasty removes redundant skin, and sometimes fat and muscle, from the upper eyelid. In Korea it is usually discussed as a mid-life procedure distinct from the double eyelid surgery that younger patients ask for, though the incision and the crease it leaves overlap. Where the brow has descended as well, surgeons often recommend a brow lift instead of or alongside the eyelid work, because removing skin from a lid that is being pushed down by the brow lowers the brow further.
Korean surgeons perform more eyelid procedures than surgeons anywhere else, and mid-life upper lid work benefits from that volume in a specific way: judging how much skin to remove on a lid that also needs ptosis correction is the difficult part, and experience shows in that judgement more than in the cutting. Many clinics here assess levator function as a matter of routine rather than as an add-on, which catches the cases where skin removal alone would make the eye look more tired, not less.
Pricing depends on whether ptosis correction and brow work are included. Skin excision alone sits at the low end. Ask what happens if the surgeon decides intra-operatively that the levator needs tightening, because that changes the quote and it is better settled beforehand.
| Procedure | Typical range (KRW) | USD estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Skin excision only | 1.5M - 2.5M | $1,100 - $1,900 |
| With ptosis correction | 2.5M - 4.0M | $1,900 - $3,000 |
| With brow lift | 4.5M - 8.0M | $3,400 - $6,000 |
| Revision upper blepharoplasty | 3.0M - 6.0M | $2,200 - $4,500 |
Prices are indicative ranges collected from public clinic pricing and consultation quotes. Updated February 2026. USD conversion at 1,340 KRW/USD.
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Clinics that concentrate on eye surgery, rather than general practices offering it alongside body work, handle the majority of mid-life upper lid cases in Seoul. Several practices in Sinsa and Gangnam Station operate on a single-surgeon model where the same doctor consults and operates, which matters here because the amount of skin to remove is a judgement made on a specific face. Apgujeong holds the clinics that take most of the revision work from cases where too much skin was removed.
Recovery is shorter than a facelift but the first week is visibly bruised, and the incision line stays pink for months.
Seven to ten days covers it. Stitch removal at day five to seven must happen at the clinic, and flying immediately afterwards is generally fine. Bring sunglasses and expect visible bruising for the whole trip. If you are combining upper and lower blepharoplasty, the recovery windows overlap so the total stay does not double, but the swelling is more pronounced.
The incision is similar but the intent is not. Double eyelid surgery creates a crease on a lid without one. Upper blepharoplasty removes excess skin that has begun to hood, usually in patients over forty. Many mid-life cases involve both.
Only where an ophthalmologist documents visual field obstruction, and coverage applies to the functional portion. Performed for appearance it is not covered. The assessment has to happen before surgery, not retroactively.
It can, if the brow has already descended and the surgeon removes skin without addressing it. This is why brow position is measured at consultation. Where the brow is the primary problem, a brow lift is the correct operation.
The incision sits in the crease and is hidden when the eye is open. It stays pink for three to six months and fades to a fine line. Closed-eye visibility never disappears entirely.
Pooled technique comparison and outcomes for upper lid surgery.
Rodrigues C, Carvalho F, Marques M. Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty: Surgical Techniques and Results - Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2023
This guide is editorial information, not medical advice. Cosmetic surgery carries risks and outcomes vary by individual. Always consult a licensed specialist and review the clinic's credentials before booking. We do not perform procedures and are not affiliated with the clinics listed unless explicitly marked.