Three Skin Zones in the Asian Upper Eyelid Pertaining to the Asian Blepharoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Natural looking double fold is an essential and aesthetically pleasing masterpiece in Asian blepharoplasty. This study aims to emphasize the 3 skin zone concept in the Asian upper blepharoplasty.

METHODS: The authors examined the anterior lamella of each skin zone microscopically by performing 31 double-eyelid surgeries and 11 infrabrow lifts. Characteristics of dermal components, subcutaneous tissue, and outer fascia of OOM (OFOOM) at each skin zone were documented. The authors evaluated the vertical scales of each skin zone in young and aged Asian patients who visited the first author's clinic for the primary or secondary upper blepharoplasty with ×3.5 magnifying surgical loupe.

RESULTS: The thickness of OOM had no difference among zones 1, 2, and 3. The skin and subdermal tissue had varying characteristics according to its skin zone. At zone 1, it seemed that only thin skin was on the OOM. The anterior lamella of zone 2 seemed to consist of skin, white fascia (OFOOM) including a venous network, and OOM in a gross field. At zone 3, thick skin, thick subcutaneous fatty layer, and OOM were magnified. The OFOOM of zone 3 was not significantly identified due to a sticky adherence with OOM. At the point of vertical scales of skin zone, good eyelids have lower zone 3 ratio and higher zones 1 and 2 ratio with qualified topographic condition.

CONCLUSION: The authors classified the Asian upper eyelid as with 3 skin zones. Based on its anatomical investigation, the authors can afford anthropometric data and supplemental theory for the creation of aesthetic folds.