Double Eyelid Surgery Singapore

DST suture method double eyelid surgery

The double suture and twist (DST) method, also called the non-incisional, stitching or buried suture method, uses two or three fine permanent sutures passed through tiny needle punctures in the lid. Each suture loops through the tarsal plate or levator and the skin, and is knotted and buried. No skin is cut and no fat is removed. The procedure takes 20 to 40 minutes under local anaesthetic.

• Who it suits. Thin lids with little fat, hidden or inner double eyelids that need raising, younger patients, and anyone who wants the option of reversal. It is not suitable for thick, heavy lids, for hooded lids with excess skin, or where fat removal is needed, because the suture cannot hold a heavy lid and the fold flattens.
• Evidence Grade B. Cohort studies following patients for several years show the fold holds in the large majority, with loosening or loss of the crease reported in roughly 5 to 20 per cent depending on lid thickness and technique. No randomised trial compares suture against incision.
• 2026 Singapore price. S$2,500-4,200.
• Sessions. One.
• Downtime. 3 to 7 days of swelling, with a natural look by 2 to 4 weeks.
• Reversibility. Yes, the sutures can be removed in the first months.
• Longevity. Years to permanent. A crease that has held past two years usually stays, but some fade over 5 to 10 years.
• Risks. Asymmetry, a fold that is too high or too low, suture knots that can be felt or seen, suture exposure, and loss of the crease.

Full incisional double eyelid surgery or upper blepharoplasty

The full incisional or cutting method makes a single incision along the whole length of the planned crease. The surgeon removes a strip of skin where needed, trims orbicularis muscle and orbital fat, and stitches the lower skin edge to the levator aponeurosis before closing. The scar lies inside the new crease. This is the same operation as an upper blepharoplasty for hooded lids, with the crease design as the added element. Epicanthoplasty for a parallel fold is done at the same time.

• Who it suits. Thick or heavy lids, hooded lids with excess skin, patients over 40, anyone who has had a suture method loosen, and anyone who wants a permanent result with a specific crease shape.
• Evidence Grade B. Large cohort series over decades show durable creases with revision rates in the low single digits for experienced surgeons, and a consistent benefit on upper visual field when excess skin is removed. Randomised trials are limited to comparing closure techniques rather than methods.
• 2026 Singapore price. S$4,500-8,000.
• Sessions. One.
• Downtime. 2 to 3 weeks of visible swelling and bruising. The scar is pink for 2 to 3 months and settles over 6 to 12 months.
• Reversibility. No.
• Longevity. Permanent, although the lid continues to age.
• Risks. Visible or thickened scar, asymmetry, a crease too high, hollowing from over-removal of fat, dry eye for some weeks, difficulty closing the eye fully if too much skin is removed, and the small general risks of any surgery.

Double eyelid tape and glue, double eyelids without surgery

Eyelid tape, fibre strips and glue create a temporary crease by pressing the lid skin into a fold or by sticking two points of skin together. They are sold in pharmacies and online across Singapore for S$5-20 a pack and last until removed, typically a day. They are the only non-surgical option and a common way to test a crease height before deciding on surgery.

• Who it suits. Occasional use, trialling a fold shape, and anyone not ready for a procedure.
• Evidence Grade D. There is no published evidence that tape or glue produces a lasting crease. Contact dermatitis from the adhesive is the recorded risk; the lid-laxity concern with daily use over years is clinical opinion rather than a documented finding.
• 2026 Singapore price. S$5-20 per pack.
• Sessions. Daily.
• Downtime. None.
• Reversibility. Immediate.
• Longevity. One day.
• Risks. Redness, allergic reaction, stretched lid skin with long-term use, and a visible line in close-up.

Plasma pen or “non-surgical blepharoplasty” devices that tighten lid skin with small burns are sometimes offered for hooding. They do not form a crease, the evidence is small case series only (Grade C), and the result lasts 1 to 3 years at around S$250-600 per session.

Double eyelid surgery Singapore price, how much it costs and how to choose

The choice starts with the eyelid type from the self-check on Double eyelid types and monolids. A thin lid with a hidden crease is the ideal suture candidate, while a thick or hooded lid needs an incision. Ptosis is then excluded, because a droopy lid changes the operation and the price. The fold shape, tapered or parallel, and the height, 5 to 7 mm for most Asian eyes, are best decided before the consultation rather than during it.

On cost, the suture method is cheapest up front but carries a loosening risk, and a repeat procedure or a later conversion to incision costs more than an incision done first. A quote should state whether it covers both eyes, the consultation, GST, medication and revision within the first year. The surgeon’s monthly volume of the specific method, and results photographed at one year rather than one month, are the useful questions, because early swelling makes every fold look higher and fuller than its final state.

In Singapore, cosmetic eyelid surgery may be performed by plastic surgeons, ophthalmologists with oculoplastic training and aesthetic doctors with a Ministry of Health listing for the procedure. Ptosis surgery and blepharoplasty for visual obstruction are surgical procedures and should be done by a specialist.

Related eye concerns that often come up alongside the upper lid are covered at Eye bags, Sunken-looking eyes and Aegyo sal.