Volume loss with age
Fat around the eye socket thins over time, so the area between the brow and the crease looks deeper.
How a doctor tellsThe doctor looks at the brow-to-crease area at rest and compares with older photos. The eye opens normally.
Hollow or sunken upper eyelids
Sunken upper eyelids in Korea: filler, fat or eyelid surgery?
Hollow upper eyelids come from lost volume, from a weak eye-opening muscle that pulls the lid back, or from a past eyelid surgery. The cause decides the treatment: volume loss is filled with filler or fat, while a weak muscle needs ptosis correction or a restoration operation. A Korean eye surgeon will usually check muscle strength before anything is injected.
“My eyelids look more sunken every year and make me look tired. Can filler fix it?”
“My eyelids became hollow after double eyelid surgery. What can be done?”
Why it happens: more than one cause
Weak eye-opening muscle
When the muscle that lifts the eyelid weakens, the forehead and other muscles compensate and the upper lid can look hollow and the crease higher.
How a doctor tellsMeasuring how far the lid opens and whether you raise your brows to see. This is a key reason not to fill first.
After eyelid surgery
Removing too much fat or skin in a past operation can leave a hollow or a high, deep crease.
How a doctor tellsYour surgical history and the shape of the crease. Revision cases need an experienced eye surgeon.
Naturally deep-set eyes
Some people are born with a deeper socket. It is structure, not a problem to fix.
How a doctor tellsIt looks the same in childhood photos and both eyes open fully.
Your options, from lightest to most involved
A map for your consultation, not a prescription. The doctor decides which cause applies to you.
Care and makeup
Without treatment
- Lighter eye make-upMatte light shadow on the lid makes a hollow less obvious than dark smoky shades.
Injections
Injections
- Hyaluronic acid filler →Small amounts can soften a hollow when the muscle is fine. The eye area is high-risk for a blocked vessel and swelling can linger, so this is specialist work.
Surgery
Surgery
- Fat grafting to the upper eyelid →Your own fat placed in the hollow. Part is absorbed; uneven results are possible and may need touch-ups.
- Ptosis correction →When a weak muscle is the cause, strengthening it often reduces the hollow by itself.
- Sunken upper eyelid restoration →A structural operation that can combine fat, muscle and crease work. Often for revision cases.
Doing nothing
Leave it
- Do nothingIf your eyes open fully and it only bothers you in some light, leaving it is reasonable.
| Main cause | Usually discussed | Seoul price |
|---|---|---|
| Volume loss, muscle fine | Filler or fat grafting | Fat grafting to upper lids $1,070 |
| Weak eye-opening muscle | Ptosis correction | $1,070–$1,215 |
| After previous surgery | Sunken eyelid restoration | $2,000 |
What we would avoid
- Filling the lid before the eye-opening muscle has been checked. Filler can hide ptosis and make later surgery harder.
- A clinic that suggests filler for the eyelids on your first visit without a full eye assessment.
- Flying home before stitch removal and a follow-up check after eyelid surgery.
- Planning eyelid surgery on a short trip. Allow at least a week, and let the surgeon decide.
Not sure which cause is yours? Send us your concern and dates; we match you to a doctor who will tell you honestly.
Talk to a coordinatorQuick answers
How much does sunken eyelid treatment cost in Korea?
On our partner surgical list, fat grafting to the upper eyelids is about $1,070, ptosis correction about $1,070–$1,215, and sunken upper eyelid restoration about $2,000, all before 10% VAT. Filler is priced per cc and varies by brand.
Can filler fix sunken eyelids?
Sometimes, when the eyelid muscle works normally. The upper eyelid is a delicate area for filler because of blood vessels and lingering swelling, so a doctor experienced in eye injections should decide.
How long should I stay for eyelid surgery?
Stitches commonly come out around day five to seven, and the surgeon will want to see you then. Plan about a week or more, and confirm with the surgeon before booking your flight.
Why does my surgeon want to check my eye muscle first?
Because a weak eye-opening muscle is a common cause of hollow lids. Filling the hollow without fixing the muscle can leave the eye looking heavy and tired.
Treatment guides
Upper eyelid and brow liftUpper eyelid surgery and brow lift in Korea: when the lid, when the browDouble eyelid surgeryDouble eyelid surgery in Korea: suture or incision, and how long to stayFat graftingFat grafting in Korea: how much stays, how many sessions, and where it worksEye revision surgeryEye revision surgery in Korea: what can be fixed, and why it takes longerDermal fillers by brandDermal fillers in Korea: Korean or imported HA, how many cc, and what to ask before the needle
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CONCERN GUIDE
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