Complete Guide

The Complete Guide to Canthoplasty in Turkey

Operation
45 min–1 h
Anesthesia
Local + sedation
Stay
7 nights
Result holds
~10 years
The Complete Guide to Canthoplasty in Turkey

Canthoplasty acts on the outer corner of the eye to restore its almond shape and lift its angle slightly. It is among the most precise procedures on the face, and one of the few measured in millimetres. This guide explains the real difference between canthopexy and canthoplasty, the numerical reference surgeons aim for, what makes a well-indicated candidate, and how to obtain a result that holds for a decade.

This guide complements our Canthoplasty in Turkey procedure page and sits within our wider facial surgery in Turkey section. You will find published data, an honest comparison with eyelid surgery, and the cost difference between private Canadian care and Istanbul. At any time you can see pricing in Turkey or request a free, no-obligation quote. No figures appear here: the amount depends on the technique chosen and any combined steps, so a single number would mean nothing.

The Reference That Governs Everything

A harmonious eye has an outer corner sitting roughly two millimetres higher than the inner corner. That slight tilt is what gives the eye its almond shape and its sense of openness. When that height difference lessens, the eye takes on a rounder shape and the gaze reads as less open. Restoring those two millimetres is precisely the aim of the procedure, and it is a measurable aim rather than an impression.

Canthopexy and Canthoplasty: Two Distinct Levels

Canthopexy tightens the tendon anchoring the outer corner of the eye, using sutures, without detaching it from its insertion. It is a lighter step, indicated where the support needed stays moderate. Canthoplasty goes further: the surgeon detaches the tendon, shortens it, then re-anchors it to the orbital bone in its new position. The change in shape is more marked and the hold more solid.

Comparing the Two Techniques

CriterionCanthopexyCanthoplasty
What is done to the tendonTightened with suturesDetached, shortened, re-anchored
Scale of the changeDiscreet, supportiveMarked, changes the shape
Main indicationModerate support, preventionClearer repositioning
RecoveryShorterSlightly longer
How long the result holdsGoodAround a decade
Frequent pairingWith lower eyelid surgeryAlone or combined

The last row is worth noting. Canthopexy is very often paired with lower eyelid surgery, where it provides preventive support helping the eyelid hold its position while healing.

What the Studies Document

A study of four hundred people who had a canthopexy alongside upper and lower eyelid surgery reports straightforward recovery in the great majority, with ninety-six percent needing no additional step. The other observations recorded, all transient, involved a haematoma in three percent, temporary watering in three percent as well, and slight asymmetry in two percent. These are figures few sites publish, and they give a concrete picture of the usual course.

What the Almond Shape Brings

An eye slightly elongated horizontally, with a lifted outer corner, reads as more open and more rested. It is a characteristic associated with a youthful gaze across virtually every aesthetic tradition. The procedure also affects how much white shows below the iris. When the lower eyelid regains its support, it rises slightly and the gaze softens, without anything looking altered.

Who This Procedure Suits

Three main situations. The first involves people whose outer corner has lowered over the years and who want to regain their original tilt. The second involves those whose eye is naturally round and who are looking for a more elongated shape. The third is the most technical: the step is added to lower eyelid surgery to give it extra support. That preventive use is widely practised and accounts for a substantial share of the canthopexies performed.

What Determines the Scale of the Result

Three elements, all assessable at consultation. The shape of your orbital rim, which governs how high the tendon can be anchored. The elasticity of your skin, which supports how long the result holds. And your starting tilt. That last point explains a frequent observation: people whose eye is naturally round, or whose outer corner has clearly descended, see a more visible change than those whose almond is already drawn. The starting point counts as much as the procedure.

The Anatomy of the Eye Corner, Explained Simply

Understanding what the surgeon handles lets you follow a consultation and assess what is being proposed. This anatomy is fine and thoroughly described.

The Lateral Canthal Tendon

This is the central structure of the whole guide. A strong fibrous band runs from the outer corner of your eyelids and anchors to the bony rim of the orbit, slightly behind and a little higher than the corner itself. The tendon works like the attachment point of a hammock: both eyelids meet there and find their tension. Its position directly determines the height and tilt of the outer corner of your eye.

The Medial Canthal Tendon

Its counterpart at the inner corner, more complex since it also surrounds the tear drainage system. It is rarely altered in aesthetic surgery, its position being more stable and its surroundings more delicate. That is why the two-millimetre reference is always measured taking the inner corner as the fixed point and the outer corner as the mobile one. The procedure acts on one and leaves the other intact.

The Orbital Rim

The shape and slope of the bone around your eye govern how high the tendon can be re-anchored. It is an individual anatomical constraint, and it explains why the same technique produces different amplitudes in different patients. A surgeon who palpates your orbital rim during the consultation is assessing precisely that margin. It is a discreet movement and it says a great deal about method, since it governs what can honestly be promised.

Comparing the Structures and Their Roles

StructureWhat it determinesAltered by the procedure
Lateral canthal tendonHeight of the outer cornerYes, it is the target
Medial canthal tendonPosition of the inner cornerNo, left intact
Orbital rimMargin available for repositioningNo, it constrains
Lower eyelid toneChoice of canthopexy or canthoplastyReinforced indirectly
Skin elasticityHow long the result holdsNo, it supports

The third row explains why two patients receiving the same technique obtain results of different scale. The bone sets a limit the procedure respects, and an honest surgeon states that margin rather than a general promise.

How Much White Shows Below the Iris

On a harmonious eye, the lower eyelid sits just at the lower edge of the cornea, the clear part at the centre of the eye. When it descends slightly, a band of white appears below the iris. Restoring support at the outer corner raises the lower eyelid and reduces that band. It is one of the most appreciated changes the procedure brings, and it is measured before and after just as precisely as the tilt.

The Test Your Surgeon Performs in Front of You

He gently pinches your lower eyelid and draws it downward a few millimetres, then releases it while watching how quickly it returns flat against the eye. The test takes three seconds. An immediate return indicates a toned eyelid, which will respond well to a canthopexy. A slower return points toward a canthoplasty, which provides more structural support. It is that test, rather than your age, that determines the choice.

What You Can Observe at Home

Stand in front of a mirror in natural light without squinting. Find the inner and outer corner of each eye, and note whether the second seems higher, level, or lower. Then photograph yourself front on, camera exactly at eye level. A photograph taken slightly above or below eye level completely distorts that reading, which explains a good many mistaken interpretations drawn from selfies.

Slight asymmetry between your two eyes exists in almost everyone and generally goes unnoticed. The surgeon measures it before surgery and adjusts each side separately rather than applying the same step to right and left. That is one of the arguments for a numerical preoperative measurement: without it, symmetry rests on visual judgement, whereas with it the surgeon works from compared values.

How the Operation Runs

The Preliminary Examination

The surgeon measures the position of both your canthi, inner and outer, and calculates the current height difference. That measurement sets the numerical objective of the procedure. He then tests the tone of your lower eyelid by drawing it gently downward and watching how quickly it returns. That simple test, called the distraction test, guides the choice between canthopexy and canthoplasty.

The Complete Guide to Canthoplasty in Turkey

The Anaesthetic

Performed alone, the procedure lends itself well to local anaesthesia with light sedation. When combined with eyelid surgery or a lift, general anaesthesia becomes more common. That flexibility keeps the procedure accessible and explains why it is often done as a day case. The choice is discussed at consultation according to the programme and your preference.

The Operation, Minute by Minute

The surgeon makes a small incision at the outer corner of the eye, hidden in a natural crease extending the eyelid line. He exposes the lateral canthal tendon, the structure anchoring the corner of the eye to the bony rim. Depending on the technique chosen, he tightens that tendon with secure sutures or detaches it to shorten and re-anchor it higher on the periosteum. The step takes about forty-five minutes to an hour when performed alone.

The Precision of the Step

This is where practitioners differ from one another. The surgeon adjusts the anchoring height to the millimetre, checking symmetry and allowing for the pull the eyelid will exert during healing. An experienced surgeon anticipates the slight settling that follows any tightening and therefore anchors a little higher than the final position aimed for. That anticipation explains why the result of the early weeks looks more pronounced than it will be.

Recovery and the Result Calendar

Eyelid swelling and sometimes some colouring at the outer corner occupy the first week. The sensation most often reported is tightness at the corner of the eye, easing noticeably from day four or five. Light watering is common and transient, while tear drainage resumes its usual working. Cold compresses over the first two days markedly speed up comfort.

MilestoneWhat is happeningWhat you see
Days 1 to 3Swelling at its peakOuter corner strongly lifted
Days 4 to 7Swelling receding, sutures outShape softening
Weeks 2 to 4Tension settlingA more natural look
Months 2 to 3Scar fadingResult readable
Months 4 to 6Full stabilizationFinal shape
BeyondDurable holdAround a decade

The first row surprises many patients who do not know about it. The outer corner looks distinctly higher during the early days, which corresponds to the surgeon's deliberate anticipation, and the shape softens gradually toward its target.

The Scar

It sits in line with the eyelids, at the outer corner, within a natural crease. It measures a few millimetres and becomes very hard to find once mature, generally around the third month. Its quality depends heavily on sun protection through the first six months. That is the only genuinely decisive measure entirely within your control, and it deserves taking seriously.

Returning to Activity

ActivityWhen to resume
Desk workFive to seven days
Social life without makeupSeven to ten days
Eye makeupAfter suture removal, around day seven
Contact lensesAbout two weeks
Light exerciseTwo weeks
Intense exerciseThree to four weeks
Long-haul flight to CanadaAbout one week

The last row makes this procedure compatible with a one-week stay, which is of particular interest to Canadian patients working with limited leave.

Finding the Right Surgeon

The gaze tolerates approximation poorly: a few millimetres separate a harmonious result from one that draws the eye. Two training routes lead to this procedure: facial plastic surgery and oculoplastic surgery, which covers the eyelids and orbit. Practitioners from the second route handle the canthal tendon daily. So the useful question is not which qualification a surgeon holds, but how many canthal procedures he performs each year. A practitioner who tracks that figure and gives it without hesitating works in this area regularly.

The Questions That Tell You Most

Do you measure the height difference between my two canthi, and what value are you aiming for? That question immediately separates a numerical approach from an approximate one. Then: canthopexy or canthoplasty in my case, and on what basis do you make that choice? A surgeon who answers by mentioning the tone of your lower eyelid and his distraction test is reasoning from your anatomy.

What a Portfolio Must Show

Results at six months minimum, since the shape softens gradually through the first quarter. Images taken at one week show a transitional phase rather than a result. Look also for varied faces: round eyes, already-almond eyes and mature gazes do not respond the same way. A portfolio featuring only one patient profile tells you little about your own case.

What Each Criterion Tells You

CriterionWhat it indicatesReliability
Annual number of canthal proceduresFamiliarity with this areaVery high
Canthi measured numerically at consultationAn objective approachVery high
Eyelid tone test done in front of youA real diagnosisVery high
Results shown at six months or moreThe settled shapeVery high
Deliberate over-anchoring explainedCommand of the processHigh
Portfolio of varied facial typesBroad experienceHigh
Photographs taken in the first weekA transitional phaseLow

The second-to-last row is a rare positive signal. A practitioner who spontaneously explains that the corner will look higher at first understands the behaviour of the tissues he handles, and that explanation is worth more than any guarantee of result.

Reaching This Procedure From Across Canada

The canthal procedure is a subspecialty, and its local availability varies more than that of common facial operations, which is why so many Canadian patients consider travelling. Below, the situation region by region, English-speaking area by area.

Toronto, the GTA and Mississauga

The region has oculoplastic surgeons and facial plastic surgeons, though the canthal procedure remains a subspecialty requiring some searching. Annual volume varies considerably between practitioners. Toronto Pearson links Istanbul without a stopover. Allow seven nights on site and about a week before the return flight, which fits within a single week of leave. A free quote compares both figures, the Turkish one often sitting up to around 70 percent lower.

Vancouver, Surrey and Victoria

On the West Coast, oculoplastic surgery exists mainly within the hospital system for functional indications, while the aesthetic procedure sits in the private sector. That division limits the number of practitioners with high aesthetic volume. The flight from Vancouver is long, though the one-week interval before returning makes it manageable. English matters for the sun protection instructions, to follow for six months to obtain the fine scar expected.

Calgary and Edmonton

Alberta has practitioners in both training routes, and what varies is how many canthal procedures each performs annually. Ask that question when booking rather than during the appointment. Both cities reach Istanbul through a European hub. Have it specified in the quote whether the step will be a canthopexy or a canthoplasty, since the difference in recovery between them is real.

Ottawa and Eastern Ontario

Living near a provincial border doubles the number of practitioners without guaranteeing canthal expertise. Ask each about annual volume in this specific area rather than about overall facial surgery activity. Ottawa International connects to Istanbul. Plan around suture removal at day seven, which either shapes your stay or can be entrusted to a practitioner at home.

Winnipeg, Regina and Saskatoon

Across the Prairies, aesthetic oculoplastic surgery is not performed locally and travel forms part of the equation from the outset. That paradoxically simplifies the decision, which then rests solely on choosing the team. From Winnipeg or Regina, reaching Istanbul takes a connection. The rest comes down to practical arrangements: who meets you, where you stay, and how the six-month photographic checks are handled.

Halifax, Moncton and St. John's

Atlantic Canadians already travel for eyelid surgery, and the canthal procedure is scarcer still. Comparing destinations therefore comes down to annual volume in this specific area. Halifax connects onward in one stop. Suture removal at day seven can be entrusted to a practitioner at home with the clinic's written instructions, which makes a shorter trip possible if you prefer.

Canadian Cities Against Istanbul

City / regionAirportAccess to IstanbulLocal offer and cost
Toronto, GTA, MississaugaYYZDirect linksSubspecialty present; package often up to around 70 percent less
Vancouver, Surrey, VictoriaYVRWith connectionMainly hospital-based, aesthetic scarcer
Calgary / EdmontonYYC / YEGVia EuropeBoth routes, volume to verify
OttawaYOWWith connectionMany practitioners, expertise varies
Winnipeg, Regina, SaskatoonYWGWith connectionNot performed locally
Halifax, Moncton, St. John'sYHZWith connectionTravel a given from the outset

One reading emerges from this table: the procedure belongs to a subspecialty, and its availability varies more than that of common facial operations. That is why so many Canadian patients consider travelling.

The Complete Guide to Canthoplasty in Turkey

Comparing the Destinations Canadians Choose

A search in English will point you toward Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica and Thailand. The grid that follows compares ways of working, and it serves equally well to separate two practitioners in the same city.

Value criterionTurkey / Istanbul (Aylan)MexicoDominican Rep.Colombia / Costa Rica / Thailand
Annual canthal procedure volumeHighVariableVariableVariable
Canthi measured numericallySystematicTo verifyTo verifyTo verify
Pairing with eyelid surgery availableYes, same sessionYesYesYes
Direct with the clinicYes, no middlemanOften via agencyOften via agencyOften via agency
Cost vs private Canadian careOften up to around 70 percent lessOften lowerOften lowerOften lower

The second row is the one to put everywhere. A practitioner who measures the position of your canthi before proposing anything is working toward an objective, and that standard is verified with a single question.

Eyelid surgery is among the most frequently performed operations in Turkey, and Istanbul teams handle the canthal region daily. That frequency explains the refinement of the work seen there. Excellent practitioners also work in Ankara, Izmir and Antalya, with additional connections from Canada. The deciding criterion remains the annual number of canthal procedures, wherever the surgeon practises.

Preparing Your Procedure and Organizing Your Stay

This procedure needs light preparation but a precise calendar, suture removal shaping the length of the stay.

Two Months Ahead

First contact, sending your photographs and receiving a quote setting out the technique envisaged. This is also when to stop smoking, eyelid skin being thin and its healing particularly sensitive to tobacco. If you wear contact lenses daily, arrange glasses for the two weeks following the procedure. It is a detail easily settled beforehand and one that often catches people out on returning.

One Month Ahead

Preoperative work-up in Canada, lighter when the procedure is done under local anaesthesia. An eye examination is requested in some cases, particularly with a history of dry eye. Two weeks ahead, blood thinners stop on medical advice, including fish oil, turmeric and vitamin E. On an area as richly supplied as the eyelid, that precaution markedly improves comfort in the first days.

The Photographs to Send

They determine the quality of remote measurement. Take them in natural light, without makeup, camera exactly at eye level, looking straight ahead.

ViewWhat it reveals
Front, looking straight aheadRelative position of the two canthi
Front, eyes closedEyelid line and natural crease
Right and left profileProjection of the orbital rim
Right and left three-quarterTransition from eyelid to temple
Front, smilingHow the outer corner behaves on contraction

The first view is the most important and the most often taken poorly. A camera slightly above or below eye level alters the apparent tilt of the canthi and skews the whole measurement.

What to Pack

Glasses rather than lenses, wide sunglasses for early outings, saline in single-dose vials for rinsing the eyes if needed, and cold packs if your accommodation does not supply them. Add a high-factor sunscreen for the outer corner area, to use once healing is complete. It is the most decisive measure for how discreet the scar finally becomes.

The Day Before

The surgeon measures the position of both your canthi, performs the tone test on each lower eyelid, palpates your orbital rim and confirms the technique chosen. This is also when the target value is finally decided. Ask him to give it to you in millimetres: a surgeon working toward a numerical objective will answer without hesitating.

How Your Stay Unfolds

DayWhat happens
ArrivalAirport welcome, transfer, rest
Day 1Consultation, measurements, technique confirmed
Day 2Procedure, back to the hotel the same day
Days 3 to 4Rest, cold compresses, swelling at its peak
Days 5 to 6Swelling receding, first outings
Day 7Sutures removed, check-up, instructions
DepartureFlight to Canada possible from this point

Suture removal on day seven shapes this entire calendar. It is what fixes the stay at one week, and it is also what can be delegated to a practitioner at home if you prefer to return earlier.

Instructions for the First Days

Cold compresses for forty-eight hours, head raised for sleeping through the first week, no rubbing of the eyes, and no makeup before the sutures come out. Avoid anything that raises pressure in the head, such as bending forward for long periods or lifting loads, for the first two weeks. These instructions are simple and following them shows directly in the quality of your first week.

Follow-up From Canada

It happens through photographs taken under the same conditions, at one, three and six months. The final shape is judged at six months, the softening phase occupying the early weeks. Take each image with the camera exactly at eye level, as for your preoperative photographs. That rigour is what allows a real comparison rather than an impression, on a procedure measured in millimetres.

The Misconceptions About Canthoplasty

This procedure is highly visible on social media and poorly explained elsewhere, which leaves several approximations circulating. Here are the commonest, clarified one at a time.

Canthopexy and Canthoplasty Are Two Words for the Same Thing

Both act on the same tendon, though not in the same way. Canthopexy tightens it with sutures while leaving it attached; canthoplasty detaches, shortens and re-anchors it higher on the bone. The consequence is concrete for you: canthopexy offers discreet support with a shorter recovery; canthoplasty produces a more marked change in shape with a hold of around a decade. A practitioner using both words interchangeably is worth asking to be specific.

Lift It as Much as Possible

The anatomical reference is precise: roughly two millimetres of difference between the outer and inner corner. That value produces a natural almond shape, and it holds as true at twenty as at sixty. A surgeon who reasons in millimetres rather than in intensity is working within the proportions of the face. It is the same logic as for a nose, where a few degrees separate a harmonious profile from one that draws the eye.

It Is Only for Mature Patients

Two very different groups benefit. People whose outer corner has lowered over the years, and those whose eye has always been naturally round and who want a more elongated shape. That second indication is long established, well before social media popularized the effect. It stems from a request about shape rather than about rejuvenation, and the procedure is the same.

It Replaces Eyelid Surgery

The two address different things and often complement each other. Blepharoplasty removes skin or repositions fat; canthoplasty alters the shape and support of the eye. That is precisely why they are paired so frequently. A lower eyelid that has been operated on benefits from the support a canthopexy provides during healing, helping it hold the position it was given.

Thread Lifts Do the Same Thing

The two approaches aim at a similar effect by very different means. Threads act on the superficial tissues of the temple and create traction; surgery acts on the tendon itself and its bony anchor. The difference shows in duration. A surgical step repositioning an anchoring structure holds for around a decade, whereas traction on soft tissue fades gradually. Both options are legitimate; they simply answer different expectations.

Men Do Not Have This Done

Male demand exists and is rising, with a nuanced objective. A male gaze readily keeps a more discreet tilt, a strongly marked almond being perceived as a feminine feature. A surgeon accustomed to male patients therefore aims for a slightly lower value, around one and a half millimetres rather than two and a half. That kind of adjustment separates a successful male result from a simple transposition.

Comparing Beliefs Against Practice

What you hearWhat is actually the case
Canthopexy and canthoplasty are the sameTwo distinct steps on the same tendon
Lift as much as possibleThe reference is around two millimetres
It is only for mature patientsTwo indications, including natural shape
It replaces eyelid surgeryTwo complementary steps
The result is immediateThe shape settles in four to six months
The scar stays visibleIt hides in a natural crease
It only lasts two or three yearsAround a decade for a canthoplasty

What Comes From the Procedure and What Comes From You

What you wantComes from the procedureComes from you
Lifting the outer cornerYes, preciselyNo
Reducing white below the irisYes, through restored supportNo
Almond shapeYes, within the bony marginNo
Fineness of the scarPartlyA great deal: sun protection
How long the result holdsThe step is durableElasticity, lifestyle
Quality of the eyelid skinNo, a separate treatmentSkincare, protection

The fourth row deserves underlining. Sun protection for six months is the most effective measure available to you, and it directly influences how discreet the scar finally becomes.

The Complete Guide to Canthoplasty in Turkey

The Vocabulary You Will Hear

This glossary lets you follow an oculoplastic consultation and express your objective in the terms your surgeon uses.

  • Canthus: the corner of the eye, where the two eyelids meet. The lateral canthus refers to the outer corner, the medial canthus to the inner one.
  • Lateral canthal tendon: the fibrous band anchoring the outer corner to the bony rim of the orbit. It is the structure this entire guide concerns.
  • Canthal tilt: the height difference between the two corners of the eye. Roughly two millimetres in favour of the outer corner corresponds to the almond shape sought.
  • Periosteum: the membrane covering bone. It is what the tendon is re-anchored to during a canthoplasty, which explains the solidity of the fixation.
  • Distraction test: drawing the lower eyelid gently down and watching how quickly it returns. It guides the choice between canthopexy and canthoplasty.
  • Sclera: the white part of the eye. How much shows below the iris decreases when the lower eyelid regains its support.
  • Orbital rim: the bony frame around the eye. Its shape governs how high the tendon can be repositioned.

The Terms That Cause Confusion

TermNot to be confused withThe difference
CanthopexyCanthoplastyTendon tightened, versus detached and re-anchored
CanthoplastyBlepharoplastyShape of the eye, versus skin and fat
Fox eyesA specific techniqueAn effect sought, several routes to it
Lateral canthusMedial canthusMobile outer corner, versus fixed inner one

The third pair explains much of the confusion online. The term from social media describes a visual outcome, achieved depending on the case by surgery, by thread lifts, or by a lift of the upper third.

The Decision Summary

The questionThe short answer
Anatomical reference aimed forAround two millimetres of difference
CanthopexyTendon tightened, moderate support
CanthoplastyTendon re-anchored, more marked change
Basis of the choiceThe lower eyelid tone test
Operation lengthForty-five minutes to an hour
AnaesthesiaLocal with sedation most often
Suture removalAround day seven
Stay in TurkeySeven nights
Flight home to CanadaAbout one week
Shape stabilizedFour to six months
How long the result holdsAround a decade
Gap vs private Canadian careOften up to around 70 percent

The first row alone is enough to prepare your consultation. Arriving knowing the two-millimetre reference lets you discuss a numerical objective rather than an impression, which changes the nature of the exchange entirely.

Three Checks Before You Commit

First: does the practitioner measure the position of both your canthi and give you a target value? Second: does he perform the tone test in front of you to choose between the two techniques? Third: can he show results at six months rather than at one week? On a procedure whose shape softens through the first quarter, that is the only milestone showing the real result.

In Summary: A Procedure Measured in Millimetres

Canthoplasty is a short procedure measured in millimetres whose result holds for a decade. Its success rests on a preliminary measurement and on respecting one simple anatomical reference. The team at Aylan Clinic accompanies you in English at every stage, from measuring your canthi on photographs through to the six-month check, with an objective expressed in figures rather than adjectives.

When you are ready, read our Canthoplasty in Turkey procedure page for how the operation works, the stay and the care that follows, and see pricing in Turkey or request a free, no-obligation quote built on your own photographs. To go further, explore the full range of facial surgery in Turkey.

FAQ

Your questions

What is a canthoplasty?

A procedure repositioning the outer corner of the eye by acting on the tendon anchoring it to the bony rim, to restore an almond shape.

How does it differ from a canthopexy?

Canthopexy tightens the tendon with sutures without detaching it. Canthoplasty detaches, shortens and re-anchors it higher on the bone.

Which one do I need?

It depends on the tone of your lower eyelid, which the surgeon tests at consultation with the distraction test. Canthopexy suits moderate support needs.

Is it the same as fox eyes?

Fox eyes describes the effect sought on social media. Canthoplasty is one of the surgical techniques that achieve it.

How does it differ from blepharoplasty?

Blepharoplasty removes skin or fat; it does not change the shape of the eye. Canthoplasty alters precisely that shape, and the two are often combined.

What reference is aimed for?

An outer corner roughly two millimetres higher than the inner corner. That tilt is what gives the eye its almond shape.

How long does the result last?

Around a decade for a canthoplasty, the bony fixation providing solid hold.

Why does my eye look very lifted at first?

The surgeon deliberately anchors a little higher than the final position, anticipating the natural settling that follows any tightening. The shape softens over four weeks and settles between the fourth and sixth months.

Where is the scar?

At the outer corner of the eye, in a natural crease extending the eyelid line. It becomes very hard to find around the third month, and sun protection for six months is decisive for its fineness.

Will I be asleep?

Often local anaesthesia with light sedation when the procedure is done alone. General anaesthesia becomes common when combined with eyelid surgery or a lift.

How long does the operation take?

Forty-five minutes to an hour when performed on its own.

When are the sutures removed?

Around day seven, which shapes the length of your stay or calls for arranging removal at home with the clinic’s written instructions.

How much time off should I plan?

Five to seven days for desk work, seven to ten days before appearing without makeup. Eye makeup after suture removal, contact lenses at about two weeks.

How long should I stay in Turkey?

Seven nights, which allows suture removal before departure. You can fly home about a week after the procedure, once the sutures are out and swelling is receding.

What does canthoplasty cost in Turkey?

It depends on the technique and any combined steps. The useful measure: up to around 70 percent below private Canadian care when dealing directly with the clinic.

Is there a surgeon for this near me?

The canthal procedure is a subspecialty and availability varies considerably. Ask for the annual number of canthal procedures a practitioner performs rather than simply whether it can be done.

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