Live

Japanese Double Eyelid Surgery

What are double eyelids and why do so many Japanese girls want them?

By 3 min read 123

Blepharoplasty, also known as the double eyelid surgery is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries in Japan. The surgery is performed to transform the Asian “monolid” into a Western-style “double lid” thereby making the patient’s eyes look bigger.

Although there are people in Asia with natural double eyelids, single eyelids are more common in East Asians. However, you wouldn’t know this by looking at popular fashion magazines as many Japanese celebrities have had the double eyelid surgery done.

Asians who have this procedure done are often criticized for trying to look more White

While the procedure is common among many Japanese celebrities, most are too embarrassed to admit that they’ve had it done and as soon as the media starts to speculate they will deny it and insist that they have always had double eyelids. Many popular Japanese fashion magazines are now using Ha-FU models to popularize the Western Asian look.

This procedure is so popular in Asia that there are products designed to mimic the double eyelid look without having to have the surgery. Eyelid glue and tape both create temporary creases, so you can try it for yourself and decide if you want to spend the money to actually have a surgery.

eyelids

I was having lunch with my American girlfriend recently and we started talking about double eyelids. I told her about the double eyelid glue, and she was stunned.

“So, you are saying that Japanese women use glue to change the shape of their eyelids? Is that safe?”, my friend asked. She has beautiful rounded double eyelids with blue eyes, and she has never heard of the word double eyelids.

Double eyelid glues are fairly safe. I’ve used it before, and it didn’t cause any skin irritation or issues. In fact, you can use the false eyelash adhesive as the double eyelid glue. It is the same thing. You apply the glue where you want the crease to be in your eyelid, and you will have somewhat natural “glued” double eyelids.

Double eyelid tapes work the same way, but I personally prefer glue to tape. You put a thin tape on your eyelid, and unlike the glue, the tape does not dry out so it is more visible. The tape is more useful for a photo shoot or special occasion. (Halloween, Party etc).

eye-glue

The double eyelid is considered to be a gold standard of beauty not only in Japan but also in many East Asian countries. It’s easy to criticize the women who have this procedure done as being ashamed of being Asian and trying to look more Caucasian but he the truth is that many young women are often trying to emulate Japanese pop idols, who undergo the procedure as a matter of course.

We can always have plastic surgery if we are willing to take certain risks and pay the costs, but we should feel good about ourselves regardless. If you are confident now and just want to look more beautiful, go ahead and get the double eyelid surgery.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service

  • Rick Takashi Ikesaka says:

    I gonna do this surgery because i wanna look more caucasian.

    RICK TAKASHI IKESAKA

  • Philip Young says:

    Dr Philip Young is the best aesthetic facial body plastic surgeon in Bellevue, Washington.
    Dr Philip Young

  • Wobbledad says:

    Haha, don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying it’s all-natural, but one cannot say that her ‘look/appeal’ is not distinctly an Oriental one.

    Here’s the thing everyone seems to be forgetting: the Northern Japanese people, the Northern Chinese people, their royalty, what is deigned the ‘upper echelon’ of their respective societies since their early history have these target-features. It’s just a fact. Different terrain, climate, & lifestyle call for the adaptation of different features. An escape of this is the Italians. The Northern Italians have lighter hair, skin & and eyes, as well as a higher potential for delicate builds due to the climate and less manual lifestyle; whereas the Southerners have the black hair, more olive skin, & have sturdier builds.

    Therefore, it is only natural that there would be shared features around similar latitudes across the globe, non?

    In the end one really ought to work on featuring their good traits rather than trying to trade-out their less desirable ones.

  • 島風 says:

    I’m half Japanese, my mother is white- I got the double eye lids and larger droopy eyes from her- but still got pale yellow-tone skin and dark eyes/hair and asian nose/lips from father side. Would that be grounds for being treated like a foreigner in modern Japan? 🙁

  • Robert Chandler says:

    I don’t like this Japanese women are the most beautiful women in the world!!! Don’t change a thing. 🙂

    • Diane Kim says:

      since elementary student, Japanese girls and boys use glue to make eyelids. there are so many eyelids glue product in Japan.
      Japanese boys use eyelids glue to make double eye like girls .
      and 30 percents of Japanese man have undergone eyelids surgery. and 50 percents of Japanese girls have undergone in eyelids surgery

    • 島風 says:

      They don’t do it or not do it to please white people..

  • Tess de la Serna says:

    I think Japanese and Chinese are beautiful. What made them beautiful are their single-eyelid eyes. Looking at Ms. Nakata’s photo, she’s beautiful! It is sad that we want what other races have. Most Filipino actors and actresses undergo nose surgeries and “white” skin coloring. A lot of Filipinos would have gone nose job if they could afford it. I am even thinking about it! Thank you for this article. It is very helpful.

    • Manekineko says:

      I love Filipinos noses! Well, basically – whatever look is out there, is beautiful ^_^ I had some difficult time accepting my long thin nose, smaller mouth, blue eyes (because blue eye shadow goes great with brown eyes), etc., because I prefer other looks. But many people with looks that I like, like my looks better in return. I felt it was ironic, and learned to accept people always want what they don’t have… lol. I am a white gaijin, and cannot look any other way. However, instead, I can enjoy seeing looks I like on other people, who naturally have them and it’s even better – I mean, I cannot see myself all the time (thank goodness), so just forget about my own looks and admire others.

    • yuuki says:

      “I think Japanese and Chinese are beautiful. What made them beautiful are their single-eyelid eyes.”

      Umm, and what about Japanese and Chinese who naturally have double eyelids? Are they not beautiful? lol

  • maron says:

    I don’t think it’s good you wrote like this about “Japanese womEn” WITH the photo of Chinese product (Didn’t you know it written Chinese language?) Japanese typical parents never accept and also friends about who take a plastic surgery (Some Japanese woman might have it if who is 20’s, or still very young.) . I have double lids but never have any surgery, so my parents, even grandparents and my related have it. I don’t think Japanese have single lid more than 50%. Of course I have never counted the exact number, but I can say it. If Japanese who had a plastic surgery, everyone will be disappointed in who and say “You got the face from your parents, why can’t you prude of it?? Your parents must be so sad!” It is common in my age or older (I’m 30’s, by the way). You might misunderstand about Korean and Japanese?? It is very common who has a plastic surgery in Korea. There are lot of a plastic surgery clinic in Korea, and some places, like those clinic makes the cities. Korean parents have also the same surgery with their “little children”. You can find those videos or articles somewhere in websites if search those. I don’t say and think that nobody has any plastic surgery in Japan. However, it isn’t common in NOMAL Japanese, yet. It is still bad thing and if a wife tell to who’s husband “I want to have it. (even for boobs job stuff,) they will be so upset and make who stop very strongly. Do NOT make fake information of about Japan anymore, please.

    • 1029238192u738921 says:

      It’s actually a Japanese product. The advertisement was for the Chinese market hence the Chinese words. So…

  • Elle Juarez says:

    I have natural double eyelids and I look slightly more like my Filipino mom than my half White half Mexican dad (though my dad takes after his Canadian father then his Mexican mother)

    • Tess de la Serna says:

      I am Filipino, living in America for 25 years. Have you visited Philippines?

      • Elle Juarez says:

        Unfortunately no I’ve never gotten the chance to visit my relatives in the Philippines. But one day I’d love to go 😀

    • Yumitolesson says:

      You must be so beautiful! 🙂

  • Ed Rinkiewicz says:

    Anyone know whether the reverse procedure exists?

  • Yahya Afrikans says:

    Informative article- thanks

  • findingvegas says:

    I would like to have this surgery because I believe it would help to improve my vision. When I smile the world can blur around me. Most of the time I dont mind but I think it would be safer to get it done while im young. My insecurity would be coming out the other end not looking myself. Natural is always best. Im happy in my own skin.

    • Yumitolesson says:

      Definitely you should do what makes you happy..if you believe that you will feel better physically and emotionally after the surgery, you should go for it. 🙂

  • Brent Pollard says:

    El Psy Congroo! 🙂

  • StephanBib says:

    It’s not “Western” as there is no such thing. It’s European. Many Europeans people live in Asia and were born there but have double eye lids…and as someone pointed out Africans have double eyelids as well and they don’t want to look like that – white skin is just as highly prized in east Asia. In Thailand a woman will hold a big book up to the sun just to cross the street for 10 seconds least she get more dark.

    • Tess de la Serna says:

      My sister would have umbrella to cross few steps from our first house to the 2nd house. That’s how Asian are very conscious of their skin color. She even takes a tablet now to alter the skin pigmentation. It’s scary! I like to have fair skin but not to that extent.

    • Yumitolesson says:

      that’s true and I wrote an article about Japanese beauty standard.

  • Jennifer Malina says:

    I think every women wants to be beautiful, regardless of their race and what lacks in them. I would say this is positive than having a women not caring for herself or does not bother how she look like.

    • Nelly says:

      Well, every woman wants what she does not have 🙂 I want straight hair, but I have wavy hair, green eyes – mine are blue, etc. Natural phenomenon.

  • savvykenya says:

    Africans also have double eyelids, so are the Japanese trying to look African too, in the quest for double eyelids?

    • Yumitolesson says:

      Yes I would say. In East Asia (including Japan), they tend to admire European features but I am aware that african people have beautiful eyelids.

  • kota kitano says:

    “Many popular Japanese fashion magazines are now using Ha-FU models to popularize the Western Asian look.”

    I don’t think so…
    The reason that Japanese dislike artificial double eyelid is unnatural.
    Because of trying to be Western.

    Japanese culture regard natural thing as a good thing.

  • Brent Pollard says:

    Wow. So, I read the article, and then make the mistake of reading the comments. Quite the tempest in a teapot. As a Caucasian, even though I have taken note that some Asian women elect to have double eyelid surgery, I’ve never been so conceited to think she was doing it to look more like me. I admit that I am an eye-person (especially dark eyes and black hair ^_^ ), but I agree with those saying that I always judge a person more by who they are than what they look like. I appreciate your insight regarding this issue. I have to admit, though, that I am curious as to what it might be like to have monolids. I doubt there is a glue out there that might give me the experience. Plus, if I managed to pull off that look temporarily, people would doubtlessly call me, as a Caucasian, a racist. Granted, that would be understandable given how Caucasians have made fun of Asians by squinting their eyes or pulling at the sides of their eyelids with their fingers. Yet, I am serious when I say that it would be neat just to somehow have that experience.

  • Schroeck says:

    Im a filipino snd we do have double eyelids. However, filipinos are a mixed of malayo polynesian, spanish, chinese, americans etc blood, that is ehy you can see that there are filipinos who looks chinese, or spanish or american mixed. But mostly we have brown race and most of the filipinos esp the ladies like to look more white for some it is the measurement of what beauty is for them. And our american counterparts envy our brown skin.

    • Tess de la Serna says:

      I am Filipino. I have Malay, Chinese, Japanese (father side) and Spanish blood. I grew up in Philippines but living in United States. I am very proud to be Asian but sometimes I do want to have a fair skin even though my American friends love my skin color and maybe a nose job? But at the end of the day, I like what I got and happy with it. But what is curious is the people in the midwest most often mistakenly see me as Mexican. I even got discriminated as Mexican!

    • Yumitolesson says:

      it is very sad that women in Asia don’t appreciate what they have and instead want to look more White because of popular media. 🙁

  • Yumitolesson says:

    I agree with you that white people aren’t the only one with double eyelids…so I am not very comfortable with the western media constantly saying that everybody wants to look white. For instance, black person straightening her hair is trying to look “white” but Asian people have very straight hair..even more so than white people. So it is racism in a way. Yes it is true that some Japanese girls prefer to black men to other races. and some girls go to tanning salon frequently.

  • Bani says:

    Though… some the younger Japanese and Korean people in the younger generation practically fetishize white people, as some white people fetishize Asian culture. Especially in S. Korea. :I From what I hear (from my Canadian-Korean blood bff), she’s witnessed a lot of white people get better treatment… just for being white. When she got into this program thing where people would get together to practice languages (they learn English, she practices more Korean), the girl she was paired up with was actually /disappointed/ because she thought she was gonna get a /white/ English speaker.
    K-pop uses a lot of English, because apparently that’s cool to them, and the Japanese don’t even care or do research and just pump their pop music full of Engrish. On the flip side, the Japanese government and the older generation are typically more… xenophobic.
    I wouldn’t call it “racial inferiority”, but I wouldn’t doubt that some people who do this procedure /did/ have such motivations such as “looking more white”, though I’m also sure a lot of them also think of it as a general desirable trait with nothing to do with race. I’m not saying the writer’s condescension is appropriate, but I’m also saying that it’s not like he doesn’t have a leg to stand on. There are stupid white people who try to make themselves look more “Japanese”, so the opposite doesn’t sound too unbelievable to me.
    I’m of Chinese blood, and I have to admit I’m glad I was born double-lidded. The monolid can look adorable on some girls, but definitely not me. I also have a lot of issues with my skin tone, which I’m particularly upset about because I was born much paler. I like to think it’s not a race thing; I just want to be able to have skin that matches more clothes, and wear lilac without looking terrible. 🙁 Still, I’m not gonna deny it if anyone calls me out on my inferiority on my Asian blood traits. I still don’t dare drive because I’m almost sure I’ll turn out to be another terrible Asian woman driver just like my biological mother, Chinese counsellor, and Chinese social worker.

    • Yumitolesson says:

      Yes Japanese singers use many English words and some of them make no sense so it is true that asian cultures are influenced by the West but I was trying to say that people in Asia don’t necessarily seek double eyelid surgery to look “white” but double eyelid is considered more desirable and it is a trend.

      • Wobbledad says:

        Is it that these Asian cultures are “influenced” or is it more along the lines of try to broaden their market demographic to include the tried & true American consumer? Modern “Americans” have to be some of the EASIEST people to market to. And when we buy, we buy it all!

        Regarding the eyelid deal, I’ve heard that chicks find the makeup range to have more variety with the double-lid + upper eyelid with fat removed. Guess that’s enough of a reason for some.

        …but to each, their own.

    • Baakus says:

      The claim that Asians “want to look White” is misguided because it gets people riled up. It’s also easily rebutted because apologists will say, “Double-lidded Asians still look Asian, not White! Ergo, no self-hatred!”

      It’s more accurate to say that they “want to look less typically Asian.” For various reasons, looking “typically Asian” has become associated with a host of allegedly negative physical traits, such as narrow eyes, broad face, flat nose, etc. In stark contrast, “typically Caucasian” is usually very positive, associated with big and beautiful eyes, tall nose, narrow face with nice/slender jawline, flowing blonde hair, etc.

      When even the Asian perceives the default Asian as ugly but the default Caucasian as beautiful, there are serious problems abound.

      • Tess de la Serna says:

        In other words, we want to look like the others that we admired without realizing that others look at us with admiration and want to be like us!

      • Yumitolesson says:

        excellent point..it is true that Japanese people want to look less stereotypical Asians..small eyes, broad face, short, flat nose but we don’t always have traits..and it has a lot to do with the media because they use these models to promote cosmetics, clothes and anything popular and these models usually have big eyes…

  • Sandy AJ says:

    I gotta ask, is the cover pic Ayumi Hamasaki? It loooks sooo much like her.

  • Khalid says:

    Personally, I really like the Monolid.

    • Yumitolesson says:

      really? we all want something that we don’t have ^_^

      • Khalid says:

        In America, The tanning industry is a multi-billion dollar indistry where white people are trying to look darker. The hair color industry is similar. We also have body shaping surgery and exercises to get larger lips, larger butts, larger breasts, smaller breasts, different noses, etc. I see beautiful people everyday. The question is are they as beautiful on the inside?

        I was also reading about a number of movie-stars who had plastic surgery on their faces. Even if the surgery went well, they often killed their careers with the new look and could no longer find work.

        • Tess de la Serna says:

          Very true!

        • Wobbledad says:

          There will ALWAYS be a noticeable difference between Acquired “good looks” and Looking Good …

          Compare a young Sean Connery to any of these would-be media-darling “hunks” from Tinsel Town today…

          Keep in mind, most of what we see now is the result extensive post-production or touching-up. Who looks like they’d snap a girl’s neck just by walking by? And who would you figure to be a (or give a girl the) quintessential date?

      • Khalid says:

        I think God gave each of us something uniquely beautiful. Something the distinguishes us. I am an African-American man, and I have dated Asian ladies in the past. Honestly, I could look into their eyes all day. People should be happy with their own uniqueness.

  • Baakus says:

    As an Asian person, I can confidently state that there IS a lot of racial insecurity among people of my own race. What we need to do is admit it and stop being in denial. We can’t fix problems if we don’t admit that they exist.

    What people like you are doing is saying that it’s somehow unobjectionable or natural for us Asians to have so many issues with our own ethnically unique physical and cultural features.

    It’s actually way more insulting than some White person talking down to us about how we “worship” them.

    • Yumitolesson says:

      We have a lot of insecurities..Asian people feel that but I wanted to make a point as a person who’s lived in the US for so many years and I am tired of the media constantly criticizing us or any other race for trying to look white. Ok maybe we unconsciously desire these traits, but so what? and white people aren’t the only ones with double eyelids. I wanted to write from different perspectives.

      • Baakus says:

        If Asians do indeed want to “look White” or “look less Asian,” don’t you think that that is something we should strive to change, especially given that Asians tend to exhibit other racially insecure behaviors?

        I’m not accusing you of this, but sometimes, I get the feeling that a lot of Asians would rather just get eye/nose jobs, fit into the Eurocentric standard, and just try to maximize their success in the status quo system. And when they get called out for it, they get embarrassed, so they try to twist it around so that eyelid jobs are (ludicrously) some sort of body-positive act of empowerment.

        As I said before, it’s not just the eyelid jobs that bother me as an Asian. It’s the host of other behaviors: being embarrassed to be Asian, only wanting to hang out with or date White people, obsessing over half-White children, treating White foreigners in Asia better than all other types of foreigners, etc.

        • Wobbledad says:

          Why are so many of you talking like it’s only Oriental Asians (“Asians” includes Middle Easterners, Indians, East Europeans…) who want to change themselves or idealize another ethnicity?

          In college alone, I can’t BEGIN to tell you about how many Irish, Italians, African Americans, Mexicans, etc who wanted so badly to be something else.

          There were gingers who thought they were black or Mexican, African Americans who swore they were samurais, full-Irish girls who wanted to be Indian(from India), Latins who wanted so much to wispy & oriental that they used costume tape to pull-back their eyes and bound their chests… the list goes on. Why do you think America has such booming “fitness” & plastic surgery industries? The media is constantly telling people that they NEED genetics that they don’t have.

          EDIT: America as a whole will never fully accept Oriental Asians or treat them without prejudice. It may be stupid, but it’s fact.

          • Tess de la Serna says:

            Hollywood has a lot to do with the influenced of why Asians, specifically, Filipinos want to look like Americans (specifically, United States). Business has a lot to do with shaping the way we look at ourselves. Internet has something to do with it too. We see a lot of different races and we admire some of their features and so we want to look like them. It is not necessarily as hating how we look. It is more of wanting to look like the others we admired.

          • BluePanda says:

            And they won’t accept blacks either.

          • Baakus says:

            So those gingers dyed their skin black? Those African Americans got eyelid surgery to add epicanthic folds to their eyes?

            Really, Latins used tape to pull back their eyes? Even if this is true, it is on nowhere near the scale that Asians cut up their eyes and noses.

            Are most people unsatisfied with some part of their appearance? Sure. But the direction in which they think they need to improve is overwhelmingly Eurocentric.

          • Wobbledad says:

            I didn’t say anything about direction NOT leaning towards Eurocentricity, I agree with you on that point to a degree. What irks me is the singling out of East Asians when many others would go just as far with their changes if money and society would allow. These types of surgeries are just as accepted in those societies as Jewish-Israeli girls in the States getting nose jobs to remove the “bump”. People of Nordic or Lapland, or Mongolian descent/ancestry may have this type of eyelid. Some Europeans also get this same surgery, calling it an Eye Lift.

            How can you speak of what (some) East Asians do being extreme when there are SO many people of European descent (in the US) that slice & dice themselves silly for the same reasons– either “so & so’s ___ is so nice and I want it, too” or “if I just ___ this, I’ll be perfect”.
            The issue is not the LENGTHS people go but the sentiment of self-hate/dislike + the impossible to satisfy envy of others.

            Also, excuse me for repeating this if someone’s already mentioned it, but there are quite a few full Japanese people who naturally have Caucasoid features.
            http://defence.pk/threads/the-proud-effective-and-handsome-janissary.319561/page-3
            So again, it may not be an attempt at “becoming Caucasian” but rather striving to look like the generally perceived “beautiful people” of their respective ethnicity. And like the girl says, “people always want what they don’t have”.

            It’s not stationary tape btw, there are all sorts of crazy cosmetics & tools available because there are all sorts of crazy ways MOST people want to “improve” themselves. For the more artistically inclined, ‘contouring’ in make-up aims at these ends.

            … and I do I know of an Anglo-Saxon-Mexican card-girl who really DID get her eyes changed to look Japanese this past year.

            The lengths people go tends to be directly related to societal acceptance and disposable income. This is what people should consider when discussing these things, that’s all.

          • Baakus says:

            “They’re not trying to look more White. They’re just trying to look more beautiful!”

            People say this all the time as though it somehow makes everything better. When “beautiful” is synonymous with “more White” or “less Asian,” that EXEMPLIFIES the problem.

            Yeah, some Asians have semi-Caucasian features. A lot more don’t. So why is it that we don’t celebrate flat noses, small eyes, broad faces, etc?

          • Wobbledad says:

            Do YOU happen to be an Asian with a flat nose, small eyes, broad face, etc?

          • Baakus says:

            I have small eyes, but not a flat nose nor a broad face.

          • Wobbledad says:

            Judging what people deem attractive is asinine. The issue here is not people finding more Northern traits attractive. Geographically speaking, within most regions, that just tends to be the case.

            Saying it’s “wrong” for Japanese people admiring the look of some of the more Caucasian full-Japanese people to aspire towards it, is like saying it’s wrong for a child who comes from a short family to aspire to be tall.
            Those characteristics simply tend to be the GLOBAL consensus of the definition of beauty. Saying that’s wrong IS saying that an opinion is wrong.

            The issue is not what is DEEMED ideal/attractive, it’s the sometimes unhealthy extremes people go to achieve it & the personal weakness in character which breeds low self-esteem. People should accept THEIR personal limits and work to emphasize (or create) strengths — not only focusing on appearance. But, if some people NEED that superficial adjustment in order to substantially improve themselves, then to each their own.

            Not everyone has to LOOK ideal; there’d be no variety in the world. People need to realize that it’s IN the characteristics that stray from the mold that the “individual” exists.

          • Baakus says:

            Summary: Whites are just naturally more beautiful than everyone else, and Asians should just learn to deal with it in manageable ways.

            I’ll let you think about what’s wrong with that mindset.

          • Wobbledad says:

            If you want to be intolerant, then sure, sum it up that way. That’s you’re prerogative. I’m not sure why people like you enjoy generalising so much to skirt the real issues, but you’re the very type of close-minded, superficial person who is creating these issues among our youth. Appearance isn’t what makes a person. It’s like saying the wrapping paper is what makes a present special.

            That aside, you’re saying that just because the features many people idealise (proportions & facial features) are consistent with the Caucasoid form, they should stop doing so. That’s not a matter of SKIN COLOR but geography & history, you racist. East Asians with these features are just that– East Asians with these features. Are you telling me all “whites” look the same? Italians, Russians, Ukrainians, the French, the English , etc???

            Are you seriously going to fault people for typically finding tall, shapely people, with balanced musculature & facial features, a straight bridge of the nose, and expressive eyes attractive? Coz these features exist the world over NATURALLY. They’re not monopolized by these “whites” you seem to be jealous of. The VAST majority of Caucasians don’t share these idealized features. Why do you think even THEY are trying to adjust to prime themselves to their own ideals?

            You’re just as bad as those people who say all Asians look the same… coz we don’t. Try selling to that to Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, & Thai people for starters, and see how they react. Fan Bingbing is widely acclaimed for having the “perfect face” in China; does any of that look “white” to you?

    • Chief Presiding Judge says:

      I’m Asian as well. You need to stop speaking for Japanese people, because not only is this a fallacy (you can’t make these ridiculous claims without data), but you’re completely wrong.

  • Miguel Torez says:

    People from the Philippines have negrito blood as well, so Spanish isn’t the admixture within Filipinos. Asia has some people within the continent that look as African as some Africans, but they’re considered Asian due to location of course. Everyone doesn’t always look how one would expect, especially if you don’t read are travel so a lot of people wouldn’t know about the very dark complexion curly hair African looking Asians. I doubt most people outside of the countries that have these people in Asia know about them. I didn’t until I started to read and educate myself about the world and do a little traveling when I can.

  • BenyGh says:

    Hmmmm, Most Likely because there were many Spanish and some other Europeans there.., The Same Applies to the Asians Living close to Russia and other Ethnicities…
    🙂
    G.B.Y +

    • Baakus says:

      Very few Filipinos have Spanish heritage. Their Spanish names were a registry thing. However, that doesn’t stop IMSCF Syndrome from existing.

  • Kuuzo says:

    Well, the post-op eyes look better, so.. we’re supposed to be offended on their behalf for wanting to look better?

    • BluePanda says:

      I guess she looked better before too. I’d be offended if a black/brown girl bleached her skin claiming she “feels” better that way. No she doesn’t. She just wants to fit in the european standard of beauty. White washed like all the others non-white.

    • Yumitolesson says:

      yes the woman’s eyes look gorgeous and I love it

  • Jason says:

    Personally, I prefer an Asian girl to look Asian. I don’t like cosmetic surgery types. It’s superficial. If I am fortunate enough to have an Asian girlfriend, then I want to know the real person I’m dating. Inside and out.

  • Brother Muhammad says:

    “Asians who have this procedure done are often criticized for trying to look more “White”

    That’s because Asians who have this procedure done ARE trying to look more “White”

    It’s unnatural and is saying “there something wrong with me that needs to be repaired. I don’t like what nature gave me and I need to fix nature’s mistake.”

    Just because Japanese and Korean pop stars alter their bodies does not mean that they become beautiful. They might become unattractive.
    Also, just because someone changes their body does not mean that you have to follow them like a mindless robot. What is ok for one person is not always ok for another.

    “We can always have plastic surgery if we are willing to take certain risks and pay the costs, but we should feel good about ourselves regardless. If you are confident now and just want to look more beautiful, go ahead and get the double eyelid surgery.”

    This⬆️⬆️⬆️is the worst advice young woman could ever be given. You should feel good about yourself and confident WITHOUT plastic surgery. If a person does not feel beautiful on the inside, no amount of altering what you look like on the outside can change that. Beauty and self confidence comes from the inside out, not from the outside in. To suggest Asian women to get double eyelid surgery to look like celebrities, or to gain some false sense of confidence is the same as suggesting to someone to use mind altering drugs in order to feel good about themselves.

    That is sick as hell!!!

    • Yumitolesson says:

      Oh ok..I wasn’t saying that..but Asians aren’t the only one who get plastic surgeries..people from different ethnic backgrounds have different types of procedures. I also believe that beauty comes from within..but I don’t judge people who want to have a plastic surgery such as double eyelid surgery..it is really popular in East Asia and if that’s what some women want, I don’t have a right to tell them what to do or not to do. We are entitled to different opinions. 🙂

      • Baakus says:

        Yes, we shouldn’t judge people for having plastic surgery, especially since we actively promote a superficial society. We criticize ugly people, then criticize them again for trying to improve their looks. It’s as though we’re telling them to stay in their lowly caste forever. That is plainly wrong.

        However, a lot of Asian societies, even wealthy ones, are still grappling with colonial mentalities (even if they were never formally colonized by the West). I don’t think the unquestioned acceptance of eyelid jobs are helping matters.

    • Bani says:

      “It’s unnatural and is saying “there something wrong with me that needs to be repaired. I don’t like what nature gave me and I need to fix nature’s mistake.”
      ^—I hope you’re excluding people born with disabilities or born into a body with the wrong genitals that don’t match up with their gender. And I, who’s Chinese, was born with pale skin, and now I’m like permanently tan/”yellow” (either because of hormone changes and/or that I hate sunscreen) and I hate it. If there were affordable treatment to make my skin go back so I can look good in pastel colours, I’d take it.

      “You should feel good about yourself and confident WITHOUT plastic surgery. If a person does not feel beautiful on the inside, no amount of altering what you look like on the outside can change that.”
      ^–Ludicrous, idealistic, hypocritical drivel. I hope you’re saying this only in relevance to small superficial changes like eye-lids, because… well, okay, say a girl has a huge nose. Like huuuge. And she hates it. If she wants plastic surgery to fix it so she doesn’t hate herself or think she’s ugly, why should we judge her? If it’s enough of a problem that she’d get mocked for it, I don’t see why she shouldn’t do what she wants to her own body, as long as she goes through safe procedures. Sure, if she were in a non-S. Korean community, she’d get mocked for doing the surgery, and one problem turns into another, but at least surgery is easier to hide.
      I don’t see how making herself love herself is any better. I’m not saying she should do the surgery, or that she shouldn’t, just that she should do whatever she thinks will make her body more comfortable for her to be in.
      So many of us hear it too often, from parents or teachers or w/e: “You’re beautiful just the way you are!” and it’s a complete lie most of the time. Mostly not an intentional lie because the people saying it are usually lying to themselves. Sure, inner beauty is what counts, but anyone who dismisses the importance of physical appearances is either naive, a hypocrite, or overly idealistic.
      If a guy were born with 11 fingers, that’s also what nature gave him. Would you also shame him for wanting to get that extra finger removed? Sure, it’s a more extreme case, but it’s still cosmetic surgery to get it removed. Aesthetic beauty is not a mandatory trait, but people have a right to desire it because it’s what generally attracts companionship/mates. Telling them they can’t change how they look so they’ll just have to suck it up and look for leftover people that’ll accept them as they are (it’s not easy) is just plain unfair. Sure, the cool ones will go “well, if I can’t find someone who’ll like me for I am, I don’t need them anyway”, but it’s still their choice as to what kind of approach they’ll take. And how do you know people still don’t feel good about themselves after? Sure, they’ll have to deal with the social ramifications, but if what they hated about their body was worth sacrificing for, I’m going to generally say that a fair percentage of people who get (proper and licensed) plastic surgery don’t regret what they did.

      The media /is/ to blame for basically brainwashing people from their younger days as to what beauty should be like, but I also don’t think people should feel obligated to accept their body “as nature intended”. I don’t think lying to oneself is that much healthier than being uncomfortable in one’s body.

    • Daniel Vandre says:

      You completely misread her last point. She basically said what you said. She said the only people who should get the surgery are those that are already confident, and just want to do it for beauty reasons. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however to give your own bias for beauty as fact for women to obey is more sick than what Yumi said. Sometimes people do things to alter themselves, not for other people, but for themselves.

      • Yumitolesson says:

        Yes Daniel! ^_^ My good female friend did have a plastic surgery (not the double eyelid..) and she is more comfortable with her appearance now, and I don’t support those excessive plastic surgeries but we can do whatever we want to and as long as we know what we are getting ourselves into, we should feel comfortable enough to be who we are or who we will be after the surgery. I have never had a plastic surgery so I cannot personally comment on this. I don’t know what’s like after the plastic surgery.

    • Rias Gremory says:

      first off indians and pakistani people are also part of asia so why do people classify Chinese, vitnamese, japanese etc. as “asian” because of what the media has protrayed, it shows that asians are people who have smaller eyes compared to westernized soiciety which then leads to people classifying it too, so when trying to defend one’s culture try to state it correctly Brother Muhmmad

      • Yumitolesson says:

        Yes East Asians. Japanese, Koreans and Chinese. I am Japanese so I write about what I know.

    • Chief Presiding Judge says:

      Black people have double eyelids and predate white people.

      People getting this surgery done are not trying to “look white” (white people do not “own” this feature) anymore than you could say the majority of white women want to look black with all of the cosmetic surgeries they receive in pop culture.

      • Brother Muhammad says:

        You are correct. Black people have double eyelids and pre-date white people.

        Problem: not many Japanese people are aware of this. Many Japanese people perceive double eyelids as a “Caucasian feature.” Black people and others do not come to mind when they think of double eyelids. So even though what you stated was true, it doesn’t matter when the truth is not known.

        The point is in the minds of many Japanese people, double eyelids and long high ridged noses are “Caucasian features.” Does everyone think like this? Of course not. But if you were to interview people on the subject, that is what they would say. How do I know? Because I have asked some and I have listened in on the conversations of others when they have stated such.

        • Wobbledad says:

          There are many full Northern Japanese people who ALSO have this feature, along with many other Caucasoid features, naturally. So you’re not 100% correct on that point.
          Viewpoint depends on where and who you’re polling. There’s a good chance they just see it as another feature of the generally perceived “beautiful Japanese” people.

        • Yumitolesson says:

          Yes you are absolutely right about that. White people aren’t the only ones with these facial features but clinics often advertise their medical services using white models and it is quite obvious.

        • Chief Presiding Judge says:

          You shouldn’t be speaking for Japanese people. The majority of them do not care about “Caucasian features” (protip: they’re not Caucasian features) based on my experience.

    • Mikey says:

      Dude ease off man.

      As a man I shave my face, cut and comb my hair. Thats changing “what nature gave me” as you say. Here in Australia lots of girls use fake and spray tans – is that them trying to be more Mediterranean? or is it just fashion?

      • Brother Muhammad says:

        When they consider it fashion, that’s cool.
        That’s a different subject from what I’m talking about.

        I’m talking about self-respect and self-esteem. I’m talking about Japanese ladies and some men who actually think their faces are unattractive because they don’t have “white eyes and noses” (note: those are their words for it, not mine). That’s a discussion that takes place among Japanese that I have been in on.

        • Mikey says:

          Oh I understand. I understand that what you are talking about and what the article is talking about are two totally different things. Maybe you should write your own article about your interesting points I bet you could use Michael Jackson as an example to illustrate your body dysmorphic disorder ideas. But thats not what is on the table over here.

    • Boey Kwan says:

      I totally agree, thought I might just add one thing. 😛 They might not necessarily want to look more “White” because they think “White” is the best standard. It’s the fact that everybody assumes “big eyes” are the standard of beauty. I’m sure people can prefer their Asian lifestyle while still wanting big eyes, just because that is a version of beauty that they desire.

      This is unfortunate but a lot of girls, especially young women, feel this way. Their lack of self-esteem and the media they watch compells them to reach for a type of beauty that might be unattractive on them, in reality.

      For the record I am an Asian who grew up in Canada and my eyes are already big, I have double eyelids, so I’m not defending myself here. I agree with you! Confidence should come from oneself, not other people. 🙂

      • Yumitolesson says:

        it is very sad that all these young girls try so hard to look like super skinny models who are photoshopped in every advertisement..it isn’t an impossible standard and in reality, these models don’t look that perfect but the media has a powerful effect..

      • Brother Muhammad says:

        As an Asian lady, you perspective is highly valued an appreciated. Thank you for your insight.

  • Baakus says:

    Not all Black people are dark-skinned either. But if you saw a Black person applying bleach cream to their skin, would you think that that was okay?

    Not all Asians have monolids, sure. But why are double lids so obsessively prized? And why are also other so-called “Caucasian features,” such as tall noses and narrow faces?

    • Chief Presiding Judge says:

      It’s not a caucasian feature. Black people have double lids, and pre-date white people.

      “Tall noses” are not specific to any one race (certain African ethnic groups, and certain Hispanic ethic groups have them), and are not always considered desirable. Most Japanese people think white people have big noses.

      • Baakus says:

        Very few, if any, Asians associate double lids with Blacks, or tall noses with Hispanics.

        Racism is all about perception.

      • Baakus says:

        The key thing is that we Asians associate big eyes and tall noses as White features. And we do a whole lot of other things that try to mimic Whiteness.

  • ken says:

    Asian woman are very very beautiful !!! To me some of the most beautiful woman in the world come from Asia no need to try to be something else.

  • Amy-pinkprincess says:

    This actually makes me quite sad (as a Caucasian female). I was shocked when I went to Japan to discover how insecure my Japanese friends were, and it doesn’t help when their parents ‘pray’ when pregnant for their child to have a ‘tall’ nose etc. And are disappointed when their child is born with a classic Japanese nose (which incidentally I think is cute). This happened to one of my best friends, she spent hours in the morning getting ready for uni trying to look more Caucasian when in fact she was stunning without all the make up/fake eyelashes etc. (of course I wear make up but to enhance what’s already there not to completely change my ethnicity). What upsets me is that Japanese people need to realise their own racial beauty. By all means admire western beauty but don’t forsake your own country’s/cultures. I really hope Japan doesn’t become too westernised as what makes the country special is the fact that it’s not! Their culture and history are fascinating, please don’t change!

    • Yumitolesson says:

      we should embrace who we are..what we have..but regardless of ethnicity, media kind of sets its own standard of beauty and I see people everywhere (in the US, in Japan..) trying to look like these models. Japanese babies are so cute so it is sad that some parents are disappointed with their baby’s eyes.

    • Monica Maya Rose says:

      I am half-Japanese and half-Caucasian, and I got the “snub” nose which I actually like, and an olive complexion that was my bane when I was in grade-school. My eyelids are in-between, meaning that if I relax my eyes, they are monolid, and if I raise my eyebrows, I can make them look double-lidded. I used to use makeup to make them look bigger, and to die my hair lighter so it wasn’t so black.
      I really love your post. It is so true that people don’t realize their own racial beauty. Learning to like the “mix” I am has been a long process. I have “whitened” my imagination so much that when I see a picture of me, I am shocked at the strong ethnicity I show. It is learning process to love and respect oneself in a society that often shuns people who are “different.” But one must stand up to this, especially in this day and age, when this world is filled with beautiful people of all ethnicities.

      • Yumitolesson says:

        we are all beautiful and uniqueness makes us even more beautiful..and that’s how I have come to terms with my own uniqueness. Thank you for your comment. 🙂

  • Baakus says:

    This is a very complex issue that takes a while to unpack. Here are some key points.

    1) NO FALSE EQUIVALENCES. You can’t just say, “Well, White people get plastic surgery too, and nobody calls them self-hating!” Okay, first of all, Whites have been setting the beauty standard for centuries now, so they’re playing a completely different game. Secondly, the procedures they do get don’t tend to minimize/erase what is perceived to be their ethnically distinct features. They don’t dye their blonde hair black, they don’t broaden their noses, they don’t make their eyes smaller, etc. If anything, they get plastic surgery to look more White than they already are. I suppose you could argue that many Whites too are oppressed by the White beauty standard, but it’d be ludicrous to say that they’re under the regime of a Black or Asian standard.

    2) IT’S NOT JUST THE EYELID THING. If eyelid surgery was the only thing that Asians did that reeked of racial insecurity, then that’d be one thing. But come on, let’s be honest: it’s just one of many things that we do. Asian people are notorious for being racist, except to White people, whom they treat with obsequiousness. Asian people, especially Asian women, are seen to be desperate for approval by White members of the opposite sex. Asian people go crazy for half-White babies, to the point where it’s relatively common to hear Asian people claim that they don’t want to have an Asian spouse because they’re so desirous of some Whiteness in their family line. Asians place way too much cultural prestige on English. Asian Americans are often embarrassed by their Asian roots. And so forth.

    Let’s stop kidding ourselves. When we as a people seem to be adopting every behavior that seeks to push us away from perceived Asianness, we need to own up to the fact that we may have racial insecurity issues that are blatantly obvious.

    • Chief Presiding Judge says:

      This post is literally delusional. It sounds like the fantasies of a single white male gaijin. This is likely true, because looking at your comment history you’ve actually commented on white supremacist articles before.

      Needless to say the majority of your comment is objectively false. No normal Japanese person wants “whiteness” in their family lines anymore than they want anything else. You are delusional and need to stop thinking your excrements don’t stink.

      1) Blonde hair is considerably slutty by Japanese people

      2) Circle eyes don’t belong to white people. Black people have these, and they pre-date white people.

      3) There’s more Japanese girls tanning a deep brown for gyaru than there for going in for weird eyelid surgeries.

      The majority of Japanese women I know actually prefer black men to white men.

      But even for an example outside of Japan your typical white women also wants a bigger rump and fuller lips. Does she want to be “black” too? Don’t kid yourself.

    • Mikey says:

      Wow, where did the race thing come in? Its the shape of someones eye: bigger is cuter. look at anime and manga. The idea that these people hate their own racial identity is absurd. Its fashion.

      ps: white wome dye their hair all shades of all colours, and they go curly too. And they use spray tans and they tattoo make-up. Again, its not racial, its fashion.

      • Baakus says:

        You obviously didn’t read my post. Yes, White women dye their hair. But do they ever go from blonde (the quintessential White feature) to brunette or black? No, they very rarely do. And when White women get nose jobs, do they get broader/flatter noses as Africans or Asians do, or do they get more European-like aquiline noses?

        Yes, some White people change their looks too… to conform more to the White standard.

        • Mikey says:

          Total nonsense. I read your post dude. It sounds like you are stereotyping not only Japanese (and Asian) women, but white women too. google image seach christina aguilera hair and youll see at least 4 colours. Blonde is just a colour its not a racial-political football

      • Chief Presiding Judge says:

        Exactly. If we apply this logic then white women want to be black, because the majority of cosmetic surgeries they receive are lip injections or something for the butt. Tanning is also considered more attractive for white women as opposed to staying a pancake pale.

        This guy is a racist, and shouldn’t be talking seriously. He’s essentially trying to say that Japanese people are inferior to whites.

        • Mikey says:

          People are people. Everyone is as vain and trying to impress as everyone else, irrespective of race

        • Baakus says:

          No, I’m saying that some Asians THINK they’re inferior to Whites.

          Look at the host of cultural issues that exist within Asian culture: rampant plastic surgery, self-hate among many Asian Americans, the sucking up to White tourists in Asia, etc. Are you saying that this behavior is somehow natural and there’s nothing wrong with it, that it’s the natural outcome of a natural order that has everyone “naturally” looking up to Whites?

          • Mikey says:

            Im saying youre projecting your own ideals onto people youve never met.

            “Asians THINK they’re inferior to Whites” this is your opinion dude, its not a fact. There are over two billion asians in the world man, and you think they all think they are inferior to white people? Bin Laden, Kim Jong Un, Ichiro, Masayoshi Son, Kimi Taku, do you really think these people see themselves as inferior to anyone?

            I understand the mental state you are talking about – and that perhaps some asian people feel that way. Sure yeah maybe – but thats not foreign policy or a national identity

          • Chief Presiding Judge says:

            No they don’t. Stop speaking for Japanese people; this is a fallacy as you have no data on what you’re talking about.

    • PM says:

      bang on the dot – couldn’t have said it better myself. From a South Asian (read inferior type of Asian to Japanese, Korean and other wealthy East Asian countries) who has lived in Japan. My opinion is that the first dose of respect comes from being white, and the second dose from what citizenship you hold (with Western countries of course being preferable). Me being a non-white non-East Asian looking Asian, was beyond most folks’ comprehension — i might have well come from Mars despite the fact that I could speak Japanese well and many whites not bothering to learn any. A further proof to your point is the subtle way I’ve seen many Japanese react to white americans vs. black americans (except perhaps obama lol)……they may ignore it themselves but can’t hide it from my eyes. Hafu babies or people are only sought after if they’re white hafus rest of the hafus be damned. The only caveat to this article and your response in my opinion is that Japanese seemed not so awestruck or considered themselves inferior to white Russians — perhaps because of their war history Russians I felt are a feared and mistrusted lot even if they’re white.

      • Yumitolesson says:

        Yes Japanese people are fascinated with Western White culture..and I feel your pain as I am the other hafu which is damned! ^_^

      • Chief Presiding Judge says:

        I know first-hand that Japanese people treat black Americans the same as white Americans, or even better in some cases.

        Case in point store ladies running out into the rain to shield my friend and give him a free umbrella (Khatz). Another black American comes to mind as to how he was essentially treated like a god there.

        I think you’re speaking from the positive of your own confirmation bias (as well as projecting your view onto others), but have you talked to Japanese or black Americans about this? Just from my expat experience I know what you’re saying is ridiculous.

      • Miguel Torez says:

        I never had an issue while I was in Japan being a man of color, but I was mostly in Mitaka, Toyko. There are a good amount of mixed Japanese people that are not just mixed with European blood. To be honest, I don’t see whats special about being part European or anything else for that matter because some of the mixed kids looked very off and some were okay.

        There is nothing wrong with being multi-cultural, but I don’t get the fuss over it within any country. I met a few while there. I believe if it is for love than good but if you date someone just to create a mixed kid than I believe that person is going to have a big awakening moment in life when the relationship doesn’t go well because of placing their values within the wrong thing.

        I am not sure why double eyelids are considered a Caucasian feature because African Americans, Native Americans and Hispanics have these same features except maybe the long noses but even that varies. I have had more ignorance come from the Chinese and Koreans than the Japanese, but I am more than sure that they’re a lot of ignorant Japanese too.

        But I am glad that I have met good people where I went and if they thought negatively of me, I didn’t know it so that is fine because I didn’t do anything but spend money, learn some Japanese while there and met what seemed, like some good people. No one seemed scared of me or anything due to my skin not looking, like White powder.

        I care about people in general regardless of race, but I am a person who hates racism in all forms regardless of who it comes from. Everyone is biased just some more than others, but the smart ones are the people who go beyond the biases that they have in my opinion. Adios.

Related

Live

Why do Japanese women cover their mouth while laughing?

Have you ever wondered why Japanese women cover their mouth with their hand when they laugh or even smile?

By 2 min read 51

Live

The United Prefectures of Japan

How well do you know the different characteristics of the 47 prefectures?

By 3 min read 5

Culture

This Week in Tokyo October 19 – 25, 2015

Every Monday we post our picks of upcoming events in Tokyo. If you would like your event listed here, contact the editor of GaijinPot.

By 1 min read