Hooded Eyes & Brow Descent in Cheongdam & Apgujeong, Seoul

Why the upper eyelid becomes hooded

A hooded eye — often described in Korean as 눈꺼풀 처짐 — is rarely an eyelid problem alone. The upper lid hangs from the brow above it, and changes in the brow, temple and lid skin combine.

• Outer-brow descent. The forehead muscle that raises the brows mainly acts on the inner and central brow. The outer third has less upward pull and more downward pull from the muscle around the eye, so it is usually the first part to drop. As it descends, it pushes skin onto the outer upper lid.
• Upper-lid skin laxity. Eyelid skin is thin and loses elasticity with age and sun exposure, so it folds over the crease.
• Volume loss. The fat pad beneath the brow and the soft tissue of the temple thin, so the brow loses its support and the upper eye area can look both heavy and hollow.
• Compensation. Many people unconsciously raise their brows all day to clear their vision, which deepens forehead lines. Relaxing the forehead with toxin can then unmask the heaviness.

A different condition, ptosis, is when the eyelid margin itself sits low because the lid-lifting muscle has weakened or detached. It can look similar but requires medical eyelid assessment, not aesthetic lifting.

How Doje Clinic assesses the upper face

In a 1:1 consultation, Dr. Byun Jeik looks at the brow position at rest and with the forehead relaxed, the amount of skin over the crease, the height of the lid margin, temple volume and the symmetry of both sides. A useful test is gently lifting the outer brow: if the hooding largely disappears, brow position is the key; if a lot of skin remains, the lid itself is involved.

• Brow-dominant hooding responds well to lifting the outer brow.
• Skin-dominant hooding responds to skin tightening, within limits.
• Volume-dominant heaviness may benefit from careful temple or brow support.
• Ptosis or marked skin excess points towards a surgical or ophthalmic opinion.

Options from mild to advanced

Early heaviness

Small, precisely placed doses of botulinum toxin can relax the muscle that pulls the outer brow down, allowing a subtle lift of the tail of the brow. Dosing is deliberately conservative, especially if you already rely on your forehead to lift the brows. Effects are temporary.

Lax upper-lid skin

Eye Thermage, which uses radiofrequency with an eye-specific tip, combined with Softwave, can tighten upper-lid skin gradually. It suits mild laxity and those who want no incisions; it cannot remove a large fold of skin.

Descended outer brow

The Doje signature upper-face thread lift lifts the brow tail and upper-face tissue along vectors planned for your face, opening the outer eye area. The clinic states 17 years of accumulated thread-lift experience and that results can last up to two years or more, though individual results vary.

Volume loss around the brow and temple

Where a hollow temple or deflated brow contributes, careful soft filler support can help the brow sit better. This is planned conservatively, as adding volume directly to a heavy lid can make hooding worse; see hollow temples.

Which Doje program fits

The Eye Program addresses the eye area on three axes: lifting with the Doje signature upper-face thread lift, volume with soft filler, and eye-area skin improvement. Options include Eye Thermage with Softwave, GOURI/Re2O, Eye Rejuran and Re2O Fine. For hooded eyes, the lifting and skin axes usually lead.

When a surgical opinion is more appropriate

If there is a large amount of excess upper-lid skin, an upper blepharoplasty performed by a qualified surgeon removes it directly. A heavily descended brow may be better treated with a surgical brow lift. If the lid margin itself is low (ptosis), or if hooding narrows your field of vision, please see an eyelid specialist. Dr. Byun will advise this openly when it applies.

Cost

Plans range from a small toxin treatment to combined lifting and skin tightening, so fees are quoted after the 1:1 consultation. Ask for a written quote; Korean non-covered (비급여) aesthetic fees are set per plan.

Frequently asked questions

Can hooded eyes be improved without surgery?

Mild to moderate hooding, especially when brow descent is the main cause, often improves with thread lifting, skin tightening and conservative toxin. Large skin excess needs surgery.

Can Botox lift my brows?

Carefully placed toxin can give a subtle lift to the tail of the brow by relaxing the muscle that pulls it down. The effect is modest and temporary.

Why did forehead Botox make my eyes feel heavier?

If you were using your forehead muscle to hold your brows up, relaxing it lets the brows drop. Doje checks for this before treating the forehead.

What does an upper-face thread lift do?

It repositions the outer brow and upper-face tissue upward, opening the outer eye area without incisions.

How do I know if I have ptosis?

In ptosis the edge of the eyelid itself sits low over the iris. It needs assessment by an eyelid specialist and is not treated with aesthetic lifting.

What is the downtime?

Toxin and Eye Thermage usually involve little downtime. After a thread lift, mild swelling or tightness for several days is common.

Related at Doje Clinic

• Eye Program
• Upper-Face Thread Lift
• Eye Thermage
• Eye Thermage vs Softwave
• Forehead Lines
• Hollow Temples
• Tired-Looking Eyes

Medical information on this page is general education, not a diagnosis. Suitability, risks and the final plan are confirmed in a 1:1 consultation with Dr. Byun Jeik. Last updated 17 October 2026.