Fox eye lift

Fox eye surgery in Turkey: what it is

"Fox eye" or "fox eye lift" is a popular name, not a medical one, for procedures that lift and lengthen the outer corner of the eye to give a slightly upswept, almond-shaped look. Depending on the clinic it can mean three quite different things: a canthoplasty or canthopexy that changes the corner of the eyelids themselves, a temporal (lateral) brow lift through small incisions in the hairline, or a thread lift with dissolving threads placed under the skin of the temple. They differ a great deal in result, recovery, lasting effect and risk, so the first question to ask any clinic is which of the three it means.

Fox eye surgery in Turkey starts at €2,030 at the hospitals on this page, which show their own prices and surgeons. For eyelid surgery in general — removing skin or bags — see the main guide to blepharoplasty in Turkey.

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Fox eye lift methods compared

The thread lift is the least invasive and the shortest-lasting. A temporal brow lift gives a more stable lift of the brow and outer skin. Canthoplasty is the only option that actually changes the shape of the eye opening, and for that reason it is also the one with the most to lose; many surgeons reserve it for patients with a clear functional or structural reason.

What fox eye surgery can and cannot do

A fox eye lift can raise the tail of a low brow, lift skin that hoods the outer corner and give the outer third of the eye a slightly upward line. It cannot make the eye itself bigger, change your eye colour or ethnic features in a natural way, or remove bags under the eyes. Fox eye surgery before and after photos online are often taken with make-up, lighting and head angle that exaggerate the change, and many show the result a few days after a thread lift, when swelling adds to the lift. Ask for photos at least six months after surgery, taken in the same light and pose.

The look is also a trend. A strongly lifted corner can look unnatural, especially when the face is relaxed, and a trend can pass while a canthoplasty stays. A good consultation includes the question of how the result will look in ten years.

Who is suitable?

You may be a candidate if your outer brow sits low, the outer corner looks heavy or tired, and you want a subtle lift rather than a different eye. Thread and temporal lifts suit patients with good skin quality; canthopexy is often added to lower eyelid surgery when the lid is lax. Canthoplasty purely for appearance is approached cautiously by most oculoplastic surgeons.

It is usually not advisable if you have dry eyes, thyroid eye disease, prominent eyes, a weak lower lid without support, or if the wish is driven by a filtered photo. If the outer corner looks heavy because of excess upper-lid skin, an upper eyelid surgery or a full brow lift may solve the real problem. Botox placed to relax the muscle that pulls the brow tail down can raise it a few millimetres for three to four months — a reasonable way to test the look first.

How much is fox eye surgery in Turkey?

At the hospitals on this page fox eye surgery starts at €2,030. The fox eye surgery cost depends on the method: a thread lift costs much less than surgery, and a canthoplasty combined with blepharoplasty costs more. The figures below are approximate and are confirmed in a written quote.

What the package includes and how payment works is the same as for other eyelid operations and is described on the main eyelid surgery page. Make sure your quote names the method, not just "fox eye".

What raises the price: general anaesthesia instead of local, combining a canthoplasty or canthopexy with upper or lower blepharoplasty, an endoscopic rather than a simple temporal lift, and the number of threads used. A very low price for "fox eye surgery" usually means threads only, sometimes placed outside a hospital. Ask whether a later thread touch-up or a correction after surgery is included, and at what cost, before you travel.

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The procedure and your stay

A thread lift takes about 30–45 minutes under local anaesthesia; you can fly after a few days once the surgeon has checked you. A temporal brow lift or canthopexy takes about one to two hours under local anaesthesia with sedation or general anaesthesia, and a canthoplasty about the same. For surgery plan about 7 days in Turkey, so that stitches can be removed and the corner checked before you fly. Transfers and appointments work as described in how it works.

Recovery after a fox eye lift

• Thread lift: tightness, dimpling or a pulled look at the temples for a few days to two weeks; avoid wide yawning, chewing gum, facial massage and sleeping on your side for about two weeks.
• Temporal lift or canthopexy: swelling and bruising for about two weeks; the corner can look over-lifted at first and settles over weeks.
• Canthoplasty: the corner may look tight, rounded or uneven for several weeks; the final shape can take three to six months.

Practical advice for the trip home is in flying after surgery.

For all methods, sleep with your head raised for the first week, use cold compresses in the first two days, avoid strenuous exercise, saunas and swimming for two to three weeks, and protect the area from strong sun while bruises fade. Eye make-up is usually allowed again after about two weeks once incisions have healed. Contact your surgeon at once if you notice increasing pain, redness spreading from an entry point or incision, or any change in vision.

Combining fox eye surgery with other treatments

The outer corner of the eye rarely ages on its own, so fox eye methods are often planned together with other treatments. A canthopexy is commonly added to lower blepharoplasty to support the lid; a temporal lift fits well with upper eyelid surgery, because lifting the brow tail first lets the surgeon remove less upper-lid skin. Patients with a heavier midface sometimes need a facelift or fat transfer to the cheeks rather than a stronger eye lift, since volume lost lower down also pulls the outer corner downwards.

Threads can be combined with fillers at the temple or brow, a non-surgical approach that some patients use while deciding whether a permanent change is right for them. Combining operations saves a second trip but adds swelling and a few days to the stay.

Fox eye surgery risks

Be realistic about the downsides, which are discussed in oculoplastic and plastic surgery literature and in patient information from the NHS and BAAPS on eyelid and brow surgery:

• Threads: visible or palpable threads, dimpling, asymmetry, infection at the entry points, and a lift that fades within months. Threads occasionally have to be removed.
• Temporal brow lift: a scar or hair loss along the incision, numbness of the scalp, temporary weakness of the forehead muscle, asymmetry.
• Canthoplasty: an unnatural, pulled or rounded corner, a fold of skin over the corner (webbing), the lower lid pulling down, dry eyes and difficulty closing the eye. Corrections after canthoplasty are difficult, and in some cases the original shape cannot be restored.
• All methods: bleeding, infection and a result that looks different from what was expected.

Choosing a surgeon for fox eye surgery

Because the methods differ so much, choose a surgeon who performs all of them — usually a plastic or oculoplastic surgeon — and can explain why one fits you rather than offering whatever the clinic sells. Ask how many canthoplasties and temporal lifts the surgeon performs, what happens if you do not like the result, and to see results at least six months old. Be cautious of beauty salons offering surgical fox eye results with threads alone. Our article how to choose a safe surgeon in Turkey lists general red flags; related operations are under facial surgery.

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Hospitals with Plastic & Aesthetic Surgery in Turkey

Academic Hospital

Üsküdar, Istanbul

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Lokman Hekim Istanbul Hospital

Pendik, Istanbul

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