" Pioneered in 19th-century Japan, double-eyelid surgery has appealed to Asians by promising to make their eyes larger and more defined. The numbers of Asian-Americans seeking the surgery has climbed steadily, which they get at a far higher rate than any other ethnic group, according to surveys by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery..."

"The surgery's relative ease has probably boosted its popularity. It costs about $2,500 to $5,000, and takes about an hour."

"Is the surgery a rejection of Asian appearance and heritage? Maybe, maybe not... check after the jump for more.            "

"... surgeons have become more conscious of creating smaller folds that they say are contoured to the proportions of an Asian face. Ahn, who performs as many as 200 Asian eyelid surgeries a year in New York and New Jersey, said the new goal is to duplicate the look of a naturally occurring Asian double-eyelid, blunting the notion that features have been "Westernized.""

"Many Asians seeking the surgery no longer are constrained by its controversial past, and many say they want it to make their eyes less "sleepy" or for more basic cosmetic reasons."

" blog for new stories about pot (not a gateway drug after all), cats (they get Alzheimer's) and the military (working for you by making people hurt real bad).]"

"this is messed up... same notions that compell people with dark skin to make it lighter using various creams. simply pitiful."

"It is pitiful that the people undertake these kinds of precedures? Or is it pitiful that they feel in order to suceed they need to look more like white people? They obviously have a reason for having an operaton like this done."

"I'll probably be called a racist for saying such, but I think it's pretty common for people to find big eyes more attractive than small eyes. I'm not talking about the shape of the eye; I'm talking about the proportion of the eye to the rest of the face. Have you ever noticed how large babies' eyes are proportionally or how most cartoon characters drawn to be attractive have large eyes?"

"When people are happy, their eyelids tend to retract, making the eyes appear larger. When people are upset, specifically angry or sad, their eyelids tend to protrude, making their eyes seem smaller."

"How this affects Asian-Americans I can't say. Maybe the rounder, larger eyes of caucasians are more attractive to more people, just like maybe the olive and light brown skin of many Middle Eastern peoples is more attractive than the pasty white of caucasians."

"Or maybe it's all some subtle racism occurring from the spread of white-dominated fashion industry. I don't know; I just don't think it's as simple as Asian-Americans trying to look white."

"This is super old news, and although the article just touches on it, the practice has been very popular in China for a long time."

"White people aren't the only people with these eyelids. If you read the article, it's naturally occuring (although rare) in Asian races. To say this makes them more white, would be like saying Asians get breast implants to make them more white just because caucasian females on average have larger breasts."

"I will not be one who screams 'racism' simply because you noted an difference between cultures/ethnicity. There exists a big difference between the two."

"I should point out that other ethnicities have double-fold eyelids. Large eyes are considered attractive in many cultures, not simply because they're a caucasian feature."

"Lighter skin is similar. In many cultures this was a desirable trait not for racial, but economic reasons. (light skin indicating that the person can afford to stay indoors, and is thus wealthy enough to avoid menial labor)"

"While this is no longer the reasoning behind the social measure of attractiveness, a culture's idea of what is attractive sometimes lingers beyond its original purpose."

"And sometimes it just comes down to personal preference. I don't find anything inherently unattractive about the shape of either eye in the photos provided."

"It comes down to what the individual's perception of attractiveness is, as in some other cosmetic surgeries (while some are indeed based on societal pressures, sadly) I am not aware that there is any correlation between success and eye shape..."

"Sorry, that would be the first two comments, not the two previous ones. I took too long to write mine. ;)"

"In chinese tradition people with naturally occuring double eyelids are considered beautiful. This has NOTHING to do with being "westernized"."

"Does anyone hear watch Anime? The eyes are drawn way oversized. Large eyes are attractive it is one of those universal things like a face being symmetrical is attractive. It may have something to do with being someone different for some but I'm sure the majority it is just to look more attractive. Why does everything have to be about race? Irritating for someone who is multi-racial like myself. The only race I claim is the human race."

"What wrong with this? I see nothing, people are trying to change themselves in order to feel more attractive."

"In my opinion asian eyes are the sexiest thing ever. They are crazy to change themselves, but it's all about personal preference. Nothing more controversial about this than a nose job or even butt and calf implants i've heard of men getting."

"Saying it's crontroversial by saying "they're just trying to look more white" is retarded. Obviously it would require alot more surgery than just a double eyelid modification."

"people have always found large eye features attractive. (e.g. the word "doe-eyed", volumizing mascara, etc.)"

"it sounds like a bunch of uptight, politically-correct psycho-babble to hear (err.. read) this yammering about this being done to appear white... i see fine black, arabic, and latino women with beautiful big eyes all the time. does that mean these asians are trying to be those races as well?"

"perhaps all the people who's first thought is that this is about trying to be white are the real ethno-centrists. caucasians do not have a monopoly on big eyes."

"(for the record i think plastic surgery, makeup, heels, hose, weaves, extensions, acryllic nails, hair-dye, and any other thing done to FAKE a person's appearance is by and for the small of mind)"

"Actually, in my own personal studies (nothing official mind you), I have found that bigger eyes are more attractive on women (i.e. Jessica Simpson, Torrie Wilson, Beyonce) and smaller eyes are more attractive on men (George Clooney, Pierce Brosnan, Denzel Washington). I remember reading an article where a man got eyelid surgery to make his eyelids more closed like Brad Pitt. Think about it for a second, then name me one "hot" male celebrity that has big eyes. I'm sure it'll take you a while. If you get that one, try to find me one hot female celebrity with very small eyes."

"Standards of feminie beauty in the 20th century are largely derived from the bust of Nefertiti - noteable features of this depiction of the ancient Egyptian include large, almond shaped eyes and a small nose. Note: She's not "white.""

"it is so bizarre because Asian women are so beautiful. I've been living in Korea for 3 years. I see more beautiful women on the street (more) than in a popular club in North America."

"I'm colorblind. People tell me I'm white, and I believe them because of my double eyelids."

"Tom Hanks has big eyes. Attractive? Dunno, but at one point Time or People or whoever thought so."

"So Michael Jackson made himself look Asian, not white, and that's probably the only market he has left."

"It is news to me that Chinese culture has a past of appreciating the rare "double-eyelid" rounder eyes within its own ethnic groups. I think this issue is pretty much the same as any other form of cosmetic surgery and not really race-bound at all."

"Perhaps it would be interesting if people pursued the opposite, but I guess we've already got that with folks going for the stoned-dude Brad Pitt look..."

"The only thing racist is this articles title "Caucasian Eye for the Asian Gal?" And of course some of you posters ran with it and called the surgery racist due to it. The surgery is no different than any other plastic surgery done in the US, and do we do it to look more Caucasian? Or to better our appearances?"

"Hahah. Tom Hanks eyes big? What the heck was I thinking. I had this picture in my mind, but as soon as I looked I was reminded just how squinty his eyes are. I think I was considering the bags around his eyes as part of the equation. Heh. Anyway, just thought I'd slam myself as I'm sure others would have otherwise."

"Well, RE: Nefertiti, we don't really know her lineage. She could have been Assyrian, or Nubian. That is lost in the annals of history. Heck some of the Pharoahs were from other ethnic races."

"And we can't forget even a century later the Ptolemy's gained power after Alexander died. Shoot Cleopatra was Macedonian. And good luck finding out where the Macedonians originated..."

"Some people will use cosmetic procedures to feel comfortable with themselves. In order to discover such power. If that is what it takes then kewl enough."

"But ideally we should find ourselves attractive to our own nature... and not to societies eyes"

"I am caucasian with very large eyes that I have always been told are beautiful...yet to me I always wanted almond shaped eyes. That doesn't mean that I want to be asian or mistaken as asian...it just means that I find that to be attractive and would have preferred that as a feature. I think the same goes for asian people wanting this surgery...they don't want to be caucasian or mistaken as such....they just want to have a feature they view as attractive. That being said I would not be surprised to find that the motives for having this surgery done are race related for SOME people. I just don't think that overall that is the motivation."

"Gene WIlder and Rodney Dangerfield have one of the biggest eyes in showbusiness. I think they're hot as hell!"

"Oh, yeah. And as for the actual discussion of the article, lest I be accused of thread drift... =)"

"Pretend it's an article about dental braces rather than eyelid surgery, and re-read it that way."

"Generally I don't believe either is life threatening, or even damaging to the general well being of the individual who has the "problem". The only difference is cosmetic dental work is much more widespread and universally accepted. So there. This IMO is much ado about nothing."

"Who are you people to criticize? Take off your clothes and look in the mirror, and honestly say that there isn't a thing you could do to improve you appearance. For all you know, what you are happy with might churn other peoples stomachs. How can you knock people for doing what they
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