Downturned Eyes: Ways to Lift Outer Corners for Refreshed Look

Key Takeaway

• Downturned eyes refer to the condition in which outer corners the eyes are positioned lower than inner corners. This may cause by tissue laxity or the underlying facial bone structure, giving a fatigue, sad, or aged appearance. Common causes also include the puffy eyes, downturned brow bone, and age-related changes over time.
• This condition can be recognized when the outer corner is positioned lower than inner corners. This will result in bulky eyelid tissue, tired-looking appearance, less refreshed eyes, eyes look smaller which does not suit with facial appearance, and impaired vision.
• Ptosis can be treated by Lovely Eye Lock Program, Botox Program, sub brow lift, and double eyelid surgery to trim excessive fat.
• For preparation before sub brow lift, patients should inform doctor of their medical history and any underlying health conditions. It is recommended to avoid certain medications and dietary supplements as advised by the surgeon. Alcohol consumption and smoking should be discontinued for at least two weeks before the procedure. Patients should also avoid wearing makeup and contact lenses on the surgery day. After sub brow lift procedure, patients should apply cold compress during the first 24-48 hours, clean the wound regularly, avoid getting the incision site wet. Activities such as bending forward, lifting heavy objects, or rubbing the eyes should be avoided during the recovery period. In addition, spicy foods and fermented foods should be limited to support healing.

Downturned eyes can result from sagging eyelid skin or a downward-sloping orbital bone structure, causing the eyes to appear tired, sad, or older. Sub brow lift is one of the effective techniques used to address this issue and create a more lifted, defined eye shape. In addition, there are several other treatment options that can help enhance the appearance of the eyes while maintaining a natural look. What are these options, and how much does sub brow lift surgery cost? This article has all the answers.

What are Downturned Eyes

Downturned eyes is the condition in which outer corners of the eyes sitting lower than the inner corners. This condition may result from tissue laxity or the underlying facial bone structure, causing the face to appear sad, tired, and older. In eye physiognomy, downturned eyes are also often associated with traits such as anxiety, worry, and a lack of self-confidence.

What are the Causes of Downturned Eyes

• Eye structure: Some individuals are born with orbital bone structures or naturally thick and heavy eyelid tissue will have outer corners which are lower than normal, especially those who are Asians.
• Brow bone: A prominent, downward-sloping brow bone may affect the natural contour of the eyes, resulting in a downward tilt of the outer eye corners and a more pronounced downturned appearance.
• Excessive eyelid skin: Excessive eyelid skin will result drooping eyes. This may block vision and contribute to less bright and lively appearance.
• Eyebrow shape: Brow ptosis will make outer corners of the eyebrows droop below the normal position. This somehow affects personal appearance and physiognomy.
• Aging: As part of natural aging process, skin structure will gradually lose its strength and elasticity. This will make the outer corner of the eyes appear downturned over time.

What are the Symptoms of Downturned Eyes

• Outer eye corners positioned lower than the inner corners: creating noticeable downturned eyes.
• Thick eyelid skin: drooping eyelids with accumulated fat which result in downturned eyes.
• Sad, dull, older looking eyes
• Abnormal eye proportion: Small eyes which does not suit with facial appearance 
• Impact on vision: In case of severe drooping eyes, the eyelid skin will partially cover the eyes. This may reduce peripheral vision.

How does Downturned Eyes Affect Facial Appearance

• Aging appearance as a result of sagging and loss of firmness on skin around the eyes.
• Sad and tired look: The outer corners turn downward, resulting in sad and fatigue looking appearance.
• More noticeable wrinkles and fine lines: Droopy skin around the eyes can lead to deeper folds and crow's feet at the outer corners of the eyes.
• Fatigued overall appearance: Sagging upper facial appearance may make the face appear less refreshed and vibrant, affecting overall facial aesthetics. 
• Difficulty in makeup application: Downturned eye corners can make it more challenging to apply eyeliner evenly, causing makeup to appear uneven or less defined.

What Do Attractive Outer Corners Look Like?

• Outer eye corners are not positioned lower than the inner corners: Ideally, the outer corners of the eyes should be level with or slightly higher than the inner corners. This creates a brighter, more refreshed appearance and helps prevent the eyes from looking sad or tired.
• subtle upward tilt of the outer eye corners: A gentle upward angle can enhance the eyes with a more defined and attractive shape, often associated with the elegant "cat-eye" look. According to traditional physiognomy, this eye shape is also believed to convey confidence and credibility
• Balanced eye proportion: The distance from the inner corner of the eye to the pupil should be proportionate to the distance from the pupil to the outer corner. This balance helps create a naturally elongated, almond-shaped eye appearance.
• Harmony with the overall facial features: The angle and position of the outer eye corners should complement the eyebrows and inner eye corners. When well-balanced, they can make the eyes appear larger, more attractive, and naturally harmonious with the face.

Effective Ways to Treat Downturned Eyes

Lovely Eye Lock Program

Lovely Eye Lock Program is a focused ultrasound technology used for lifting sub brow and outer corners of the eyes. It can deliver energy deep into the SMAS layer—the same foundational tissue targeted during surgical facelift procedures. This innovative treatment helps address sagging eyelid skin and lifts downturned outer eye corners to a naturally balanced angle, creating a brighter and more youthful appearance.

In addition to lifting the brow and eye area, the treatment helps tighten and smooth the skin around the eyes, restoring a refreshed and rejuvenated look. Eyes that once appeared tired or sad can look more open, vibrant, and defined. The results are natural-looking and long-lasting, typically lasting up to 1–2 years, depending on each individual.

Botox Program

Anti-wrinkle injection for outer corners lifting involves the use of a muscle-relaxing agent to temporarily reduce dynamic wrinkles around the crow’s feet, forehead, and glabellar (frown line) areas. With specialized injection techniques targeting the forehead and eyebrow areas, the treatment can create a subtle lifting effect that elevates the outer corners of the eyes to a naturally balanced position.

This approach helps the eyes appear brighter, more refreshed, and naturally lifted without looking overdone. The procedure requires minimal downtime, and results typically last approximately 4–6 months. However, results may vary depending on each individual.

Surgical procedure - Sub Brow Lift

The Brow Lift Technique is specifically designed for individuals with significant downturned eye corners, excessive skin and soft tissue around the outer eye area, or an abnormally downward-sloping orbital bone structure. 

The surgeon will perform the eye-corner lift procedure to achieve an aesthetically pleasing angle that complements the patient's facial features, while concealing the incision discreetly along the lower brow line, making the scar barely noticeable. The procedure can also be combined with double eyelid surgery to create a more defined and proportionate eyelid crease. This helps minimize the risks revision surgery required in the future.

Double Eyelid Surgery (Lovely Blepharoplasty Signature)

Double eyelid surgery will trim excess eyelid skin by using the New Lovely Microlaser. It helps refine eyelid crease and remove the skin on the outer corners of the eyes at the same time. The surgeon will design natural lifted and balanced eye shape. This procedure will transform sad or tired-looking eyes into more refreshed appearance once again.

Preparation Before & After Sub Brow Lift 

Before sub brow lift

1. Provide medical information: inform your doctor about any underlying medical conditions, current medications, and history of drug allergies in detail. 
2. Avoid certain medications and supplements: Discontinue aspirin, NSAIDs, vitamin E, fish oil, and herbal supplements for at least two weeks before the procedure, as advised by your doctor.
3. Adjust your lifestyle: Avoid alcohol consumption and smoking for at least two weeks before surgery, and ensure you get adequate rest, ideally 8–12 hours before the procedure.
4. Avoid makeup and contact lenses: Wash your hair beforehand, refrain from wearing makeup or contact lenses on the day of the procedure, and bring sunglasses for eye protection after surgery.

After sub brow lift

1. Reduce swelling properly: Apply cold compresses during the first 24–48 hours after the procedure and sleep with your head elevated for the first 1–2 nights to help minimize swelling.

2. Keep the surgical wound clean: Gently clean the incision site with a cotton pad soaked in saline solution and apply medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Avoid getting the incision wet for approximately 5–7 days, or until the stitches are removed.

3. Avoid any strenuous activities: Refrain from bending forward, lifting heavy objects, or rubbing your eyes during the initial recovery period.

4. Avoid spicy and fermented foods – To help prevent inflammation, swelling, and redness during the healing process.

Self-care Tips After Sub Brow Lift 

1. During the first three day after surgery,  apply cold compress regularly to reduce swelling. On day 4-5, discontinue cold compress before switching to warm compress on the next day. In addition, sleep with your head elevated and always keep your surgical wound dry.
2. Dietary restrictions: Avoid alcohol, fermented foods, and eggs during the first two weeks after surgery to reduce the risk of inflammation, irritation, or itching.
3. Activities to avoid: Refrain from intense exercise, heavy lifting, wearing makeup for at least 2 weeks after surgery. After this period, makeup may be applied by avoiding incision areas to minimize the risks of infection.
4. Sleeping position and skin care: Avoid excessive oil buildup on the face during the first month. It is also recommended to avoid sleeping on your side for the first three months to help prevent tension on the incision and wound separation.
5. Incision care: Apply prescribed medications and clean the incision site according to your surgeon's instructions. Be sure to attend all scheduled follow-up appointments to ensure optimal recovery.

Why Undergo Sub Brow Lift At Lovely Eye & Skin Clinic

• Dr. Doungkaw Technique has been developed and refined for over 15 years since 2010. With the use New Lovely Microlaser, the doctor can design surgical incisions that create a natural-looking after sub brow lift procedure. The incision will be placed seamlessly beneath the eyebrow.
• The Lovely Specialist medical team performs a personalized analysis and eye design for each individual to ensure results that harmonize with each patient’s unique facial features.
• All procedures are performed under international safety standards, with a hospital-grade sterile operating room and steam sterilization equipment certified to ISO 13485:2016 standards.
• Patients receive comprehensive care through the Lovely Special Care program, which focuses on every detail before and after treatment. Client feedback is continuously incorporated to further improve the quality of service and patient experience.
• The clinic has been in operation for more than 10 years since 2014 and is led by Dr. Nutthamanee Siripakkaphant (Medical License No. 35780), also known as Dr. Roungkaw, together with the Lovely Specialist team, who are dedicated to addressing each patient’s individual concerns and aesthetic goals.

• Pricing information for sub brow lift procedure at Lovely Eye & Skin Clinic

• • Performed by Dr. Roungkaw price starts from 155,000 Baht
  • Performed by Lovely Specialist medical team price starts from 32,000 Baht

Before and After Sub Brow Lovely Eye & Skin Clinic

Summary

Downturned eyes can be caused by facial bone structure or age-related skin laxity, often making the face appear sad, tired, or older. Fortunately, there are several treatment options available to address this concern and achieve natural-looking results. Ideally, attractive eye corners should be level with or slightly higher than the inner corners of the eyes, creating an almond-shaped appearance that enhances facial harmony and confidence.

Before treatment, patients should avoid vitamins, supplements, and alcohol as recommended by their doctor. After the procedure, cold compresses and proper wound care are essential to support recovery and maintain optimal results. At Lovely Eye & Skin Clinic, we specialize in treating concerns around the eyes, lifting downturned eye corners, and refining eyelid contours to create naturally beautiful eyes tailored to each individual.

Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQ) About Sub Brow Lift 

Does sub brow lift need to be performed together with double eyelid surgery?

Not necessarily, sub brow lift surgery alone can be an effective treatment. If you already have defined eyelid crease without excess upper eyelid skin, this procedure can make your eyes appear more open. However, if you have drooping eyes or accumulated fat in the upper eyelid, double eyelid surgery is recommended as well. Therefore, the excess skin and fat can be removed to achieve bright, round, youthful-looking eyes.

How long is the recover time after sub brow lift surgery?

Typically, the recovery period takes approximately 1-2 weeks. Swelling is most noticeable during the first three days and it will gradually subside over time. The final eyelid shape will fully settle within 1-3 months after surgery, depending on each individual's healing process.  

Can downturned eye on one side be treated?

If you have downturned eye on one side, it can be treated by both surgical and non-surgical approaches. The most popular and effective procedure is eyelid surgery, which removes excess eyelid skin on the specific area. Another approach is sub brow lift, which helps restore balanced angle to both eyes. 

Does sub brow lift provide long-lasting results?

In terms of results after sub brow lift, it can be vary for each individual. However, each treatment approach can provide different results. To elaborate, Botox injection provides temporary results that typically last about 3-6 months, while thread lifting can maintain refined eye shape for 6-12 months (depending on the types of thread being used). If you expect longer lasting results, sub brow lift surgery is highly recommended. It can provide refined or lifted outer corners for 5-10 years or even longer than this period. Most importantly, the results may be vary depending on lifestyle behaviors after surgery.

How to prevent downturned eyes?

There are various tips to prevent downturned eyes that can be done easily. You should apply eye cream product to keep skin around the eyes moisturized, apply sunscreen to protect your skin from Ultraviolet (UV) rays. Additionally, you should adjust your habits by avoiding excessive eye rubbing, getting enough sleep, and performing eye muscle exercise regularly to maintain skin strength.  

Information provided by Dr. Roungkaw Lovely Eye - Nutthamanee Siripakkaphant, M.D. Medical License No.35780
who pioneered Dr. Roungkaw Technique since 2010 and serves as co-founder of Lovely Eye & Skin Clinic