Can You Get a Facelift and Eyelid Surgery on the Same Trip to Korea?
Yes, and Korean surgeons often do them in one operation. What it adds to surgery time, how the stitch dates line up, why upper eyelid surgery can drop the brows, and when splitting them makes more sense.
Short answer: Yes. Korean clinics routinely add upper eyelid surgery (상안검), lower eyelid surgery (하안검) or both to a facelift under the same anesthetic. Gangnam Unni puts a facelift alone at 3 to 4 hours, so expect a longer day on the table. Eyelid stitches usually come out around day 5 to 7, facelift stitches around day 7 to 10, so the stay stays close to the usual 12 to 14 days.
The face ages as one piece, and a lot of people who come in about jowls also hate their eyelids. Doing both on one trip saves a second flight and a second recovery.
It also makes the first week harder.
Is it common to combine a facelift with eyelid surgery in Korea?
Yes. Korean app listings sell eyelid and lift procedures side by side. One Gangnam clinic on Gangnam Unni lists brow lift, upper eyelid, lower eyelid and endoscopic forehead lift as separate items you can stack. When we checked in October 2026 the discounted upper eyelid price was ₩1.32 million (about $940) and the lower eyelid ₩1.65 million (about $1,180), VAT included, with anesthesia and aftercare listed as not included.
So check every line of a combined quote; see how to read a Korean clinic quote.
How much longer is the surgery?
Longer by whatever the eyelids take. Gangnam Unni's facelift guide gives 3 to 4 hours for the facelift, and more if the neck is lifted too. Your surgeon should give you a total time and tell you whether it'll be general anesthesia or sedation.
There's a ceiling on how much belongs in one day. In April 2026, Korean outlet Newsis reported on a 30-year-old Finnish influencer who had a facelift, midface lift, lip lift and V-line procedure together in Seoul. The surgery ran about 7.5 hours. Two to three days later his face had swollen so badly he could barely open his eyes for 12 to 15 hours. A facelift with eyelids is a much smaller day, but ask for your total time.
How do the recovery dates line up?
Close enough to fit one stay. A typical sequence:
| Eyelids | Facelift | |
|---|---|---|
| Stitches out | Around day 5 to 7 | Around day 7 to 10, often in two rounds |
| Worst swelling | First week | Days 2 to 4 |
| Looks presentable | About 2 weeks | 2 to 3 weeks |
Lower eyelid fat repositioning done from inside the lid (눈밑지방재배치) often has no skin stitches at all.
The overlap is the swelling. Eyelid swelling sits on top of facelift swelling, so days 2 to 4 are puffier than a facelift alone. Our day-by-day facelift recovery post shows the facelift side of that week.
Can upper eyelid surgery change your brows?
It can. A Korean plastic surgeon explained it in a 2024 article in Smart Today: once heavy lids are lifted, you stop raising your forehead to see, the brows sink and the gap between brow and eye shrinks. The face can look harsher.
So surgeons check brow position before planning upper lids. Some suggest a brow lift (눈썹하거상) or forehead lift instead of, or along with, removing lid skin. Ask which one fits you before you book the combination.
When is it better to split them?
When the surgeon wants to see where the brows and cheeks settle after the lift before planning the eyelids. Ask it plainly: would you change the eyelid plan if we waited?
Splitting means two trips. From North America, that's a real cost.
How we help
- Free, itemized quotes from 2 to 3 specialist clinics for the facelift and eyelids together, with anesthesia and aftercare broken out.
- An interpreter in the consultation room for the brow and eyelid exam.
- Booking both suture removals before your flight.
Ask for free quotes from the form below.
Frequently asked questions
Can you have a facelift and eyelid surgery at the same time?
Yes. Korean clinics often do upper or lower eyelid surgery in the same operation as a facelift.
How long is a facelift with eyelid surgery?
Gangnam Unni puts a facelift at 3 to 4 hours, and eyelids add to that. Ask your surgeon for the total time.
Does combining them make the stay in Seoul longer?
Not much. Eyelid stitches come out around day 5 to 7 and facelift stitches around day 7 to 10, so most of it fits within 12 to 14 days.
Why would a surgeon suggest a brow lift instead of upper eyelid surgery?
Because removing lid skin can let the brows drop and narrow the space between brow and eye, which can make the face look harsher.
Get free, itemized quotes from 2–3 specialist clinics
Two taps and an email address. We ask clinics run by board-certified specialists for line-by-line quotes and the dates they can take you, and email them to you, usually within two business days. Free, and no obligation.
Keep reading
- Is a Facelift in Korea Done Under General Anesthesia or Sedation?
Korean clinics do facelifts under either general anesthesia (전신마취) or IV sedation (수면마취). Who gives each one, why it matters, Korea's operating-room CCTV law, and what to ask before you book.
- What Facelift Aftercare Do You Need After You Fly Home From Korea?
You leave Seoul around day 14, but the facelift isn't done healing. What the next three months look like at home, what Korean clinics tell you to avoid until when, and what to send back to your Seoul surgeon.
This guide is general information for people researching treatment abroad. It is not medical advice and does not establish a patient relationship. Only a licensed surgeon who has examined you can say whether a procedure is appropriate for you.