More women are receiving plastic surgery in order to achieve single eyelids, a hospital claims.

    Chen Bin, a doctor with Shanghai Liren Woman Hospital, said that the adoration of the ‘single eyelid look’ of actresses in popular South Korean TV dramas is fueling the new fashion.

    Many young women in the city are now wishing to turn their eyes from ‘double-lids’ into a single crease, even those who had previously discarded their single lids in order to have them doubled.

    “Still most are here to get double eyelids, but there are increasing number of people who still want single eyelids,” Chen said.

    “It is the result of media influence, like South Korean TV dramas.”

    Gu, a 22-year-old woman who was in a consultation to have second eyelid surgery, said that she found single eyelids more elegant. However, she had her eyelids doubled when she was 19.

    “Most women in Chinese traditional paintings have single eyelids,” she said.” Doctors asked me not to take  the second surgery, but I really like single eyelids now.”

    Gu is one of a growing population that are seeking to change their appearance by plastic surgery. Chen said that this year the hospital has seen twice the number of people applying for breast enlargement.

    And more have had surgery during the recent  May Day holidays, one third of  them being students. “Most of them had surgery on their eyes, nose, or to remove  scars,” Chen said.

    “Everybody wants to look good but people should not sacrifice their health for a good appearance. And people who go to unqualified hospitals might end up looking not good at all.”

    Chen said that he was suggesting Gu not take the second surgery.

    “turning double lids to single lids is more complicated than the opposite way around,” he said.

    “There might be a color difference on the eyelid that used to be double. Plus, it takes more time to recover form this type of surgery.”