Demographers call a vertically inclined fold at the inner corner of the eye near the bridge of the nose among the peoples of the Asian part of Eurasia and some indigenous inhabitants of both American continents the “Mongolian fold.” In medicine it is known as epicanthus, from the Greek. ἐπι - above-, above-, at- and κανθός - corner of the eye.
The epicanthus is a continuation of the upper eyelid, which bends down at the bridge of the nose, runs parallel to the nose and covers the lacrimal tubercle, making the eye visually narrow and elongated.
Who has it?
In Russia, this external distinctive feature is inherent in all northern peoples - Nivkhs, Evens, Tungus, Yukagirs, Yakuts, Tomsk Tatars: epicanthus among these peoples is found in approximately 70% of the population. Next - the Koryaks, coastal Chukchi and the Asian Eskimos living next to them.
Among our neighbors in the Far East, it is most clearly manifested among the Mongols, Chinese, Koreans and, to a lesser extent, the Japanese, for whom living in a humid island monsoon climate for thousands of years has smoothed out this symptom. In Central Asia, although to a lesser extent, among the Kyrgyz, Kazakhs and Uzbeks (up to 15% of the presence of the “Mongolian fold”). It is difficult to classify Tajiks as part of this racial group; they are closer to Iranians (they even have a common language).
In North and South America it is characteristic of all aboriginal peoples, and in Oceania its signs are found among Polynesians and Filipinos. When there was no strait between the northeastern part of Eurasia and the North American continent, but in that place there was an isthmus. Migration took place over many millennia, first by land, then by sea as general development and acquisition of technical skills took place.
In the newly formed ethnic groups, under the influence of climate and specific living conditions, the phenotype even changed somewhat. But the “Mongolian fold” still appears in about 5% of children born, even in the Amazon jungle.
Pain in the corners of the eyes: probable causes
If your eyes hurt in the corners, this may indicate the following diseases or conditions.
Overwork.
This is perhaps the most harmless reason that can cause this symptom. In such cases, the pain syndrome usually goes away on its own after a few hours of rest; drug treatment is not required.
Barley.
When the disease occurs, the hair follicle of the eyelash or the sebaceous gland located next to it becomes inflamed. Against the background of inflammation, pain occurs in the area of both eyelids, which also affects the corners of the eyes.
Wrong optics.
Optics with incorrectly selected diopters lead to rapid fatigue of the visual organs, which causes pain. Also, the eyes closer to the bridge of the nose may hurt if a person wears glasses that do not fit him. In this case, it is enough to change the frame or adjust the nose pads taking into account your anatomical features.
Demodecosis.
The symptom can manifest itself in case of damage to the skin of the eyelids by demodex mites. Along with pain, the patient may complain of manifestations of the disease such as severe itching, swelling, redness of the conjunctiva, and loss of eyelashes.
Allergy.
Often the corners of the eyes itch and hurt due to allergic conditions. Usually allergies are accompanied by other symptoms - tearing, eye irritation.
Dacryocystitis and canaliculitis.
Sometimes the cause of pain in the corners of the palpebral fissure can be inflammation localized in the lacrimal ducts.
Where did epicanthus come from?
Climate
There is still no unified theory of the formation of epicanthus. Some researchers insist that the main factor in the appearance of such a feature was the residence of the founding people of the proto-Mongoloid race in stable, unchanging conditions of a particular area. It is usually localized approximately at the site of present-day Mongolia, Buryatia and northern China, where an arid climate prevailed with constantly blowing seasonal winds and severe frosty winters.
The formation of the genotype and phenotype occurred during the years of the Great Glaciation. And among the possible reasons are the cold that tightens the skin, the habit and need to squint your eyes in order to protect them from flying dust, fine sand, and the harmful effects of sunlight reflected from the snow-covered expanses. After all, solar ultraviolet light is perfectly reflected from the snow, even causing retinal burns - if you look at such a landscape with your eyes wide open.
It was these harsh conditions that formed such a protective function as epicanthus.
Non-climatic reasons
Opponents of this theory point out that such consolidation of phenotypic characteristics in the genotype requires hundreds of thousands of years. This goes beyond the time limits of the generally accepted theory of the origin of the species Homo Sapiens as such.
They also note the possibility of the appearance of epicanthus even in the Caucasian race - but mainly in those cases where a person has a wide and low bridge of the nose, although there were absolutely no Mongoloids in the ancestors.
In children belonging to different European nations, such a detail in appearance is common, but by about 6 years of age, the fold on the eyelid disappears. The same can be said even about the Chinese, Koreans, and Mongols: they also experience the disappearance of this characteristic as they grow older and older.
Proponents of the non-climatic theory also refer to the analysis of the geological layers of the Earth. In them, it is clearly read from the plant remains in the thickness of the earth that in the places where some ethnic groups of Mongoloids settled, the climate was, if not subtropical, then definitely temperate. But glaciers from the north did not reach these places.
To some extent, this fold is fatty; the subcutaneous fat content in it is much higher than in the surrounding tissues. Although for representatives of the Mongoloid race, an increased amount of fat under the skin of the face is generally a characteristic feature, which can be seen even among the Bushmen of southern Africa, living in hot and arid savannas.
Physiological reasons for the appearance of epicanthus
Such a fold of the upper eyelid, covering the lacrimal tubercle, may not have anything to do with race or nationality, but may arise in a child as a result of pathology in the formation of facial tissues:
- Injuries after which a scar forms.
- Infections with which the child was affected while the mother was carrying him during pregnancy.
- Genetic determination of this trait.
- Abnormal development of the child as a result of maternal abuse of alcohol, smoking, drugs during pregnancy - all together or separately.
- The birth of a premature baby.
- An extra chromosome in Down syndrome.
- The influence of toxins of various origins in poor ecology.
But such a feature will be characteristic of humans and natural only among representatives of the Mongoloid race. In all other cases, it is customary to consider the presence of epicanthus as an anomaly. And such a fold looks strange on a face, all other signs of which indicate Caucasian origin. Although, if it does not cause domestic or psychological inconvenience, it is simply ignored. Otherwise, they undergo surgery to remove such a fold.
Varieties of epicanthus
- Palpebral. Characterized by symmetry during the formation of folds.
- Superciliary. The same folds as with the palpebral epicanthus, but their dimensions are equal to the circumference of the eyes.
- Tarsal. With such a fold, a blockage of the tear duct occurs. It occurs between the upper eyelid and the almost right angle of the eye at the bridge of the nose.
- Reverse. A special type of fold that occurs between the corner of the eye at the bridge of the nose and the lower eyelid. This type of epicanthus is unilateral, affecting only one eye, which makes this type of cosmetic defect the most noticeable.
Sometimes it happens that the eyes are affected by this pathology unequally; such asymmetry is no less noticeable than reverse epicanthus. In these cases, surgical intervention is absolutely indicated.
There are not even drug therapy methods for removing or resolving the epicanthus; the only way to get rid of the folds is through surgery.
How to choose arrows for eyes and faces of different shapes
Decorative makeup is intended not only to decorate the face, but also to correct its imperfections. Arrows of various shapes can visually improve the proportions of the face and bring its oval closer to the ideal. For example, round eyes can be made longer with the help of well-chosen eyeliner shapes, and narrow eyes can be made wider. The lucky ones are those with an oval face and almond-shaped eyes - any line of eyeliner suits them.
- Almond-shaped eyes.
If the inner and outer corners of the eye are located at the same level and the distance between the inner corners is equal to the length of the eye, then your eyes are almond-shaped. In this case, you just need to emphasize the naturally beautiful curve with a thin line drawn from the inner corner to the outer and gradually expanding. This technique will make your look more expressive.
- Drooping upper eyelid.
An additional skin fold on the upper eyelid descends onto it and visually makes the eyes smaller. The purpose of makeup in this case is to “lift” the eyelids and visually enlarge the eyes.
The most suitable shape of arrows for an overhanging eyelid is wide, shaded over the entire lower area of the eyelid from the crease to the eyelashes. The line color should be chosen as dark as possible.
- Wide-set eyes.
When the distance between the eyes is greater than the width of the eye, these are wide-set eyes.
To visually make the proportion more harmonious, the entire upper eyelid and the lower eyelid from the middle of the eye to the outer corner are outlined. In addition, when applying mascara to your eyelashes, use a brush to direct them towards the bridge of your nose.
- Big round eyes.
In this case, the shape of the arrow can be any; to visually lengthen the eye, it should be made wider from approximately two-thirds of the outer edge. You can shade the line as you wish or leave it pronounced.
- Small eyes.
If you have small eyes, make the arrows barely noticeable with careful shading, using neutral shades of the brown palette. This makeup will enlarge them and “open up” your eyes. In this case, you need to use super voluminous mascara and apply it towards the temples, laying the eyelashes slightly to one side.
- Narrow eye shape.
To make your eyes look more rounded, draw a thin line of arrows that thicken at the outer edge of the eye. The lower mucous membrane of the eyelid is painted over with a light pencil, and light shadows are applied to the middle of the moving eyelid.
- Close-set eyes.
If the distance between the eyes is less than the width of the eye, these are close-set eyes. To correct the shape of the face, when drawing an arrow, a transition is made from light to dark shades at the outer corner of the eye. The line begins by stepping back a little from the inner corner. The outer ponytail is brought out beyond the eyelid, slightly raised.
- Eyes with drooping corners.
The purpose of makeup in this case is to change the shape of the eye. When drawing an arrow, its tail is drawn upward from the edge of the eye a little earlier than the natural contour ends. This technique will allow you to turn the “falling” corners. The line can be drawn with a pencil or shaded, but in the latter case you need to connect the bottom strip with the top and direct it towards the temple.
Operation
The transverse fat fold on the inner corner of the eye in Caucasian children usually resolves by the age of 5-6 years. If this does not happen, and the epicanthus really interferes, including aesthetically (in the opinion of the parents), then such operations are still not prescribed before 7 years.
During surgery, the ciliary lines are excised and the adipose tissue, which, in fact, consists of such a fold, is removed.
Postoperative period
Full recovery after surgery lasts at least 2 weeks. It is almost always carried out in a hospital setting, because phenomena such as itching, swelling, dry eyes, and burning cannot be avoided. And since there is thin skin on the eyelid area, medical supervision is necessary: in the first three days - several times a day, and in the next 10-11 days a thorough daily examination is needed.
You will also have to give up any cosmetic procedures, care products for the eyelids and skin around the eyes. Contact lenses should not be worn; eyes should be given complete rest. During the day, it is not even recommended to look out of the window at a brightly lit street, and walks, if they are undertaken, are best postponed to the twilight time of day.
But it is generally better to avoid the street so that the eyes are not exposed to wind, which can cause watery eyes. Moreover, dust, small grains of sand or particles of street garbage can get into your eyes with the wind. And this may lead to infection in the postoperative field. The use of a computer, gadgets, watching television programs and long reading are completely excluded from the daily routine.
The consumption of alcohol is completely excluded, which can cause an increase in blood pressure, and this will cause the sutures on the thin delicate skin of the eyelids to separate.
Dressings and protective tampons are changed as often as possible, using antiseptic agents and always with cleanly washed hands. Under the strict supervision of doctors, vitamin complexes are used in the form of eye drops.
Complex cases occur only when the epicanthus is formed due to injury with scarring. Then the surgeon will need to be highly qualified and skin grafts will be needed.
Correction of the corners of the eyes
Currently, in plastic surgery there are two ways to correct the corners of the eyes. These are canthopexy and canthoplasty. Indications for them are:
- decreased tone of the lower eyelid and its sagging;
- increasing the aesthetic appeal of the eyes;
- elimination of ectropion - inversion of the lower eyelid;
- elimination of congenital pathologies: partial fusion, incomplete incision, and so on;
- chronic diseases of the conjunctiva of the eye;
- elimination of deformation of the palpebral fissure resulting from injuries, burns, elimination of the consequences of unsuccessful surgery;
- elimination of facial asymmetry after paralysis.
Canthopexy is based on lifting and tensioning the outer canthus of the eyes. Often it accompanies lower blepharoplasty surgery to strengthen the position of the lower eyelid, midface lift surgery, lipolifting, and so on. Canthoplasty involves removing directly part of the canthus. Canthoplasty can be performed for aesthetic purposes at the request of the patient. Canthopexy, on the contrary, is performed solely for medical reasons and with the permission of the supervising specialist. Therefore, in plastic surgery, it has developed that it is canthoplasty that is used to change the shape of the eyes, shape, angle of inclination, and so on; it is often carried out for similar purposes without the need to get rid of wrinkles.
Both operations fix the tissues of the lower eyelid to the periosteum, thanks to this it is possible to get rid of sagging eyelids, and it does not matter whether it was caused by age-related changes or whether the patient had it from birth. Canthoplasty and canthopexy also perform the function of changing the shape of the eyes.
There may be some side effects after surgery. These include:
- change in the shape and shape of the eyes;
- excessive correction of the corners of the eyes;
- insufficient correction of the corners of the eyes;
- infection in the suture area;
- seam seal.
As for the operation itself, the incisions made during it (no more than 7 mm in size) are invisible, they are located in the outer corners of the eyes, and the natural fold of the eyelid covers them. The duration of the intervention is no more than two hours, the operation is performed under general anesthesia or local anesthesia, depending on the severity of the case and the wishes of the patient. The postoperative period is accompanied by discomfort, swelling, the appearance of a hematoma, possible eye irritation, and mild conjunctivitis. After a week after surgery, the patient can return to their normal lifestyle. If the patient wishes, the operation should be repeated no earlier than 5 years from the previous one. The effect, on average, lasts for 7 years; there are cases when repeated correction was not required even after 10 years.
In Moscow, many clinics specializing in plastic surgery perform canthoplasty and canthopexy. You can find out the cost of these services, as well as any other information about the clinics on our website.
