Brazilian man goes under the knife to look Korean

A Brazilian man has had plastic surgery in order to look more Oriental, a local media outlet reported.

Cosmetic procedures, such as silicone implants, lip surgery or other augmentations, are nothing unusual in Brazil. But the 25-year-old man went a step further to transform himself into Asian-looking man by making alterations to his eyes.

Xiahn, who asked not to be named to protect his family from Internet scrutiny, underwent 10 surgical procedures on his eyes, along with other less-invasive procedures, which cost him around $3,100. He also began wearing contact lenses to change his eye colour.

Originally blue-eyed with blonde hair, he became interested in having plastic surgery after spending some time as an exchange student in Korea. He was inspired by how common plastic surgery is here.

"Koreans have many surgeries to modify the shape of their eyes and become more like Westerners. It was easy to tell when one of them had done it, walking on the street wearing sunglasses and a surgical mask," he said.

People think that all Asian eyes look the same, but he is just happy that he got the right look. "I have no regrets, and I don't intend to have any more procedures," he concluded.

He said in a video uploaded that since some time ago, he has preferred pictures of himself with his eyes looking slightly smaller than they really are.

"So I really like small eyes, that's why I decided to change," he said from his home in New Hamberg, south of Brazil. He stressed that the only plastic surgery he has done is on his eyes.

But there was no specific procedure available to make his eyes look more Asian. So he discussed it with his doctor, who said he would try.

"I was like the first one who made this [underwent the procedure]. Usually Asians have mono eyelid, and they usually do double eyelid surgery right, so he [the doctor] did the opposite thing on me," Xiahn said.

The doctor injected a substance into his eyes to create heavier eyelids for Xiahn.

"Actually, I don't see myself as an Asian. I see myself as something in between," he clarified.  "I just wanted my eyes to look that way. I don't feel like I've become an Asian or a Korean person."

On those who have criticised his decision to undergo plastic surgery, he likened what he did to what most people accomplish every day with makeup.

"Most people change their natural looks every day with makeup," he said. "So if someone uses makeup, they cannot say anything about plastic surgery changes."

laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com

Additional information added in by YourHealth, AsiaOne