This study aims at elucidating the thickness of the Korean upper eyelid at different levels. Left eyelids of 10 (9 males and 1 female) fresh Korean cadavers were dissected. Full thickness upper eyelids were cut and trichrome stained. The thickness was measured under a microscope.The thickness of upper eyelid skin varied at different levels. The thickest part of the upper eyelid is just below the eyebrow (D) (1.127 +/- 238 microm), and the thinnest skin is near the ciliary margin (A) (320 +/- 49 microm). The upper tarsal area (C) and mid tarsal area (B) are 832 +/- 213 and 703 +/- 103 microm, respectively. "A" area was significantly thinner than mid tarsal "B" area (P = 0.000). The skin above the tarsus was thicker than the "B" area, but there was no significant difference (P = 0.081). The skin just below the eyebrow, "D," was thicker than the upper tarsal border, "C" area (P = 0.011). The epidermis accounted for 11.2% of the entire skin near the ciliary margin. However, epidermis presented less (4.2-5.5%) of the whole skin at other levels (P = 0.000). The distance between ciliary margin and the point where the skin turns suddenly thicker was 1.89 +/- 0.23 mm. The size of the tarsal plate was 8.88 +/- 0.81 mm. These data of upper eyelid skin thickness may apply to Asian double fold surgery and also to full thickness skin donation for grafting.