How Do You Identify Epicanthal Folds?
Epicanthal folds are a common facial feature of persons of Asian descent. Many infants exhibit this feature as well, but lose their epicanthal folds as their facial bones grow. The presence of epicanthal folds can also indicate certain medical conditions, such as fetal alcohol syndrome and Down syndrome. Here are a few short, simple steps to identifying epicanthal folds, adapted from the US National Library of Medicine’s online medical encyclopedia. Find the upper eyelid. Find the inner corner of the eye, the area closest to the bridge of the nose. Check if you can see the soft, moist tissues of the medial commissure. If anatomy is not your strong suit, the medial commissure is where the eyelids join together closest to the nose. The other place they join is called the lateral commissure. If epicanthal folds are present, the skin of the upper eyelid will cover some or all of the lower eyelid, the inner corner of the eye and the medial commissure. For the most part epicanthal folds are
