Bring a written list to a facelift consultation. Nerves and a new setting make it easy to forget the questions that matter most, and the answers to a handful of them reveal far more about a surgeon than a polished website does.
The five questions below suit any League City resident considering facial surgery. The answers come from the practice of Leo Lapuerta, MD, Plastic Surgery, which serves League City patients from offices in Houston, Katy, Pearland and Piney Point, and from the surgeon’s own stated views.
Are you board certified, and by which boards?
Ask for specific board names. Dr. Lapuerta holds certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the American Board of Surgery and Surgery of the Hand. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the Texas Society of Plastic Surgeons, and a past president of the Houston Society of Plastic Surgeons.
He pairs credentials with volume in his advice to patients: “The best way to ensure a good outcome is to choose a surgeon who is qualified (board certified) and has extensive surgical experience in both number of cases and years of experience.” By that measure he points to more than 30 years in practice and more than 30,000 surgical and non-surgical procedures. He is also Chairman of Plastic Surgery at St. Joseph Hospital and teaches surgeons through UT-Houston, the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and the fellowship at Houston Methodist Hospital.
Can I see results on faces like mine?
A surgeon with a deep case history should be able to show it. Dr. Lapuerta’s practice has more than 3,000 before-and-after images available for patients to review. The practice describes using those photos to manage expectations, giving a patient a realistic sense of what surgery can and cannot change.
Look for faces with a similar starting point: a comparable degree of jowling, neck laxity or skin quality. A gallery full of mild cases tells you little if your own aging is more advanced.
Does the operating room carry accreditation, and who gives the anesthesia?
Dr. Lapuerta owns and operates a QuadA (AAAASF) accredited surgical facility, The Plastic Surgery Institute of Southeast Texas, which he opened in 2003. The practice describes it as dedicated to plastic surgery, with privacy and scheduling flexibility that a hospital may not match. He also holds privileges in the Memorial Hermann network, at HCA hospitals including The Woman’s Hospital of Texas and at St. Luke’s Houston Medical Center.
On anesthesia, ask for the credential of the person who will manage it. Dr. Lapuerta works only with physician anesthesiologists, never nurse anesthetists or anesthesia assistants. Many facelifts take place under general anesthesia, so the answer carries weight.
Is a facelift the right operation for my face?
A good surgeon will tell you when it is not. The practice lists six facelift variations, from a mini facelift for early aging to the traditional, SMAS, deep plane and extended deep plane approaches, along with revision surgery for patients who have had a facelift before. It states that a more extensive option is better only when it fits the anatomy.
A facelift addresses jowls, sagging along the jawline, deep nasolabial folds and loose skin in the lower face and neck. It does not fix sun pigment or replace skincare, and it may not correct volume loss or etched lines on its own. If your main concern is skin texture, expect the surgeon to steer you elsewhere.
Can I combine procedures, and how does that change recovery?
The practice notes that Dr. Lapuerta often combines procedures, for example a facelift with a brow lift or dermal fillers. Its facelift guidance adds neck lift, eyelid surgery, fat transfer and skin resurfacing as possible companions, each chosen for a reason rather than added by default.
Combining work lengthens surgery. The practice lists an average facelift procedure time of four to six hours and a recovery time of two to three weeks, with swelling and bruising peaking in the first few days. Ask how an added procedure shifts those figures for you, and ask about the risks, which every operation carries.
On the day itself, the practice describes a patient coordinator who greets the patient and a private room with TV and Wi-Fi where family can wait. After recovery, staff escort the patient to the car through a private entrance.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Results vary from patient to patient. Consult a board-certified plastic surgeon or your physician about your own situation. Written in partnership with Joseph Lambert, a publicist working with Leo Lapuerta, MD Plastic Surgery.