Plastic Surgery FAQs

Any plastic surgery patient is bound to have some questions, as choosing to undergo elective surgery is a big decision that takes a lot of time and thought to get to the next step. Below, we selected some of the most frequently asked plastic surgery questions to answer. To learn more, schedule a surgical consultation with Dr. Lapuerta.

Dr. Lapuerta has been serving patients in Southeast Texas for over 20 years, and has developed a reputation as one of the best and most trusted plastic surgeons in the local community. Dr. Lapuerta has expertise and experience in a variety of plastic surgery procedures, mastering the different techniques needed to give his patients incredible results.

Dr. Lapuerta has performed over 20,000 procedures over the course of his career. He has extensive experience in cosmetic surgery of the face & body, reconstructive breast surgery, Botox®, and facial fillers.

Not only is Dr. Lapuerta board-certified, but he is actually triple board-certified! Dr. Lapuerta is Board Certified in Plastic Surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He also has Board Certification in General Surgery and Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery of the Hand.

Any kind of surgery comes with some risk; that said, Dr. Lapuerta takes all necessary precautions and uses advanced surgical techniques to make sure all patients are as safe as possible. If you are interested in learning more about possible risks associated with your chosen procedure, contact Dr. Lapuerta for a surgical consultation.

If you have problem areas or aesthetic issues that are lowering your self-esteem, plastic surgery is absolutely worth it. It is impossible to put a price on the feeling you get when you look in the mirror and are happy with the face and body that is looking back out at you.

If you are unhappy with certain aspects of your appearance or visible signs of aging, plastic surgery is a great way to look and feel your best. Patients for plastic surgery must be in good overall health, avoid smoking, and have realistic expectations for the outcome of the procedure.

This answer varies, as it’s based on the procedure. In general, patients can opt for plastic surgery when they are over 18 years old and the target area of the surgery is no longer growing or developing. For example, patients interested in getting a nose job should only do so after the nose has stopped growing and developing.

Dr. Lapuerta performs most cosmetic surgery procedures at The Plastic Surgery Institute of Southeast Texas, an AAAASF-Certified Office Based Surgical Facility. This provides Dr. Lapuerta with an on-site plastic surgical facility, giving patients quick and convenient access to a cutting-edge surgery center. While other plastic surgeons require patients to travel to a different location to undergo surgery, Dr. Lapuerta makes things as simple as possible by operating on-site.

Dr. Lapuerta also has hospital privileges and can perform surgery at The Women’s Hospital, Memorial Hermann Hospitals in Pearland, Southeast, Katy, and the Medical Center, Pearland HCA as well as St. Joseph Hospital, downtown, and St. Luke’s in the medical center. Our goal is to make things as convenient as possible for our patients, allowing them to undergo surgery at a facility that is somewhat close to their homes.

For most surgical procedures, anesthesia will be used so that the patient will feel no pain during the surgery. When the patient wakes up after surgery, there may be some discomfort or pain, but this can be managed with prescribed pain medication.

Anesthesia is a key part of many plastic surgery procedures. To make sure patients feel safe and secure, Dr. Lapuerta only works with medical doctors who are residency trained in anesthesiology and have significant experience with outpatient plastic surgery. He works with a select group of five anesthesiologists he has known for over 15 years. Dr. Lapuerta does not use nurses or nurse anesthetists to provide anesthesia in his personal practice. Dr. Lapuerta believes in providing the highest standards available for his patients.

Dr. Lapuerta loves the diversity and challenge of plastic surgery of the face and body. His extensive experience, continuing education, and his work training and teaching future plastic surgeons have uniquely equipped and qualified him to master all aspects of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the face, breast, and body.

It is up to you! During a surgical consultation, you should tell Dr. Lapuerta exactly what your target areas are and your desired results. Armed with this information, Dr. Lapuerta will recommend the best plastic surgery plan to help you achieve your desired results.

For a surgical consultation, plan on spending 1-1 ½ hours meeting with your patient coordinator and Dr. Lapuerta. We encourage patients to bring a significant other, close friend, or family member with them to their initial consultation. In our experience, it helps to put the patient at ease by providing support and helping patients make decisions. It also does not hurt to have another set of eyes and ears in the room to help patients remember details of the visit.

For an appointment for Botox or fillers, less time is required because these procedures are much more simple and straightforward. New patients interested in these nonsurgical options should typically plan to spend 30 minutes in the office for a consultation.

Advanced planning is always helpful to ensure you are medically prepared for surgery, have your financing planned, vacation time ready to go, and a plan for someone to stay with you after your surgery at home.

Additionally, the further in advance you meet with Dr. Lapuerta, the more likely you are to have your first choice of surgery dates and times. Dr. Lapuerta’s surgery schedule fills up quickly and he usually operates on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. However, we are a patient-focused practice and always work to accommodate our patients who may need to schedule on short notice. Your patient coordinator will let you know at your consultation what dates are available for surgery.

Dr. Lapuerta personally performs all Botox and facial filler injections such as Juvéderm®, Volbella, Voluma®, and Vollure™. Dr. Lapuerta has years of experience with Botox and filler injections, and he uses this expertise to make sure the injection site will get the best results.

In order to minimize possible bruising from Botox or filler injection, patients should discontinue use of several different supplements and medications two weeks prior to receiving Botox or fillers. Patients should stop taking blood thinners, aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Motrin, vitamin E, fish oil, garlic, ginseng or gingko biloba or any oral products containing these supplements.

After receiving Botox or fillers, Dr. Lapuerta recommends that patients do the following to maximize results:

Apply a cool compress every 30 minutes for 48 hours to decrease bruising and swelling.

Frown and raise your eyebrows 10 times an hour to manipulate the Botox, allowing it to enter the muscles more deeply for 2 days.

Exercise increases the risk that Botox will be taken away from the injection zone before it is fully absorbed at the desired site. It may also leave less Botox at the injection site and possibly decrease the desired effect. Exercise can increase the risk that Botox will act in an area other than where intended or desired.

Dr. Lapuerta does offer financing options for plastic surgery. These financing plans allow patients to slowly pay for the total cost of the surgery instead of having to pay a lump sum.

If you are wondering how to finance plastic surgery, it’s actually quite simple: All you need to do is call 832-481-4428, and a patient coordinator will help guide you through the process.

From time to time, we will have special offers for patients who sign up to receive our email notifications for specials and events. To enroll for these exclusive benefits, sign up now!

Yes! For more information, see our Rewards page.