Skip to main content

How do you know you have the right facelift surgeon?

Like most things in life, there is no clear cut answer for this question, but doing some homework can pay off in the long run.  There are several misleading myths that confuse patients.  Myth number one is “only have a board certified plastic surgeon do your surgery”.  Obviously, your surgeon should be board certified, but his or her specialty has very little to do with their competence and outcomes.  This myth is propagated as a marketing tool for plastic surgeons.  It is like saying “a Lexus is the only safe car”; we can all see through statements like this.  In reality there are numerous types of competent specialists including plastic surgery, ENT, oral and maxillofacial surgery, dermatology and ophthalmology that excel at facelift surgery.  The actual specialty is much less important than the experience of a surgeon.  Most patients would choose a surgeon from, say a dermatologist that performs several facelifts a week instead of a plastic surgeon that performs one a month.  Although there are many talented plastic surgeons that excel at breast and body cosmetic surgery, they may have very little cosmetic facial surgery experience and only “dabble” in facelift surgery.  A oral and maxillofacial surgeon or ENT trained cosmetic facial surgeon are likely to specialize in head and neck surgery only.

The second myth is that “new facelifts” can be done with the same results but much less anesthesia, recovery, downtime, incisions, etc.  As you browse the facelift pages on this site, you will understand why this remains a myth.

The following are some important indicators to consider when choosing a surgeon.

  • Is your surgeon board certified in a specialty that deals with the face?
  • Do they operate only in an accredited surgery center?
  • How many facelifts does your  surgeon perform a week?
  • Can your surgeon show you hundreds of before and after pictures of their own work?
  • Is your surgeon involved with teaching and scientific publishing on the topic of facelifts?
  • Can your surgeon provide you with patients that have had facelift surgery to discuss their experience?
  • Can you get in touch with your surgeon if you have a problem?  Cell phone?
  • Does your surgeon “dabble” in facelift surgery or is it one of the major parts of his or her practice?

Dr. Niamtu is very involved with teaching facelift to other surgeons in the USA and abroad.  He teaches specialties including Facial Plastic Surgeons, Plastic Surgeons, Ocuolplastic Surgeons, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, Dermatologists and other surgical specialties.  Dr. Niamtu has written a comprehensive textbook about cosmetic facial surgery and facelift surgery, authored a comprehensive DVD live surgery series and has numerous publications on facelift surgery.  In addition he is considered an opinion leader on facelift surgery and is frequently interviewed by cosmetic publications and TV and radio media .

Office Address

Joe Niamtu III, DMD
11319 Polo Place
Midlothian, VA 23113

Office Hours

Monday - Friday
8:00am - 5:00pm

Link to Cosmetic Facial Surgery home page
Making Virginia More Beautiful...One face at a Time
Meet Dr. JoeOnline ConsultationSchedule An AppointmentHome
Click to open and close visual accessibility options. The options include increasing font-size and color contrast.