OP, to your actual question, and my attempt to help. I went through my old emails with Earl.
Since I told him I wouldn't share them publicly, I won't, but I'll summarize the gist of it as I don't think he'd care about summarizing them.
He did get the LF3, but it was a modified LF3, and it didn't make him an "Adonis", just Earl without orbital rim deficiency. With things more forward, any asymmetry was possibly exaggerated. He wound up getting a modified LF3 because the surgeon thought the cuts he wanted (the actual LF3) would produce a step off in the malar region (this was my concern, as noted in the original post). Cut was stopped before the orbital nerve to eliminate the risk of blindness and also another risk of a step off in that area. Step offs can be "sanded down", but surgeons prefer not to do that (I'm not sure why...must be inexact...I assume they can graft, too, but again, that's usually inexact).
That's all I can really say about it. My recommendation would be: go on a lot of consults and take it slowly, and don't fall for promises or ask the surgeon leading questions. Just ask a question, be quiet, and let him answer. If possible, ask for a referral to someone who actually had the LF3, etc. Basic stuff, but it's important to do a consult the right way. Oh, and read journal articles if you can.