Anesthesia used during a facelift?

I routinely do full face lifts with local anesthesia and oral sedation. It is not just for mini facelifts. You are given enough oral medication to make you sleepy and relaxed, plus injections of local anesthesia so you feel no pain. Sometimes, I'll give an injection in the muscle to further relax you. (For... more

Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC) is a good anesthesia option for facelifts.  With this technique, an anethesiologist sedates the patient so that he/she is sleeping but breathing on their own.  Patients are not paralyzed. Facelift incisions and areas of flap elevation are injected with anesthetic so... more

Facelifts can be performed under general anesthesia or with local and IV sedation.  It is important to discuss these options with your plastic surgeon to discuss which option is best for you.  Many plastic surgeons choose either method.  Both methods are safe if you are a healthy person and have... more

 Hello, While age is a factor, the real key is your health regarding the type of anesthesia.  If you are medically cleared by your primary care doctor then you can either form of anesthesia. It is very common to have a Facelift using IV sedation.  Some doctors feel that there is less post... more

General anesthesia and local anesthesia with sedation are both good options for facelift surgery. You should probably stick with your surgeon's preference. When the sedation choice is used, I prefer that a board certified anesthesiologist be present for safety issues. The more important question in my mind is... more

Facelifts can be done under a variety of anesthetics. Depending on the extent of your facelift, it can be done under local, iv sedation or general anesthesia. If you are in otherwise good health, the risk from anesthesia at an accredited center where they use either anesthesiologists or supervised nurse... more

The great thing about this website is that a prospective patient can ask a question and receive educated opinions.  My opinion is that local anesthesia with sedation provides the best compromise of pain control, relaxation, and safety while allowing the surgeon to work efficiently.  I use this... more

I have used both General Anesthesia as well as Monitored Anesthesia Care with excellent results.  There are advantages and disadvantages to both techniques, depending on the surgeon or patient's perspective: The presence of either a Laryngeal Mask or Endotracheal tube ensures a secure airway for... more

Anesthesia techniques have improved considerably over the past decade.  The medications used are more precise in action with regards to predictability of onset and wear-off.  Both LIVS (local anesthesia with IV sedation) and General Anesthesia, performed by qualified medical personnel (MD... more

The is the preference of the patient and the surgeon.  Here's my take on this.  A facelift usually takes several hours to complete.  Operating rooms are like a second home to us but are very foreign and often unsettling for patients.  In addition people are taking and there sounds and... more