IV Sedation and Local Anesthesia Safe Option for Facelift?

Facelift can generally be performed using 3 anesthesia options mainly 1) Local anesthesia with some oral sedation, 2) IV sedation with local anesthesia, 3) General anesthesia. It is best to discuss these options with your plastic surgeon. Not all plastic surgeons will be comfortable with all these options. The options available to you will depend on you and the experience of your plastic surgeon with that anesthesia option and the type of procedure. We have performed facelifts with all the options. Most of our patients prefer local with oral sedation, then IV sedation with local anesthesia, lastly general anesthesia.

 


Anesthesia Choices for Facial Aesthetic Surgery such as a mini-lift depend on several factors.
First off, I do not think the type of anesthesia influences either the recovery time or the amount of bruising. Although it is possible to do all of these procedures under local anesthesia - your comfort is the most important concern. You will have to lie still for hours and you will be aware in many cases of injections. For procedures more than 3-4 hours I would recommend IV sedation or a general anesthesia. The IV sedation for most means that you will remember little of most of the procedure and sleep for the majority of it. It is a good choice with less risks than a general anesthetic For local anesthesia cases I usually give Ativan or Valium before hand and most sleep for most of the cases without the need for an IV in healthy patients.

There are several good options for anesthesia during a facelift depending on what a patient desires.  


Local anesthesia with a minimal sedation (mostly awake) can be a good option for some patients who want to avoid general anesthesia.  Seek consultation with a surgeon who can perform this.

IV sedation is another good option.  Here an experienced anesthesiologist is very important.

General anesthesia is also a good option, in particular for patients who want to be knocked out.  


An experienced surgeon can guide you through the options of which anesthetic approach is best for you.