Rhinoplasty with local anesthesia: Is there a shorter recovery time with less swelling?

Hello and thank you for your question.  The
best advice you can receive is from an in-person consultation.  In order to obtain the best results, I perform rhinoplasty with general anesthesia administered by a board-certified MD anesthesiologist.   Make sure you specifically look
at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery
performed by your surgeon and evaluate their results.   The most
important aspect is to find a surgeon you are comfortable with. I recommend
that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon who
can evaluate you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.  FACS
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

The type of anesthesia may affect your recovery.  With local anesthesia only, you will require more infiltration of local anesthesia into the nasal tip.  This in turn may result in more swelling.  However, if you are only undergoing a simple  tip rhinoplasty, it may be the best option.  

Swelling after rhinoplasty is minimally effected by the type of anesthesia used and is highly variable from patient to patient. Some have very mild swelling and minimal bruising while others have severe swelling and very dark shiners under the eyes. Good luck.