Can I have a breast reduction awake?

In this day and age if a surgeon suggests a full breast reduction under local anesthesia, something is wrong. The reduction procedure itself has a very high satisfaction rate and I'm willing to guess that almost all of these are done under a general anesthesia, which is very safe.Discuss this with a very experienced surgeon.Hope this helps.,Leland Deane MD FACS

Thank you for your question.
No, you can not be awake for breast reduction surgery, nor would you want to be. You will be given general anesthesia. Schedule a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your options. Best wishes!

As all the previous expert posters responded _ NO! I also wonder if you have even seen boarded PS in person after reading all your questions here on RS. WHY????

Definitely not recommended to do this surgery awake.  The average breast reduction takes about 3 hours and would require far too much injectable numbing medication that would surpass the safe dosing recommendations.  General anesthesia in a hospital setting and/or certified outpatient surgery center is quite safe with low risk of complications assuming an otherwise healthy patient without anesthesia related risk factors.  Please make sure to consult with board-certified plastic surgeons for best recommendations!

Thank you for the question.
There are many different types of acceptable techniques of anesthesia that can be used for the breast reduction procedure. As long as the plastic surgeon and anesthesiologist involved are “expert” at the technique selected, patients generally do very well.  Having said that,  given the extensive nature of the procedure ( and priorities such as patient comfort, positioning, immobility…),  the vast majority of breast reduction procedures are done under general anesthesia.
My advice to patients is: concentrate on choosing your plastic surgeon carefully.  Concentrate on appropriate training, certification, and the ability of the plastic surgeon to achieve the results you are looking for. ***Ask to see lots of examples of his/her work.
Once you have chosen your plastic surgeon carefully, everything else, including the type of anesthesia ( and most importantly SAFETY concerns)  will follow. 
 In my practice I prefer the use of general  anesthesia provided by a well experienced board-certified anesthesiologist. I find the use of this type of anesthesia provides for a safe, comfortable, and immobile patient;  these conditions are important when it comes to achieving optimal outcomes.
 
Most patients describe the experience of anesthesia as a "pleasant nap";  assuming you are working with a well experienced plastic surgeon and anesthesiologist, your "wake up" should be smooth, as well as pain and anxiety free. There are a variety of methods available to help with pain control.   Best wishes for an outcome that you will be very pleased with.

Hello and thank you for your excellent question. It is best to answer your question during a face-to-face evaluation, when you can discuss your goals and expectations for the procedure, and you can have a physical examination to evaluate for that procedure. We can often perform a SMALL breast lift under local / awake anesthesia, but for a true reduction, nearly all surgeons will insist that you be asleep. I recommend that you find a board-certified, or board-eligible plastic surgeon with whom you are comfortable. Be sure to have all of your questions answered during a face-to-face meeting with your surgeon, and review before and after pictures of similar patients whom have had this procedure. If you have any questions, call our office for assistance. Good luck!

Best,

Jon Ver Halen, MD FACS

Harvard educated plastic surgeon

Texas “Top Doc” 2017, 2018

RealSelf100

America’s Top Plastic Surgeons, Consumer’s Research Council, 2010 - 2018