For a mid face lift surgery, is local anesthetic safer than general anesthesia?

Thank you for a great question and for sharing your concerns.  A midfacelift, facelift, or necklift can be performed under local anesthesia, IV sedation, or general anesthesia.  Anesthesia overall is very safe, with local anesthesia likely carrying the least risk. If you have immune compromise, definitely discuss this with your surgeon at consultation to decide the safest venue for your to have your procedure.  I hope this helps.I recommend consulting with a board certified facial plastic surgeon to further discuss your concerns and options."This answer has been solicited without seeing this patient and cannot be held as true medical advice, but only opinion. Seek in-person treatment with a trained medical professional for appropriate care."

If you are in good health then a midface lift can be performed safely by either local anesthesia with oral sedation, intravenous sedation, or general anesthesia. An outpatient surgery center has less chance of MRSA and other resistant organisms though the incidence of infections after facelift is low in comparison to other surgeries due to the robust blood supply. The most important decision you can make is deciding on the most qualified plastic surgeon (see link below) whose job it is to guide you on decisions such as the ones you are considering.#midfacelift

This procedure is not lengthy so you would not be exposed to excessive general anesthesia.  Also, the incidence of head and neck infections with cosmetic surgeries is very low due to the high vascularity of the area.  I would have the surgeon use the anesthetic he feels most comfortable with for the best cosmetic result.  A surgery center should be fine to do this kind of surgery.  

We like sedation over general anesthesia for facelift procedures. Other surgeons prefer general anesthesia. To my knowledge there is no good study comparing the two anesthesia modes for their safety. An out of hospital surgery center appears to be a good choice for facial cosmetic surgery.

Hi stymiehymie.  Both kinds of anesthesia are safe in healthy patients.  You may experience less nausea, constipation,etc. after surgery if you have a local or twilight anesthesia. Accredited surgery centers are safe.  If your ABPS certified plastic surgeon routinely uses a local and twilight anesthesia, with his/her usual surgery center staff, then that may safer than him/her going to a hospital where they don't have their usual team, especially if the hospital ORs do not routinely perform facelifts. Hospital facility costs are frequently more expensive than surgery centers.  Good luck!