Does an eye lift / brow lift require general anesthesia?

Almost all eyelid and most brow lift techniques can be performed under local anesthesia in the office. If extra sedation is needed, then IV sedation can be added. But general anesthesia is generally NOT necessary.

We never do these surgeries with general anesthesia in my practice. Local with some sedation is all that is needed for a comfortable surgery.  If it is just lids they can even be done with straight local anesthesia.

No.An eye lift (i.e., blepharoplasty) and brow lift can be safely and effectively performed without a general anesthetic. Some sedation should be performed, however, because often people do not realize how anxiety can elevate their blood pressure or increase the day of the procedure, thereby leading to a less than comfortable experience for the patient and surgeon.  At a minimum, I would typically recommend IV sedation (aka conscious sedation), which similar to the sedation performed during a colonoscopy or wisdom tooth extraction.All anesthesia types are very safe if the proper pre-operative medical history, physical examination, laboratory exams and other necessary studies are performed; additionally, if the procedures are performed in an accredited surgical facilities with qualified staff.The attached link and website provides more information. I hope this helps.

Local and sedation is a reasonable form of anesthesia for these procedures.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

Absolutely not. In fact I feel I can do a better operation for my patients if they can occasionally open and close their eyes for me during the operation. I stress to them that they will be completely comfortable in the OR, that they will have no concerns and that their recollection will be very hazy. In fact I have always done facelifts as well using sedation along with local anesthesia and my patients are very pleased with the ease and comfort of this technique. All the best.