Can an arm lift be done using conscious sedation?

Limited liposuction can be done under local anesthesia.   You do not want to be in pain during the procedure so that the surgeon must stop the procedure or do less than what is necessary.   For this reason, general is a better option for my patients.   I do not use local exclusively unless a small area of liposuction is planned.
Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Los Angeles, CA

. . . although proper arm lifts usually take around 3 hours, which is awhile for anesthesia to be titrating (adjusting in real time) the amount of conscious sedation you may need (and we don't want someone moving their arms during the procedure if they are too "light"). Therefore, we routinely do this procedure under general anesthesia, which is very well-tolerated.