How painful is a facelift under local anesthesia?

The only reason to undergo a facelift under local anesthesia is the "save" money or the the doctor does not not have privileges or access to a certified surgery facility. It is critically important for the patient to be relaxed, comfortable, and be monitored throughout the surgery. Under local alone, it would be difficult to lift and reposition the deep structures that need to be addressed. I would not recommend undergoing a facelift under local anesthesia alone.

Facelifts a generally not considered painful due to modern surgical techniques and effective pain management. During the procedure, patients are under anesthesia, so they feel no pain. Post-operatively, any discomfort is usually manageable with prescribed pain medication and subsides within a few days. Most patients describe the sensation as more of a tightness or soreness rather than significant pain. Our priority is to ensure your comfort throughout the process.

Hi, facelift under local anesthesia does not hurt much. The first ten minutes it burns a little as the lidocaine is injected, then you just feel some pushing and pulling. I do local facelift surgeries and other surgeries frequently, and facelift under local anesthesia is much less discomfort then liposuction under local anesthesia. Half the patients fall asleep during the surgery.

I appreciate your concerns Roy however it depends on the type of oral sedation used with local anesthesia during facelift.
While this certainly is an option, it has been my experience that patients are far more comfortable either with local anesthesia and IV sedation administered by an anesthesiologist or general anesthesia where the patient is completely asleep. In these cases the patient feels nothing it is very comfortable. Come see me or another board-certified plastic surgeon in our area to explore the best options for you. Good luck.

It would be very difficult to do a thorough facelift under local anesthesia and have it be a good experience. This is not a procedure where you want to look for shortcuts to save money.