Can I have a breast reduction without undergoing general anesthesia?

Although local anesthesia and IV sedation (twilight) anesthesia are occasionally used for a breast enlargement, general anesthesia is generally considered the best anesthesia for a breast reduction, in terms of patient comfort and safety.  The operation takes around 3 hours and is performed as an outpatient, so you go home the same day.  It is difficult to achieve total comfort for the patient without general anesthesia.

This surgery is best performed with general anesthesia since there are a plethora of nerves innervating your breast tissue and it is difficult to block them all using local anesthesia or tumescent techniques.  It is not an lengthy surgery, typically 2 1/2 - 3 hours, so the side effects of general anesthesia are minimized.  

NO! It is a big operation and should only be performed by a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and a Board Certified Anesthesiologist under general anesthesia . In my opinion- general anesthesia is the safest and most reliable way of anesthesia.