Tumescent Anesthesia Face Lift?

Thanks for your question -
Tumescent fluid is a combination of local numbing medicine (typically lidocaine) with epinephrine (adrenaline) which helps constrict blood vessels to reduce bleeding. It was originally used for liposuction procedures but has also become an important part of face lift surgery.
The term tumescent refers to the feel of the tissue when it was injected with sufficient quantity of the medication to become somewhat firm. This is a bit of a left over description ... most plastic surgeons use super wet or wet tumescent techniques for liposuction at this point (the difference is the volume of fluid with the above drugs injected vs. the amount of tissue extracted.)
In this regard, "tumescent" is a bit inaccurate to describe the local injected for a facelift as there is typically minimal amount of liposuction involved. But the concept it the same, using a combination of lidocaine for analgesia + epinephrine to decrease bleeding.
Most facelifts have some degree of these two medications used even when general anesthesia is used.
I hope this helps.

Thanks for posting your question. I have performed thousands of facelifts, neck lifts, mini lifts, blephs, lasers and chin implants all under local anesthesia including (tumescent anesthesia) and oral sedation (valium). Done properly, patients are comfortable and have an easier recovery both mentally and physically. Tumescent anesthesia is basically diluted lidocaine.  This in addition to the regular local anesthesia provides very good comfort to the patient and also aids the surgeon in helping to separate the skin from the muscle layer to facilitate the surgery.  There is an art and science to this local anesthesia technique to acquire a high level of patient comfort. My patients do not even require a narcotic prior or during their their procedures thus reducing nausea caused by narcotics. The risks, both short term and long term, of general anesthesia are eliminated. Please consult with several board certified surgeons experienced in facelifting and also in local anesthesia techniques.

Tumescent Anesthesia for a facelift is a popular technique that I have used for the past 15 years or more. After local anesthesia is injected in the areas for incision, fluid consisting of a combination of dilute local anesthesia with epinephrine  which helps constrict blood vessels to reduce bleeding during the surgery. The word tumescent refers to the firm feel of the soft tissue when it was injected with this solution. I think it is a great technique.