Anesthesia Choices for Facelift

Many candidates for facelift, or face lift, surgery inquire about the type of anesthesia that is required for the procedure. In my own practice here in San Diego, I typically do a facelift, or face lift, under an IV sedation (twilight anesthesia) or general anesthetic. I also only use a board certified anesthesiologist to put you to sleep. I firmly believe that your safety, care and comfort are of the utmost importance during a facelift procedure. Toward this end, I would much rather have an anesthesiologist taking care of you while I have my own job to do. With an IV sedation anesthetic you are awake and breathing on your own but do not feel any pain or discomfort. Some patients prefer to this type of anesthesia for their facelift, or face lift, since they are not ‘completely out’ as some people say. Others choose the general anesthetic since they prefer not to be awake and would rather be completely out. With either method of anesthesia, we are able to accomplish our goals in terms of the facelift providing a rejuvenated facial appearance. Under either anesthetic we can also perform the necessary neck work needed to do a formal neck lift, or necklift, at the same time. A subset of patients ask whether or not the procedure can be done under just local anesthesia. Although this is possible in some cases, it does limit the amount of work that can be done in terms of the facelift, or face lift, procedure. When it comes to a limited mini facelift, or mini lift, procedure some patients can get away with just local anesthesia. In my current practice, I would say this is definitely the exception rather than the rule. Hope this helps.