It is perfectly possible to carry out a facelift under a local anaesthetic, but most of our patients prefer the type of general anaesthesia we give at the Cadogan Clinic (Total Intravenous Anaesthesia (T.I.V.A.)) for full facelift surgery.
TIVA delivers anaesthetic intravenously via a computerised pump able to monitor anaesthetic levels closely. This close calibration allows your anaesthetist to keep you at a relatively shallow level of anaesthesia, meaning your sickness is minimal following your procedure and you can start your recovery quickly. You will also be allowed home an hour or two after the surgery is completed, even if the surgery has taken several hours.
Local aneasthetic or sedation are better options for less invasive facelift surgery such as mini-lift or micro-lift surgery.