General or Local Anesthesia?

When it comes to a wide variety of elective cosmetic procedures, Arkansas cosmetic surgeons have two main options for anesthesia. General anesthesia involves putting the patient to sleep and performing the entire procedure while they are unconscious. In contrast, local anesthesia involves numbing of a localized area of the body to eliminate sensation and pain and to encourage the patient to remain relaxed throughout the procedure. Anesthesia is a safe and routine way to reduce or to eliminate pain during operations and other types of medical procedures. The type of anesthesia that your cosmetic surgeon chooses will be based on the type of procedure they are performing.

More extensive procedures such as breast augmentation, tummy tuck, and some forms of extensive liposuction require general anesthesia to keep the patient pain-free and relaxed throughout the procedure. Shorter elective cosmetic surgeries or those that are non-invasive do not require general anesthesia and local numbing medicine is employed to help eliminate pain and increase patient relaxation. For some procedures that are often only done with local anesthesia – such as liposuction – the patient will be given the option of general anesthesia if they prefer to be asleep throughout the operation. Dr. Branman is pleased to answer any of your questions about anesthesia and to help you understand all aspects of this medical intervention prior to your procedure.

To learn more about the anesthesia options and Arkansas cosmetic surgeons, contact Cosmetic Surgery Center at (501) 227-0707.