Regardless of the type of surgery, anesthesia is necessary to control pain. Anesthesia is a major concern among people who are planning to undergo liposuction surgery. Based on the technique used, the procedure can be performed under local or general anesthesia. For instance, a non-invasive procedure such as laser liposuction can be done using local anesthesia, while a traditional invasive procedure would require general anesthesia. The two main types of anesthesia used in liposuction procedures are general and local anesthesia.
Anesthesia works as an analgesic and blocks pain, relaxes you, makes you unconscious for the surgery, and immobilizes you by stopping or reducing automatic responses such as increased heartbeat, rapid breathing, and a rise in blood pressure. This obstruction of sensory, reflex, mental and motor functions is required for the surgeon to operate on you safely and effectively.
There are basically four types of anesthesia: local, regional, conscious sedation, and general. Liposuction is generally performed using either general or local anesthesia and the choice depends on your surgeon’s preferences and on how large an area is being treated.
Usually, traditional liposuction uses general anesthesia because it involves treatment of large areas. General anesthesia also makes it easier to remove large amounts of fat in multiple parts of the body. You will be completely asleep and unaware of what’s going on during this procedure and sometimes, this may pose risks. The anesthetic effect lasts for a longer than local anesthesia and recovery from its effects may take longer.
Local anesthesia is much more convenient and safer when compared to general anesthesia. Local anesthesia numbs the area to be treated and is most commonly used in minimally procedures. A topical local anesthetic can also be applied to the skin to numb the skin.
According to a 2017 Medscape report, one study showed that liposuction done under local anesthesia involves less complications or risks than liposuction done under general anesthesia. Local anesthesia allowed patients to remain awake and relaxed throughout the procedure and get back quickly to their normal routine. A report published in Dermatologic Surgery says that, “Cosmetic procedures performed in offices by dermatologists under local and dilute local anesthesia yielded no reported complications.”
An increasing number of patients prefer to have their procedure done under local anesthesia because of its safety and the shorter recovery period. If considering you are considering laser liposuction in NYC, you should make sure that anesthesia is administered by a surgeon specially trained to do so. Moreover, you should inform your surgeon about medications you take as well as any underlying health conditions you have such as allergies, asthma, and lung, heart or circulatory conditions, because these can increase your risks even if you had anesthesia safely in the past.
There are AAAASF accredited plastic surgery facilities in NYC that can provide liposuction under local anesthesia using advanced techniques such as Smartlipo. Such facilities would have well experienced and trained plastic surgeons who can administer the anesthesia safely and effectively. A good plastic surgeon will explain to you the advantages of local anesthesia vs. general anesthesia, and which type of anesthesia is ideal for your particular procedure.
