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Many patients and physicians are quite surprised to hear that a cutting / surgical facelift can be performed completely under local anesthesia. I have been practicing Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery since 1999. During this time I have performed hundreds of face, neck, eyelid, and body surgeries under local anesthesia. Mild sedation with oral valium and an injection of a pain killer (such as Demerol ) is all that is ever needed.

I have developed a procedure that involves the removal of excess skin AND tightening of the muscle (fascia and SMAS plication) that can be performed under local anesthesia. Some patients decide against having a facelift because of the risks associated with general anesthesia. Our trademarked Tuliplift procedure is performed without general anesthesia.

Here are the steps involved:

The skin is prepped in a sterile fashion in our operating room.

A dilute solutioon of numbing called "Klein Solution" is injected into the neck and face are

Excess fat is gently suctioned by hand (not a machine)

excess skin is marked off and removed from in front of the ears and behind the ears

SMAS / facial Muscle is tightened using permanent and dissolvable sutures

Skin is gently re-draped and sutured with dissolvable and semi-permanent sutures

sutures are removed 7-10 days later

2 weeks later the scars are reduced using Mixto fraction resurfacing

cost $15000-$25000