Everything You Need to Know About a Local Anesthesia Facelift

Posted April 03, 2025 in Facelift

Facelift surgery is the gold standard for patients who want to restore a youthful appearance by tightening sagging skin and smoothing deep wrinkles. Facelifts are typically performed using general anesthesia, but what about patients who don’t want to “go under” or have a medical condition that may increase complications from general anesthesia? Fortunately, advances in plastic surgery techniques have made it possible to achieve dramatic facelift results using only local anesthesia. In this blog, we’ll discuss the benefits of the California Lift, Dr. Boyd’s signature procedure, that offers all the benefits of a traditional facelift without the need for general anesthesia.

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Can a Facelift Be Performed Using Local Anesthesia?

The primary question patients have regarding the California Lift is whether a “true” facelift can be performed using local anesthesia. The answer is yes — the California Lift rejuvenates your mid and lower face, offering comprehensive results using only local anesthesia and oral sedation. This approach allows you to remain awake during the procedure, making it a safer and more attractive option for many patients.

What Can a California Lift Treat?

The California Lift offers natural-looking results by addressing areas of your face most affected by the aging process, including:

Drooping Cheeks

Age and significant weight loss can reduce volume in your cheeks, resulting in sagging skin and deeply etched wrinkles. A California Lift tightens the underlying facial muscles, repositions fat pads, and eliminates excess skin for a more youthful appearance.

Jowls

If you have excess skin and displaced fat deposits along your jawline, a California Lift tightens and sculpts your lower face to create a more defined facial contour.

Neck Bands and Wrinkles

A California Lift can smooth and tighten the skin on your neck and reduce the appearance of noticeable platysma bands.

Nasolabial Folds and Marionette Lines

Also known as smile lines, nasolabial folds extend from the side of your nose to the corner of your mouth, while marionette lines pass from the corners of the mouth down to the mandibular border and delineate the front of the jowls. A California Lift smooths the laugh and marionette lines around your mouth, creating a softer expression.

What Are the Benefits of a Local Anesthesia Facelift?

Reduced Risk of Complications

General anesthesia comes with potential risks for certain patients, especially those with pre-existing medical conditions. General anesthesia can cause blood pressure and respiratory issues, and some patients may have adverse reactions to the anesthesia itself. When a patient awakes from general anesthesia, there is typically a spike in blood pressure that may cause bleeding and subsequent hematomas (collections of blood under the skin). Choosing a local anesthesia facelift like the California Lift makes the procedure safer and lowers your risk for complications.

Faster Recovery Time

One of the most significant benefits of a local anesthesia facelift is that it offers a faster and more comfortable recovery. Since you don’t have to recover from general anesthesia, you will eliminate the associated side effects like grogginess, nausea, and dizziness. Most California Lift patients leave our office accompanied but on foot shortly after the procedure and return to their regular routine and activities in a week or two.

More Comfortable Surgical Experience

Because we use a combination of oral sedation and localized numbing, discomfort is minimized, and you can remain calm and relaxed throughout your California Lift procedure.

Fewer Side Effects

General anesthesia often leads to unpleasant side effects such as nausea, vomiting, sore throat, and prolonged grogginess. A California Lift allows you to avoid these side effects and feel better, faster.

What to Expect During a Local Anesthesia Facelift

When you come in for your California Lift consultation, Dr. Boyd will evaluate your face, listen to your concerns, and discuss your aesthetic goals. Once he determines that a California Lift is the best option for you, he will create a personalized surgical plan designed to achieve optimal results.

The California Lift follows the same surgical steps as a traditional facelift but is performed in-office using local anesthesia. A numbing solution is injected into the treatment area, and once the local anesthesia takes effect, Dr. Boyd uses strategically placed incisions along your hairline and around your ears to keep visible scarring to a minimum. Using his own weaving technique with special barbed sutures, he then tightens and elevates the underlying musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) to create a natural and youthful lift. Dr. Boyd completes the procedure by trimming away excess skin and meticulously closing the incisions.

Am I a Candidate for a Local Anesthesia Facelift?

Candidates for a local anesthesia facelift should be nonsmokers in good overall health who have realistic expectations for their results. Ideal candidates for a California Lift include patients with visible signs of aging, such as sagging cheeks, jowls, and neck lines and wrinkles. Patients with multiple or severe medical conditions are generally not good candidates.

Learn More About Local Anesthesia Facelifts in South Bay

If you want comprehensive facial rejuvenation without the potential risks and side effects of general anesthesia, a California Lift may be the perfect solution. To learn more about the procedure and discover if a California Lift is right for you, schedule a consultation with Dr. Boyd today by calling (310) 597-4734 or completing the online contact form.