New York patients embrace awake facelifts under local anesthesia
NYC patients are increasingly choosing awake cosmetic surgeries—facelifts and related procedures done under local anesthesia with light sedation—allowing them to wake during the operation and walk out the same day. Proponents say this reduces anesthesia risks, pre-op testing, and costs, while critics warn about pain, patient movement, and questions of safety and standard of care for longer procedures. The approach is rising for shorter, less invasive surgeries, though experts emphasize careful patient selection and monitoring.