Total IV Anesthesia (TIVA) for Facelift Surgery: Safe, Modern, and Comfortable

When patients start planning a facelift or other cosmetic procedure, one of the biggest questions they have is: “What kind of anesthesia will I have?”

At Gould Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, we prioritize not only your surgical results but also your safety, comfort, and recovery experience. That’s why we use Total Intravenous Anesthesia (TIVA), the most advanced and patient-friendly form of anesthesia available for facelift surgery, body contouring, and breast augmentation.

Understanding the Types of Anesthesia

To appreciate why TIVA is considered the “state of the art,” it helps to compare it with other anesthesia options commonly used in plastic surgery:

Conscious Sedation (Twilight Anesthesia)

• What it is: Medications are given through an IV to make you relaxed and sleepy, but you may still be aware of your surroundings.
• Pros: Quick recovery, no breathing tube.
• Cons: Patients can sometimes feel or remember parts of the surgery. Sedation alone may not provide enough comfort for longer or more complex surgeries like facelifts.

General Anesthesia

• What it is: Strong anesthetic gases are inhaled through a breathing tube to keep you fully unconscious.
• Pros: Complete unconsciousness, no awareness during surgery.
• Cons: Requires a breathing tube and inhaled gases, which can increase the risk of nausea, grogginess, sore throat, and slower recovery. More narcotics are often required, which can prolong downtime.

Total IV Anesthesia (TIVA / ORVA)

• What it is: Anesthesia delivered entirely through an IV, without inhaled gases or a breathing tube. You are fully asleep, comfortable, and breathing on your own.
• Pros:
• No inhaled gases → less nausea and grogginess.
• Faster, smoother recovery.
• Safer for longer cosmetic procedures like facelifts.
• Can be combined with advanced medications for optimal comfort and safety.

Bottom line: TIVA offers the perfect balance—deep sleep and comfort like general anesthesia, but with a quicker, safer recovery more like sedation.

Pre-Emptive Pain Control: Comfort Starts Before Surgery

One of the most advanced aspects of anesthesia in our practice is pre-emptive analgesia.

Before making an incision, we inject topical anesthetic medications directly into the surgical area. This approach has several major benefits:

• Less Pain During Surgery – By numbing the tissues before the first incision, pain signals never fully activate.
• Fewer Narcotics Needed – Because the area is already numb, the anesthesiologist can use fewer opioids during surgery.
• Faster Recovery – Less narcotics means less grogginess, nausea, and constipation afterward.
• Better Healing – Reducing pain and inflammation from the start helps improve tissue recovery and reduce downtime.

This multimodal strategy means our patients wake up more comfortable, more alert, and ready to heal.

Advanced Medications for a Better Experience

At Gould Plastic Surgery, we combine TIVA with the latest medications for maximum comfort and safety:

• Amend (aprepitant): Prevents nausea and vomiting, a common worry for facelift patients.
• Jornavax: Helps block pain pathways, reducing the need for heavy narcotics.
• Exparel: A long-acting local anesthetic that keeps surgical areas comfortably numb for 2–3 days.

Together, these tools create a smoother surgical experience and make recovery easier than ever.

TIVA Across Procedures: Not Just for Facelifts

While facelifts are the most common procedure we perform with TIVA, this anesthesia method is also used in:

• Body contouring procedures like tummy tucks and liposuction.
• Mommy makeover surgery where safety and comfort are key.
• Preservé™ Breast Augmentation – our fascia-preserving technique is paired with TIVA for a gentler, safer, and faster recovery compared to traditional breast surgery.

Why Patients Choose TIVA in Beverly Hills

• State-of-the-art safety and comfort.
• Less nausea, less pain, less grogginess.
• Faster, smoother recovery.
• Advanced pain-control techniques that minimize narcotic use.
• Perfectly suited for longer, advanced procedures like the Reset Lift™ facelift and Preservé™ breast augmentation.

Schedule Your Consultation

If you’re considering a facelift, body surgery, or advanced breast augmentation, discover why Total IV Anesthesia is the safest, most comfortable choice.

Call us at (310) 210-6941

Email: concierge@drgouldplasticsurgery.com

Request a Consultation