Education
Understand your options.
Plain-language articles with references to the published medical literature.
The Potential Benefits of Awake Surgery
Many patients prefer to avoid general anesthesia. Here is what awake surgery may offer, and what it cannot promise.
Read articleLevels of Anesthesia Explained
Anesthesia is a spectrum, not an on/off switch. This is not a ranking of safety.
Read articleHow Does Lidocaine Work?
Lidocaine is the most common local anesthetic in aesthetic surgery. It works by interrupting pain signals where they start.
Read articleHow Does Marcaine (Bupivacaine) Work?
Marcaine is a brand name of bupivacaine, a longer-acting local anesthetic often used for comfort after surgery.
Read articleFear of Intubation: Are the Worries Justified?
Many patients tell us they would avoid general anesthesia because of the breathing tube. The fear has some basis, and some of it is out of proportion.
Read articleDVT and Pulmonary Embolism: Awake Surgery vs General Anesthesia
Blood clots are a serious risk of any surgery. Here is what the research does and does not tell us about awake surgery versus general anesthesia.
Read articleAwake Liposuction and J-Plasma: What the Evidence Shows
Liposuction under local anesthesia has the stronger track record. The skin-tightening claims made for J-Plasma are less established.
Read articlePain, Anxiety and Music During Awake Surgery
Being awake does not mean being in pain. Anxiety and sound shape how a procedure feels, and music is one of the simplest tools we have.
Read articleGLP-1 Medications (Ozempic, Wegovy) and Anesthesia
Medications such as semaglutide are now very common. They matter to anesthesiologists because of how they affect the stomach.
Read articlePreparing for Awake Surgery: A Practical Guide
Good preparation makes an awake procedure feel calmer. Here is a practical way to think about it.
Read articleAwake or Asleep? How to Decide
There is no universally right answer. Here are the questions that help you and your team decide.
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