Sure out-of-pocket healthcare costs are expensive. So it’s natural to try and save some money here and there. But do you really want to skimp and get cheap anesthesia? Avoiding deep sedation or general anesthesia is appropriate at times but make the decision for the right reasons.
What procedures are best for local anesthesia?
What are the right reasons to get local anesthesia and thus reduce your costs? The main point is, do this only when it’s safe, not solely to save money. For example, it’s quite simple to undergo an upper eyelid lift under local anesthesia and not shortchange safety. Getting “local” for an upper eyelid lift is less expensive than getting an anesthesiologist to perform monitored anesthesia care, aka “twilight.” But again, this is the exception, not the rule.
In general, you want to be asleep when you’re doctor is cutting on you! Why suffer through a surgical procedure just to save a few dollars. Keep in mind that if you’re squirming or grimacing throughout the procedure, you’re doctor may rush or decide they’ve done “a good enough job” just to stop torturing you. Of course your doctor wants to do a good job but that’s hard to do when you’re screaming because you’re awake during your boob job.
More importantly, getting an anesthesiologist just isn’t that expensive compared to what you’re paying overall for the procedure. Lastly, it’s the 21st century. Why not embrace the medical advances we’ve developed? There’s no reason to bite a bullet and drink whiskey like the old westerns.
Dr. Kaplan’s take on when local anesthesia is appropriate and watch him perform an upper eyelid lift under “local”
To check pricing on an upper eyelid lift, click here.
