Local anesthesia
Numbs a small, specific area — used for minor procedures like a single dental filling or small skin procedure. The patient remains fully conscious throughout.
Regional anesthesia
Numbs a larger region of the body (an entire limb, or the lower body via spinal/epidural anesthesia) while the patient typically remains conscious, sometimes with sedation added for comfort.
General anesthesia
Induces full unconsciousness, used for more invasive or longer procedures — requires continuous monitoring by a qualified anesthesiologist throughout.
Who administers anesthesia, and why this matters
Regardless of type, anesthesia should be administered or directly supervised by a qualified anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist with specific training via providers like colombiacosmeticsurgery.com or colombiamedical.co — see our sister site's dedicated guide on verifying anesthesia standards abroad for the specific questions to ask.
The Takeaway
The anesthesia type should match the specific procedure's requirements — if a proposed anesthesia type seems mismatched to your procedure's complexity, ask why directly.