Bridal Beauty Bootcamp: The Pre-Wedding Treatments You Need
Wedding planning isn’t just about sending invitations, picking out a cake, buying a dress, and finding a venue — it’s also about looking your best for your special day. On your wedding day, you want to “wow” your spouse-to-be, your guests, and, of course, the camera. Unfortunately, skin problems like acne, hyperpigmentation, scarring, and more, might stand in your way. The good news is that there are many ways to get your skin in shape for the big day, and the sooner you get started, the better.
So, let’s go over some of the key pre-wedding skin treatments you should consider in preparation for an unforgettable day.
Chemical Peels
Chemicals peels have become staples of cosmetic dermatology, helping patients see a reduction in facial lines and wrinkles, damage from the sun, mild scarring, and pigmentation irregularities. Most peels include glycolic acid, which helps remove the outermost layer of skin, allowing smoother, brighter, younger-looking skin cells to come forth. It’s worth noting, though, that while the average chemical peel only lasts about 5-15 minutes, it may take several treatments over the course of 3-6 months to see real results, and your skin may experience redness and flaking in the meantime. This means that if you plan on getting chemical peels to prepare for your wedding, make sure you begin several months in advance.
Facials
Routine facials can also help rejuvenate your skin. Facials come in many forms, but they’re all designed to exfoliate and cleanse the skin while moisturizing it in the process. These treatments can be especially useful for clearing up acne and blackheads. Like with chemical peels, though, it may take several treatments to see long-term improvement, and different skin types respond better or worse to different types of facials. For these reasons, it’s a good idea to start getting facials well in advance of your big day so your cosmetic dermatologist can find the best regimen for your skin.
Microdermabrasion
For a more intensive method of exfoliation, consider microdermabrasion. This method “sands” the skin with an abrasive material to remove dead skin cells and stimulate new skin cell growth. Those with sensitive skin, rosacea, and/or severe acne might not be good candidates for this procedure, though. However, this method works wonders for many. Just keep in mind that, once again, starting sooner will grant you better results on your wedding day. Ideally, you want to begin undergoing microdermabrasion at least six months in advance.
Dermaplaning
Dermaplaning is similar to microdermabrasion in many ways, but it’s gentler and less invasive. In addition to evening out skin tone, improving texture, and smoothing out scarring, this method of exfoliation also removes fine hairs (i.e. “peach fuzz”) from one’s face, further smoothing and brightening the skin. Results from dermaplaning are relatively immediate, but they improve over time after multiple treatments.
Laser Therapies
Lasers can do a lot for your skin these days. Ablative lasers like Fraxel Re:pair can help resurface soft tissue, improve pigmentation, eliminate redness and broken blood vessels, and smooth out wrinkles; and non-ablative lasers such as Fraxel Re:store can reverse signs of aging, sun damage, and more by stimulating collagen production. Best of all, heal times are relatively short for these laser treatments. That said, it may take several months to notice results. So, as always, plan ahead and start early!
Dermal Fillers
Injectable fillers like Juvederm, Perlane, and Sculptra can enhance your skin’s shape, structure, and volume in preparation for your wedding day. In most cases, it only takes about 1-2 weeks to see results, and these results can last 6-12 months or more. Still, it’s a good idea to receive your first dermal filler well before the month of your wedding to gauge how your skin responds to a given procedure.
Eyelash Enhancements
If you’re going to put all of this effort into enhancing the skin on your face, don’t forget about your eyelashes. Long, thick eyelashes will bring your whole look together on your special day. If all else fails, you can opt for false eyelashes or extensions. But you can also enhance your actual lashes with products like Latisse©. This doctor-prescribed, FDA-approved drug can increase the length, thickness, and darkness of eyelashes over the course of several weeks, though results can vary from patient to patient. If you want to go this route, know that the full treatment cycle for Latisse is 16 weeks (about four months).
Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life — get the skin you’ve always wanted to commemorate this special occasion. Premier Dermatology Partners offers every kind of cosmetic skin treatment out there, and we can help you find the right plan for your unique skin.
To learn more about our providers and all the services we offer, contact us today.