Wedding day is finally here. The bride glows. The mothers of the bride and groom are radiant. But maybe a little boost can brighten the glow in all those wedding photos. Look your best with these 10 cosmetic procedures, and don’t wait until the last minute. Even simple procedures need time for healing and visible impact. “If you time things well enough, the glow comes from inside,” says plastic surgeon Nancy Graff. “There’s an internal happiness that starts the wedding and starts the marriage.”
1. Lasik
Worried about squinting to recognize Great-aunt Martha? Don’t want to wear eyeglasses for photos? Lasik can improve nearsightedness and farsightedness. Contact lens wearers also appreciate Lasik for the big day. “The day starts early and runs late,” says Jane Barton, M.D., board certified ophthalmologist for Premier Eye Care Group in Harrisburg (www.premiereyes.com). “Contact lenses can get uncomfortable.”
Timing: One month is usually enough healing time, but two months out would be good, “just to make sure,” says Barton.
2. Botox
Botox and fillers keep wrinkles and crow’s feet from broadcasting a lifetime’s worth of worries and smiles. Even young women use Botox “to maintain their looks,” says Dr. David Warsaw, chief of plastic surgery for Lancaster General Health (www.lancastergeneralhealth.org).
Timing: The “teeny, tiny little red dots” from needles require time to heal, and muscles need up to two weeks to respond, says Graff, Lancaster County Center for Plastic Surgery (www.beyourselfonlybetter.com). “You need to know your body and give the treatment time to work.”
3. Peels and microdermabrasion
For a gorgeous glow, slough off dead skin with gentle lactic and enzyme peels, says April Kauffman, esthetician for Dermatology Associates of York (www.dermyork.com). Lots of options address rosacea, hyperpigmentation and broken capillaries. Microdermabrasion also removes surface cells, although chemical peels can work more deeply without skin damage, says Kauffman.
Timing: To go from good skin to glowing, try a couple of peels two months beforehand. Add up to a year for more serious challenges, such as acne.
4. Laser skin therapy
Weddings can inspire brides, moms and bridesmaids to tackle the issues that have bothered them for years. For pitting caused by acne, Kauffman suggests a laser treatment such as Fraxel.
Timing: Figure on three to five treatments, each one month apart, with several months for the full benefits to show. “Collagen’s in no rush to do you any favors,” says Kauffman.
5. Teeth whitening
Regular cleanings and over-the-counter whiteners lack the whitening punch of professional treatments. For a truly dazzling smile, choose a dentist’s take-home or in-office bleaching, says Dr. Christian A. Silvaggio, of Silvaggio Prosthodontics (www.lancaster-implant-dentist.com) in Lancaster. “It allows light to be reflected and gives teeth a whiter appearance.”
Timing: Allow three weeks for daily use of the take-home procedure. In-office treatments take about two hours, “and the effects are immediate,” says Silvaggio.
6. Veneers and crowns
Restore the look of teeth marred by chips, dark spots and heavy fillings through veneers, “a thin shell of porcelain that overlays the tooth,” Silvaggio says. There’s very little grinding involved with veneers. Porcelain crowns to cover more serious cosmetic flaws require more preparation. Timing: Both take about a month, from impressions taken, to laboratory creation of veneers and crowns, to placement and the return of that beautiful smile.
7. Breast augmentation or reduction
Found the perfect dress but want to fill it out a little better? Here’s the incentive to finally get that breast augmentation or reduction. For augmentation, silicone and saline implants remain as options, but the new anatomic implants, which are more naturally shaped and textured, are increasingly popular, says Warsaw.
Timing: Plan six months ahead for the debut, and don’t forget to account for dress fittings.
8. CoolSculpting
Don’t love your love handles? Ready to drop those saddlebags? “Kill the fat by freezing it,” says Graff. The increasingly popular noninvasive treatment can chill away about 25 percent of fat deposits, says Warsaw.
Timing: There’s no bruising, and no need for pain relief, but CoolSculpting typically requires about three months to take effect. Some patients require multiple treatments.
9. Liposuction
When fat deposits simply won’t respond to noninvasive treatments, or for those who want dramatic results, liposuction could be the answer. Though it requires surgery under anesthesia, “you’re sucking that fat out. That fat is gone,” says Warsaw.
Timing: This is surgery, so there will be bruising and swelling. Patients wear compression garments to smooth out the skin. Count on about six months for full recovery.
10. Varicose and spiderbvein treatment
Varicose veins aren’t just unsightly. The pain can distract from enjoying the wedding day. The old vein-stripping methods have been displaced by a simple outpatient procedure of heating by catheter to close the bad veins. “You walk in, and you walk out,” says Dr. John Mathai, Premier Vein Specialists, Camp Hill (www.premierveinspecialists.com).
Timing: More than you think, because insurers require patients to first try compression stockings for 90 days. Post-procedure, expect about three to four weeks for full recovery.
Like varicose veins, spider veins are caused by the failure of valves to fully pump blood through the body. Sclerotherapy involves injections of a solution that collapses offending veins.
Timing: Benefits will show in about five to six weeks. Some patients require multiple treatments to target all spider veins because the body can tolerate only limited amounts of the fluid.
