Most women have dreamt of the day they’ll walk down the aisle to wed their very own Prince Charming since they were still in pigtails. They’ve thought of every detail; the ring, the flowers, the cake, the dress, who they’ll have for their bridesmaids and where they’ll go on their honeymoon.
Even if the answers to these questions have changed over the years (most of us don’t want a Disney princess dress quite as big as we’d imagined when we were 6), the day we get married is always going to be one of the most important days of our lives.
Whilst watching our figures in the run-up to the big day is relatively common, many brides forget about the importance of having a solid beauty strategy in place for the months before their wedding.
Today we want to highlight the necessity of carefully planning your beauty treatments before you tie the knot. From procedures that need repeat treatments to those that require a little ‘downtime’ before you’ll be camera-ready, we give you the insight you’ll need to outshine Kate Middleton when you put on that all-important white dress.
Treatments worth considering
For the Bride
The average age for a woman to get married has increased to 34, so the natural, fresh-faced glow enjoyed by our mothers’ and grandmothers’ generations when they said ‘I do’ may require a little help when our time arrives.
Treatments that are great for improving skin tone and texture, as well as erasing fine lines, include:
Medical Needling – 1 year in advance
Medical needling achieves gradual results over a course of treatments, and works by stimulating a natural healing response in the skin in order to improve skin quality, tone and texture. It can be used as an effective treatment for fine lines and wrinkles, as well as open pores and acne scars.
Results are achieved over a course of months (2-5 treatments are recommended, spaced 6 weeks apart) and whilst side effects are minimal, the results take time., so brides looking to undergo this treatment should think to begin them about a year before their wedding.
Cryolipolysis – 6 months
Cryolipolysis or ‘fat freezing’ is a treatment that destroys fat cells so that they can be processed by the body more easily. It can help brides get rid of small, stubborn areas of fat that are resistant to diet or exercise – great for the upper arms, stomach, flanks, thighs and back.
Results are achieved gradually over approximately 6 weeks, but in some cases more than one treatment will be necessary. Treatments should be spaced three months apart.
Platelet Rich Plasma – 3 months
If you’ve cut it a little fine and your nuptials are impending, platelet rich plasma therapy could be an option for skin rejuvenation. Also known as the ‘vampire facelift’ this treatment involves the injection of plasma from the recipient’s blood into their face in order to stimulate the formation of new collagen and elastin, leading to improved skin tone and elasticity.
Results can be achieved after one treatment, but practitioners will usually review results after six weeks, and tend to recommend 3 treatments over three months to see optimum results.
For the Bridesmaids
Whilst it’s generally accepted that the bride will be the centre of attention, the bridesmaids will certainly be getting a few glances from the congregation, and will definitely feature heavily in photos of the big day.
Some treatments that bridesmaids might consider include:
Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is an abrasive exfoliation treatment that loosens and removes dead skin cells to reveal smoother, healthier ones below. It produces subtle improvements in fine lines and dull-looking skin.
For best results, a course of 4 to 6 treatments with about a month between each session is advised. As side effects include redness and swelling (which doesn’t usually last longer than 24 hours) your final treatment should be at least a week before the big day.
Tooth Whitening – 2-4 weeks
Tooth whitening has become extremely popular in the last decade, and is great for those looking to improve their confidence in their smile.
Hydrogen peroxide in tooth-whitening gels penetrates the tooth’s enamel to get to discoloured molecules, whitening them through oxidisation.
Treatment should be carried out by a dentist or hygienist, and depending on how discoloured teeth are, should take between 2 and 4 weeks, so aim to get started at least a month before the wedding.
Mother of the Bride
Every mother of the bride wants to look their best on their daughter’s big day, and as today’s brides are a little older, it follows suit that mothers of the bride are, too.
Procedures that are great for ‘fixing up’ the effects of ageing include:
Botulinum Toxin Injections – 1 Month
Wrinkle relaxing injections do just that, and can be an extremely effective treatment for crow’s feet and forehead wrinkles. They block signals between facial nerves and muscles, preventing them from contracting and causing furrows in the skin.
After treatment, results are usually noticeable after 2 or 3 days and last between 3 and 4 months. Side effects include bruising and redness at injection sites as well as swelling, so it’s best to get treatments at least a month before the wedding.
Dermal Fillers – 1 Month
For deeper wrinkles or hollows, dermal fillers can be just the thing. These injections introduce hyaluronic acid into the skin, which attracts water and ‘plumps up’ problem areas.
Side effects include redness and swelling, pin-prick marks and possible bruising, so again it’s best to get treatment about a month before the big day. However, results last between 6 – 18 months so earlier treatments are also a possibility.
Save Face
At Save Face, we think anyone considering having a non-surgical treatment should be fully informed so that they’re able to make the right decision about whether or not to go through with a procedure.
For more information on any of the above treatments, please go to our information pages.