Soon-to-be-brides seek out dermatologists for a wide variety of pre-wedding concerns, be it acne, scars, or simply a lackluster complexion. However, it is most often aging and discolored skin that troubles the bride-to-be, and sometimes the mother-of-the-bride, most. While many will entertain more drastic treatments and surgeries to achieve their aesthetic ideal, it is always my suggestion that before you say "I do" to any invasive or permanent pre-wedding nip/tuck or poke, you try one or all of these viable alternatives first:
1. Repair your damaged DNA. You may be asking yourself these two questions: "How does DNA become damaged?" and "What does that have to do with looking younger on my wedding day?" The answers are not as complex as one would suspect. Essentially, our delicate DNA structure becomes compromised when exposed to environmental stressors, like UV rays, city pollution, smoke, and the likes. As we grow older and DNA damage builds, our skin lacks the ability to repair as it did in its youth, resulting in wrinkles, fine lines, sagging, dullness, enlarged pores, dark spots, thinning skin, and even cancer. So, by fixing your broken DNA you are essentially reversing the damage done, restoring your complexion to one of healthy, youthful luminescence.
Now, the question is how do we fix this damaged DNA and teach skin to behave as it did in its youth? The simple answer is a combination therapy of DNA Repair Enzymes and barley-derived human Epidermal Growth Factors. Choosing a skincare line containing these highly sophisticated elements, which are clinically proven to tighten sagging skin and reverse photodamage caused by UV rays and other environmental stressors, will essentially reprogram your skin to behave, look, and feel young again. Just be sure to start this regimen at least eight weeks prior to your wedding or sooner for optimum results.
2. Resurface, tighten, and thicken skin with specialized facial treatments. An experienced, board-certified dermatologist can help design specialized facial treatments to brighten dulling skin, refine texture, and coax a more healthy and vibrant appearance to the skin's surface using advanced technology and techniques that require no recovery for time-sensitive brides.
Furthermore, in many cases, aging skin is not the only concern for brides. In addition to the symptoms of aging skin, several brides battle secondary skin ailments such as acne, pitting, or dark spots. By combining the resurfacing effects of various tools and/or masks with relevant serums or topical treatments, a bride-to-be can see significant improvement in not only the visible age of her skin, but also the resolve of most additional skincare concerns. For example, let's say a bride seeks a more radiant, glowing complexion, yet she suffers from discolored or blotchy skin and rough texture. In this instance, I might recommend a growth factor ultrasound facial, which increases penetration of topical treatments to soften fine lines and wrinkles, shrink the appearance of pores, as well as tighten sagging skin on the neck, eyelids, and jowls. Skin is left noticeably brighter, more balanced, and glowing.
Specialized facial treatment options such as these can be done as little as one day before the wedding or repeated several times in the months leading up to the big day, depending on the desired results.
3. Consider custom laser protocol. For an even more aggressive, yet still completely non-invasive, approach to looking younger on your wedding day, lasers are an exciting possibility. While there are many "intense" laser treatments, which may elicit a more extreme change or require recovery, there are also several more mild laser treatments that are still incredibly effective for hastening the treatment of dark spots or stimulating collagen production that require zero downtime.
Some popular pre-wedding lasers are Ablative and Nonablative lasers, radiofrequency devices, as well as IPL Photo Facials. These relatively simple laser or radiofrequency protocols can tighten skin, improve tone, lift discoloration, and improve the overall smoothness and texture of skin. The best part: all of this is achieved with no anesthesia and zero or minimal after effects. Usually, a bride-to-be will see significant results in anywhere from one to six treatments and at most will experience redness or peeling comparable to that of a peel from a spa.
As with any treatment, it is always important to time accordingly, ensuring skin has ample time to recover and fully reap the benefits of the procedure. For instance, if you are sticking with lasers and topical treatments, you'll want to begin at least two months prior to the wedding to see results.
Oftentimes, the pressures of wedding planning can make a bride-to-be much more critical than is necessary. If you find yourself nitpicking tiny spots or flaws in your skin you have never noticed prior, you may be attempting to fix something that was never broken to begin with.
Hopefully now you will have a much clearer idea of the kind of pre-wedding beauty plan best suited to your needs and wants, which ought to leave you ample time to stress over other important bridal duties, like bouquet color schemes and your groom's bachelor party.
Dr. Ronald L. Moy is a renowned scientist, researcher, dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon. Dr. Moy spearheads a thriving dermatology and cosmetic surgery practice, Moy Fincher Chipps, in the heart of Beverly Hills, CA. He is also founder of DNA EGF Renewal, a breakthrough skincare solution for photodamaged, aging and cancer-prone skin.