The Final Bridal Preparation – Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
By Vanessa Voge, MD, plastic surgeon and director of Plastic Surgical Specialists, 316-263-0234
You’ve found the perfect dress. Chosen a venue that just the right mood. Tested dozens of cakes. Found a photographer to capture the special moments. Every fine detail is in place for your dream day. Almost.
Every bride wants to look and feel radiant for her walk down the aisle. A growing number of brides of all ages are adding plastic surgery to their preparatory beauty list, and the trend isn’t limited to brides. Grooms, mothers, and wedding attendants are undergoing aesthetic plastic surgery for picture perfect memories.
While traditional plastic surgery such as a tummy tuck, liposuction or breast augmentation are highly sought after, the trend that has people buzzing is the rise in aesthetic or non-surgical alternatives to plump, tighten and enhance facial features. In 2011, nearly six million people sought minimally invasive procedures such as BOTOX® and cosmetic fillers through plastic surgeons, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Although many day spas provide these products, Allure Magazine reporter Joan Kron recommends that to minimize complications and create truly exceptional results, injections should be administered by a doctor who specializes in skin and facial anatomy.
Here’s an in-depth look at some aesthetic plastic surgery procedures that are growing in bridal party popularity.
BOTOX®
BOTOX® injections relax the facial muscles and smooth lines on your forehead and around the eyes. It is a quick, relatively inexpensive way for a bride and her attendants to look relaxed and fresh for walking down the aisle.
Another advantage of BOTOX®, when injected in the armpits, it controls underarm sweating. By temporarily blocking the chemical signals from the nerves that stimulate the sweat glands, BOTOX® allows a bride to be confident in her sleeveless wedding dress.
I’ll administer a few tiny injections of BOTOX® into the muscles to block the nerve impulses. BOTOX® treatments take about 10 minutes and need very little recovery time. The full effect of BOTOX® will take about two weeks and will last up to four months.
I recommend scheduling a BOTOX® treatment about three weeks before the wedding day for the softest, most natural appearance.
JUVÉDERM®
Touted as the no-surgery face lift, JUVÉDERM® plumps wrinkles around the mouth and nose to give a smoother facial contour. It eliminates droopy skin, bags and puffiness and fixes fine lines. Immediate improvement will be seen in the treated areas!
JUVÉDERM® is an injectable gel that I administer with a fine needle. The injection takes about 15 minutes. There is minimal recovery time and just one treatment can smooth wrinkles for up to a year.
I recommend treatment two months before the wedding so any bruising and swelling will have time to dissipate.
LATISSE® Eyelash Growth Solution
For brides desiring longer, thicker, darker eyelashes, LATISSE® is a prescription, at-home solution to grow eyelashes. Each evening LATISSE® should be brushed on the lash line like eyeliner. After 16 weeks of application, lashes will look twice as thick.
Brides can make an appointment with me four to five months prior to the wedding. At that appointment, I will demonstrate how to apply LATISSE® and write a prescription. LATISSE® is not a permanent eyelash solution but is a minimal investment for great wedding day lashes.
Whether you desire traditional plastic surgery or aesthetic procedures, it’s important to choose your plastic surgeon carefully. A skilled surgeon can give you safe, natural-looking results for your wedding day and your newlywed future.
Scheduling your procedures should be done well before the day you say I do for the best results. I recommend a bride schedule her initial consultation with me six months prior to her wedding day. I’ll put together a treatment plan and timeline as customized as your wedding invitations and provides maximum wedding day beauty.
