Statistically, June is the most popular month for wedding with August, September and October giving June a run for the money when it comes to tying the wedding knot! This being said, the bride and her mom have hired a wedding co-ordinator, reserved the venue, chosen a florist, hired a photographer and videographer, chosen a menu, looked at wedding cakes, picked out colors, shopped for and probably purchased the gown, chosen the hair stylist and make-up artist… But wait! What about you?
It is now very common to see a bride and the moms at Dr. Marc DuPéré’s Visage Clinic in Toronto in a panic, realizing there are going to be pictures taken in just a few weeks. They are looking in the mirror and they don’t like entirely what they see; winkles, hollowing, empty lips, bad skin textures, etc.
But here are some helpful tips on how to avoid that panic. You may also want to quickly read Dr. Marc DuPéré’s beautiful little essay on what happens with aging and Dr. DuPéré’s education background.
My first tip for you, brides: it isn’t a good idea come to see Toronto Plastic surgeon Dr. Marc DuPéré a mere 2 weeks before your wedding and want to try something you have never done before. Even our medical skin care is a treatment! If your skin is dull when is should be glowing, those top layers need to come off to show the fresh new skin come to the surface. This requires some gentle peeling which may have a little redness. We do want this reaction, but not 2 weeks before your wedding. Our goal is to give you the best skin you’ve ever had so the make-up is minimal; you have to allow the appropriate time for skin to change and repair. Give Dr. Marc DuPéré and myself at least 3-4 months to get your skin as perfect as possible.
The same applies for the Dr. DuPéré’s famous non-surgical browlift with Botox and its little cousin Dysport, for the wrinkle reduction or for the natural-looking lip augmentation with Juvederm Volbella and Restylane. Two weeks before your wedding should not be your first time. Toronto cosmetic surgeon Dr. Marc DuPéré, designs a treatment specifically for each patient – i.e. custom-made and tailored for you. If any adjustments are needed, this is usually done 2 weeks after the treatment. Just as you are going for a pre-wedding hair trial and for food tasting, your first wrinkle reduction with Botox and Dysport, your first non-surgical Dr. DuPéré’s browlift and your first Restylane or Juvederm treatment should not be just before your wedding. Three to six (4-6) months pre-wedding is optimal for your first treatment with a touch-up 6 weeks before your wedding day.
Moms. Where do I begin! As a former mother-of-the-bride, I know the first thing we do is look at the other mother. It’s true. I had stiff competition! Then we look at ourselves in the mirror and we make our list. Eyes, cheeks, chin, neck, boobs and belly. Here are procedures that address each one.
Upper eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty is a relatively simple surgical procedure that, when executed precisely and meticulously, will make your whole face brighten up. Eyelid surgery removes the excess skin and the little fad pads that sit on top of your eyelid making wearing eye make-up a nightmare. Within two weeks, a blepharoplasty makes such a difference! Remember, people look first at your eyes and your smile!
The next most common pre-wedding surgery is the neck lift or neck tightening, with or without the facelift. We want to get rid of the turkey waddle. This surgery should be done at least six months before the wedding. But, what a result!! Your neck will be at the 90-degree angle again with no more loose or hanging skin. Addressing also your early jowls, your neckline will be fabulous!
The tummy-tuck (abdominoplasty) and breast lift (mastopexy) with or without breast augmentation with implants – commonly referred to as the Yummy-Mommy procedure – is very common combination of procedures performed by Toronto plastic surgeon Dr. Marc DuPéré at the Visage Clinics. For taking your body back to what it once was or getting what you never had, these surgical procedures are fantastic! Six months pre-wedding is minimum if you want to consider this. You will look fabulous in your mother’s dress!
For non-surgical treatments, wrinkle injection with Botox and Dysport, and filler (Restylane or Juvederm) are the number one procedure of choice for the moms! What Dr. Marc DuPéré can do with a few teaspoons of hyaluronic acid (a naturally-occuring human sugar-like molecule) and a few units of Allergan’s Botox and Valeant’s – Medicis – Dysport is magic. Softening angry lines between the eyes, lifting eyebrows, replacing or repositioning lost cheeks, filling hollows under the eyes, contouring jawlines, filling hollows in our temples and putting a little sexy pout back in our lips – think Brigitte Bardot when she was 25. All these procedures should not be left until two weeks before the celebration. For the newbie to this, 6 months minimum for your first treatment and then a little touch up 4 – 6 weeks before the wedding.
Skin care for both moms and brides is the same. ZO medical skin care by Dr. Zein Obagi is a physician-only skin care line that erases years of damage, maintains the repair and prevents future aging and damage. Started at least four months before the wedding and you will be amazed by the results. Great for teenagers to grandmothers!
The only other procedure recommended for both bride and moms is a BBL or IPL photofacial. Medically proven with 11 years of medical data, the BBL photofacial (IPL) will reverse large components of skin aging. The BBL photofacial removes facial veins, improves rosacea, gets rid of sun damage, controls melasma and speeds up collagen production. A minimum of 4 treatments done once a month, followed with medical skin care and bi-yearly treatments, your skin will be beautiful forever. There is no down time.
One last – and often forgotten one! – is treatment of heavy sweating – hyperhidrosis – with Botox, a treatment approved by Health Canada many years ago. It is a great treatments for the underarms, the hands and feet! More on this in our future blog on “The Groom, the fathers and the Best Men”.
I have given you timelines and suggestions. It’s up to you to choose what you want to do. If you want to chat about it, you can reach us at Visage Clinics at 416.929.9800 or via email. I love to talk about what we do!
Oh yes, do you want to know what I did for my daughter’s wedding? I had a blepharoplasty and I use ZO medical skin care on a regular basis. I added a few laser treatments to make sure my skin was in tip top shape; BBL IPL, microlaser peels and profractional with the Sciton Erbium technology. Dr. Marc DuPéré in Toronto sculpted my face with Botox injections and Juvederm Volbella and Voluma and some Restylane fillers 6 weeks before the big day. I had one Selphyl treatment (the so-called Vampire facelift as seen on Dr. Oz and Oprah Winfrey). As for the bride, she had great skin from using ZO medical skin care and she continued her regular routine and did not even use foundation. Toronto plastic surgeon Dr. Marc DuPéré did his famous non-surgical browlift so her eyebrows gently arched gracefully over her eyes; nicely open and bright. She looked stunning!
So did her mom!
Visage Clinic team
