Your Guide To Pre-Wedding Skin Care Treatments
Your wedding is one of the most special days you’ll share with your friends, family and your main squeeze; so naturally most brides want to feel their best. A huge part of that is the appearance of their skin. With wedding season fast approaching, here is a general guide to follow and my input on how to get clear, healthy glowing skin in time for your wedding day.
1 Year Prior
Book your initial skin health consultation at a reputable clinic. Tell them what your skin goals are, be specific as possible! This will give your skin care provider ample opportunity to evaluate the overall health of your skin and address any skin concerns you may have such as sun spots, acne, dull or congested skin, inflammation, redness or signs of pre-mature aging. A thorough plan will address both the internal and external factors that affect the health of your skin. Your diet and water intake, stress levels, hormones and gut health all play a role in the appearance of your skin, so getting you started on a solid lifestyle at-home skin care plan is always best jumping point!
1 Year - 4 Months Prior
Plenty of time still. 12-4 months prior to your wedding day you can undergo treatments that require more downtime. Begin with a series of treatments that target skin damage and your specific skin concerns. Lasers like IPL Photo Facial, Clear & Brilliant and Fraxel, dermabrasion, botox, dermal fillers, deeper chemical peels, targeted skin care products and lifestyle intervention are some examples of targeted skin care treatments. Once you’ve repaired any skin damage and improved upon acne etc. you can begin to rejuvenate your skin with luxurious collagen stimulating treatments such as microneedling and PRP (platelet-rich plasma) facials. Remember, you will very likely require a series of treatments spaced several weeks apart in order to achieve your desired result. What treatments to have, and how many to have is something you will determine with your skin care provider. Patience, and good planning, is everything!
2-3 Months Prior
Getting close! Most weddings are in the summer and early fall, meaning the final months leading up to your big day are ones with higher sun-exposure. While this doesn’t completely eliminate the possibility of having reparative or rejuvenating treatments, these procedures make you sun-sensitive (and typically require more downtime), so your best best is to have your final microneedling or PRP facial scheduled during this window.
1-2 Months Prior
Have your last botox or dermal filler touch-up and focus now on light, non-invasive facials like LED or oxygen facials, microcurrent, light microdermabraison or dermaplaining. The rule here is avoid extraction or deep exfoliation. Aim instead to nourish and enrich your skin. This is not the time to add in new skin care products or try new treatments, so be sure to consult with your skin care provider first!
1-2 Weeks Prior
Treat yourself to a de-stressing Gua Sha facial to de-puff, calm and lift the skin for a healthy glow.
1-2 Days Prior
Drink plenty of water, avoid processed or sugary foods, avoid excessive alcohol intake and try your best to have 8 hours a night of quality restorative sleep. Keep up your at-home skin care routine!
Day Of
Start your day with a grounding technique, something like deep breathing, yoga or a gentle outdoor walk (wearing a hat and sunscreen!). Before sitting down to hair and make-up, you can apply an organic collagen or soothing aloe mask or a hydrating serum (as long as you have tried the product previously) and some under-eye gels for 20 minutes…and you’re set!
In Health,
Dr. Alaina