Florence Mussat, M.D.
680 N Lake Shore Dr. #1030 Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 751-9000

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Category: Skincare

How Far Ahead of the Big Day Should You Be Booking Bridal Treatments?

Getting everything (including yourself) ready for your big day can feel like a Herculean task. As is the case with any big project, however, starting early—and developing a realistic schedule—can work wonders to reduce stress and create stunning results. If you’re not sure where to begin, the timeline below will give you an idea of when to book different cosmetic bridal treatments.

One year before your wedding, you should start adjusting your lifestyle and improving your skincare regimen. Make sleep a priority and get into a routine; resist the temptation to stay up late planning your wedding. You should also optimize your diet: Even if you’re not trying to lose weight in time for your wedding, eating a diet rich in nutritious whole foods (and low in processed foods) will reduce breakouts and give you a natural “glow.” If you are trying to lose weight, Dr. Mussat offers a some medically supervised weight loss programs to help her patients slim down in a safe, healthy way.

Regarding skincare, you should start applying a medical-grade serum containing topical retinoids about one year before your wedding. These highly specialized compounds reduce acne symptoms while also slowly fading sun spots, freckles, fine lines, and other blemishes. Retinoids do have a few potential side-effects to be aware of, though, so they should only be used under the guidance of a board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist. Your skin care provider will help you work out a plan to avoid excess sun exposure and other irritants that can compromise the effectiveness of retinoid creams.

Six Months Before Your Wedding

Six months before your wedding, you should step up your skincare game: Consider trying injectable treatments, like Botox and dermal fillers, to smooth out distracting creases and amplify your best features. Even young brides sometimes find that Botox and fillers make them look better in photos as these compounds can correct genetic abnormalities (like naturally deep nasolabial folds or forehead creases) that are unrelated to the aging process.

Trying an injectable treatment six months before your big day will allow you to experiment: Because fillers and Botox wear off within three to six months, if you try a treatment and don’t like it, you can just let it dissolve naturally before you wedding. If you do like the results of your treatment, you can repeat it closer to your wedding date.

This is also a great time to book any surgical procedures you’re interested in having. Though most plastic surgery procedures only require a week or two of downtime, some procedures take a while to fully settle. Breast implants, for example, take about six months to “drop and fluff” (i.e., settle into a natural position and reach their final size). Having surgery well ahead of time ensures that you’ll look your absolute best when you walk down the aisle. It will also give you ample time to recover before you become very busy with wedding preparations.

Three Months Before Your Wedding

In the months leading up your wedding, you should start getting regular manicures and pedicures. You should also settle on a hair color and style that works with the gown you’ve chosen.

One Month Before Your Wedding

During the month before your celebration, you should schedule “top up” injections of Botox or fillers, if you want to freshen up the results of a previous treatment. If you’re having gel or acrylic nails applied, we recommend having them placed at least a couple of weeks before your wedding. Doing this will give you time to get used to how they feel before your wedding. Finally, make sure to have your teeth whitened during the month leading up to your big day.

As your wedding date nears, have any last minute waxing done (two to three days in advance) and have your nails touched up, if needed. You should also try to avoid stress and over-indulgence: Consider meditation to ease any pre-wedding jitters, limit alcohol, stay hydrated, and get enough sleep. By caring for your body—inside and out—you’ll guarantee that you look and feel fabulous when you say “I do.”