Written by: Dr Nahla Hunter
The marriage of one’s child is a life milestone and a cause for celebration; mothers of the bride or groom take pride in their appearance on that particular day. The undeniable effort the mother of the bride/groom exerts in planning each and every detail of the big day should also include herself.
In this heavily photo documented day, it is important and a little intimidating to achieve a picture perfect look. The glamorous dress and the professional make-up artist cannot do the job alone if your face is full of signs of tiredness and ageing. Luckily, nowadays, there is a wide array of facial rejuvenation options which can give you a more refreshed and youthful look for the big day. This, however, requires careful planning and good choice of a qualified aesthetic dermatologist or plastic surgeon to achieve what you want. The strict use of anti aging creams and serums is beneficial to preserve the texture of the skin but for women aged forty and above, it will require more than just creams to reverse the telltale signs of ageing. There are a lot of cosmetic interventions varying from noninvasive procedures as lasers and injectables to face-lifts. A credible and qualified physician can direct you to the most suitable procedure according to what you need, what suits you aesthetically and time available till the wedding. The downtime and recovery time required for each procedure should be considered in your plan to look your best on that day.
Among the non invasive procedures, injectables are the most sought after. These include filling in lines and wrinkles as the nasolabial folds or marionette lines (lines running from the corner of the nose to corners of the mouth) using dermal hyaluronic acid fillers. HA fillers are safe and were proved to stimulate collagen and improve texture and hydration of the skin. They could also be used to fill cheek hollows, improve facial contours and to reshape and rejuvenate the lips. It’s a simple safe procedure with no downtime, provided you go for an experienced injector. Fillers should preferably be done minimum 2 weeks before the event so as to give time to swelling or bruising if any to resolve.
Another popular option to treat wrinkles is the use of neuromodulators or neurotoxins which weaken the muscles in which they are placed. Botox ease facial expressions such as frowns, horizontal lines of forehead and smile lines. Botox starts to work after 3 days and requires two weeks to give its full effect, so consider this while scheduling your Botox appointment. When it comes to sagging necks and jowls, unfortunately, injectables cannot do the job alone. You have to opt for other options like deep plane and vertical face and neck lifts.
Another option would be the energy based devices such as radio frequency or high frequency ultrasound (ulthera) which can be an alternative to those who can’t, wont or simply do not want to undergo a surgical invasive procedure. Energy based devices tighten skin and create a subtle lifting effect with no downtime and no risks. If you have sun damaged skin, acne scarring, blotches, blemishes or fine wrinkles, you will need skin resurfacing. Resurfacing procedures include lasers, chemical peels or microdermabrasion. According to your skin problem, your cosmetic dermatologist will determine the procedure for you, the extent and depth of resurfacing and hence the down time.
Dear mother of the bride or groom, it is crucial to be fully aware of the downtime of each procedure so as to be able to plan your time properly giving yourself at least three weeks before the wedding day with no work done.
There is nothing as the one-size-fits-all-approach in aesthetic medicine, what suits your friend does not necessarily suit you and there is no one single procedure which corrects all. Choice of an experienced qualified aesthetic surgeon or dermatologist is mandatory to help you get the look you aim for on this special occasion.
And remember in cosmetic practice less is more so always aim for a natural subtle look, not an overly done look. We hope you shine in each and every moment and photograph in that day.
