Get the Royal Wedding Treatment

By Denise Mann

The lovely Kate Middleton is sure to attract all eyes as she walks down the aisle with Prince William April 29, 2011. After all, it's not every day the world gets to witness a royal wedding. The good news is you, too, can look like a princess on your wedding day.

"Every bride is a princess and every groom is a prince, but sometimes it takes a little extra effort to bring out that inner royalty," says All About Facial Rejuvenation's Chief Medical Advisor Yael Halaas, MD, a facial plastic surgeon in New York City.

Sure, there are caterers to meet, entrees to sample, flowers to arrange, and invitations to mail out as you get closer to your wedding date, but do yourself a favor and schedule an appointment with a skin care specialist, facial plastic surgeon and/or cosmetic dentist before your nuptials, she says.

The more lead time you have before your wedding, the better. If you schedule a consultation six months or a year in advance of your big day, you may be a candidate for surgical procedures with longer downtimes, such as facelift or blepharoplasty. Nonsurgical procedures such as facial treatments and injections should be performed at least a month out.

"There are so many things that a bride can do to look glamorous and gorgeous on her wedding day," Halaas says.

Say I Do to Chemical Peels

While just being in love should give your complexion that healthy glow, a medium-strength chemical peel can remove the damaged outer layers, revealing fresh, baby-soft skin. These peels can also soften acne scars, age and liver spots, fine lines and wrinkles. "Getting a peel at least one month before your wedding date will assure that you have a smooth and radiant complexion," according to Halaas.

Other pre-wedding skin resurfacing techniques include non-ablative laser treatments, which target the tissue underneath your skin and stimulate the development of new collagen. The main structural protein found in skin, collagen's supply dwindles with advancing age, leading to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Promoting collagen production with a laser treatment can rejuvenate the skin's appearance with little to no downtime. "It's a win-win," Halaas says. "Consider it a wedding gift to yourself that keeps on giving."

Kiss the Bride

Injectables such as Botox or Dysport can get rid of wrinkles on your forehead and around your eyes, while soft tissue fillers such as Perlane and Juvederm can also help plump up mild to moderate creases around your mouth and restore volume to other areas of your face. "Some hyaluronic acid-based fillers can also plump up your lips in the month before your wedding," Halaas says. "Your lips will be seeing a lot of action on your wedding day, so you want them to look full and fabulous." Schedule your treatments at least one month before your wedding so any bruising and swelling will be gone.

Abdicate Your Crown

You want a diamond- or precious gem-studded tiara on your head for your wedding — not a crown. Thinning hair on the top of your head (or crown) is a hallmark of female pattern hair loss. There are things you can do to stop female hair loss in its tracks, including washing your hair with Nizoral shampoo. "This anti-dandruff shampoo has androgen blocking properties which may help stimulate hair regrowth," says Halaas. Laser treatments can also stimulate hair growth. "There is no downtime, so you can do it any time before your wedding," she adds.

Also, new research shows that tightly woven hairstyles such as that "up do" you may be planning for your big day can cause hair loss due to pulling and traction. "Consider a looser style, especially if you regularly wear braids or weaves or are at risk for hair loss," Halaas suggests.

Say Cheese

The first thing people notice is your smile, and you want it to be white and bright on your wedding day and in all of the photos that will live on! See a cosmetic dentist in the month leading up to your wedding to find out what teeth whitening and brightening options exist. There may also be simple ways to repair broken, chipped or cracked teeth or even replace missing ones.

Grooming the Groom

Sure, all eyes are on the bride, but that doesn't mean the groom can't kick things up a notch, too. "I recommend a lot of the same anti-aging strategies for men as I do for women," Halaas says. Chemical peels, Botox and soft tissue fillers can also help look men look their best as they say "I do."

"Make sure you see a doctor with expertise in male plastic surgery," Halaas advises men. "Even though some of the procedures are the same, there are some gender-specific considerations that affect treatment decisions."

Your wedding day goes by in the blink of an eye, but the results of these procedures — and the photos — last much, much longer. What are you waiting for? Start your search for a facial plastic surgeon to discuss your personalized wedding beauty plans now.

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