How close to my wedding can I have plastic surgery? A board-certified plastic surgeon explains how to time surgery, injectables, and more
Your wedding will be one of the most-photographed days of your life, so it is natural to want to look your personal best. For many, this means scheduling a consultation with a plastic surgeon. If you have been thinking about a procedure, but wondering how to time surgery with an upcoming wedding, this blog is for you. Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Emily J. Kirby explains how to plan plastic surgery, as well as non-surgical tweaks, around a wedding.
Plan plastic surgery at least 3 months before your wedding
For most surgical procedures, it is ideal to schedule a surgery date that is a full calendar year before the big day. In a year, most swelling subsides and scars have time to fade and soften. If you are a bride, this also allows you to have your dress fitting after swelling has mostly resolved (usually 3-6 months after surgery). It also means you will be ready for your honeymoon, particularly if your destination is a sunny one.
Still, it is possible to have plastic surgery up to 3 months before your wedding. Swelling has significantly decreased by 3 months after surgery and is usually not noticeable after 6 months.
Since recovery timelines are dependent on your body and your procedure, we will discuss these in detail during your consultation.
For expert advice, it is important to schedule your initial consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon. During this meeting, we will discuss your goals, appropriate procedures, what results you can expect, and how long you will need to recover before you will look and feel camera-ready. We will go over key elements of the process, such as:
- Post-surgical recovery: Beautiful surgical results require a commitment to a restful recovery period of the appropriate length for your procedure.
- Swelling: For many procedures, swelling takes several months to subside enough that your shape and size are stable enough for fitting of a wedding dress or other closely tailored garments.
- Breast implant settling: If you choose breast augmentation and have your implants placed under the chest muscle, you will want to wait for your implants to gradually “drop and fluff” into their final position for natural-appearing results.
- Incision healing: Most plastic surgeries involve one or more inconspicuously placed incisions, so we will discuss the location of any scars and how you can expect them to heal over time.
We will also go over your full medical history at this time and discuss how health conditions or certain lifestyle factors (i.e. smoking) can affect the recovery process.
Favorite pre-wedding procedures
We have seen Fort Worth plastic surgery patients for a wide variety of pre-wedding procedures, and the right choice is always highly personal. Some of the most popular options include:
- Liposuction: Liposuction spot-reduces fat in the neck, abdomen, thighs, arms, and other areas where genetics have given you stubborn fat deposits.
- Breast augmentation: Breast implants provide an improvement in shape, upper pole fullness, and volume, as desired. A breast lift may be combined with breast augmentation to improve nipple position and address any drooping that has set in after weight loss or pregnancy.
- Tummy tuck: A tummy tuck (a.k.a. abdominoplasty) addresses stretched muscles and removes excess skin and fat from the abdominal wall to create a firm, shapely waistline.
- Brazilian butt lift (BBL): A Brazilian butt lift involves liposuction of the abdomen, lower back, hips, and/or thighs and precise re-injection of fat into the buttocks for more projection and a more hourglass-shaped figure.
- Eyelid lift surgery: An eyelid lift gently raises sagging upper eyelids to create a more rested, refreshed appearance.
Consider non-surgical “tweakments” for a shorter turnaround time
We offer a full menu of non-surgical skin treatments, injectables, and CoolSculpting at Kalos Medical Spa at Kirby Plastic Surgery. Many smaller enhancements, such as dermal filler or professional facials, require little-to-no downtime before you are wedding-ready.
How to plan non-invasive treatments
With most skin treatments and injectables, we recommend that brides (and grooms!) visit us a few weeks to months in advance, especially if you have never tried the procedure in the past. Though most procedures involve minimal or no downtime, this leaves time for you to receive “touch-ups” of your injectables, or repeat sessions of beneficial skin treatments, to optimize your results.
If you are a regular patient with an established routine, just be sure to come in at least 3 weeks before the big day! This will give you more than enough time to see effects from Botox®, photofacial, SkinPen microneedling, or facials, and for any visible evidence of recent treatment to subside.
Be aware that non-surgical treatment does not always provide instant results: if non-invasive fat reduction with CoolSculpting is on your list for body contouring, be sure to schedule treatments several months ahead so that there is time for you to see results, which develop gradually over time.
- Schedule your consultation with the aesthetic specialists at Kalos Medical Spa to learn more. Our Fort Worth medical spa team is here for you and happy to accommodate the bride, wedding guests, or the whole bridal party!
Last-minute bridal touch-ups
If you are looking for a treatment to quickly refresh your look with almost no risk of lasting visible side effects, dermaplaning + HydraFacial MD is our go-to combination skin treatment for all skin types. Despite requiring almost no downtime, this facial deeply exfoliates and refreshes the skin to leave you with a baby-smooth complexion and a bright glow. When you are in the last-minute rush leading up to your wedding, this gentle facial will also allow you to (finally) relax! Our Fort Worth medical spa patients love to arrive early to enjoy our new luxury massage chair in our relaxation room.
Consult with Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Emily Kirby in Fort Worth
Want to shine on your wedding day? Dr. Emily Kirby and her elite team have the experience to help you safely reach your goals. Dr. Kirby will listen to your needs, fully educate you on your options, and answer all of your questions about timelines and aftercare. Our priority is you—your safety, your goals, and your confidence. Call 817-292-4200 or contact us online to begin your journey today.
