As your big day approaches, it’s essential to feel like the most confident and radiant version of yourself. At the Swan Center in Atlanta, we are here to meet your unique skincare needs as a bride-to-be! Whether you want to finally address dark spots or acne, or you are simply looking to enhance your already gorgeous canvas, our team of experienced estheticians and expert injectors are prepared to advise you on the optimal treatment to meet your goals. 

Below, we discuss our favorite non-surgical treatments and how to get the timing right before showers, the bachelorette trip, and the big day itself.

Facial treatments for brides

Our treatments are specially tailored to your skin concerns, offering solutions to everything from acne to fine lines. Here are some of our favorite treatments for brides-to-be:

Botox-type injectables (neurotoxins)

Botox, Dysport, and other neuromodulators are injected into muscles (usually on the upper face  around the eyes, forehead, and eyebrows) to pause nerve signals and soften the wrinkles that come from dynamic facial expressions. These treatments are quick, nearly painless, and require no downtime, making them perfect for busy brides! 

If you are able, it is ideal to establish a treatment regimen (every 3-4 months) with your injector well in advance to fine-tune your results and make sure you are happy with them for your big day. Schedule your final pre-wedding Botox injections at least 2 weeks in advance to allow ample time for any bruising to subside.

Dermal fillers

Dermal fillers (you’ve probably heard of Restylane or Juvéderm®) are designed to restore volume, reduce the appearance of lines, and enhance features such as cheeks and lips. Dermal fillers can cause some temporary swelling or bruising, so it’s best to schedule this treatment at least 1 month prior to your wedding. This allows plenty of time for any minor side effects to subside, as well as to adjust your results if needed. That said, if you have never tried fillers before, start as much as a year before your nuptials to give yourself time to try different options and fully refine your look.

• Learn about lip augmentation with filler »

Microneedling & RF microneedling

Microneedling, or collagen induction therapy, dramatically reduces acne scars and fine lines while improving skin texture and imparting a noticeable glow. If you want to see a big change, starting treatments six months in advance yields the most transformative results. RF microneedling uses radiofrequency to double up on the skin tightening transformation of microneedling, and does not always require repeat treatments.

As your skin will need time to heal and generate new collagen, schedule your last microneedling treatment at least 1 month before your wedding. If you’re planning a series of treatments for optimal results, start 3-6 months in advance and space each session about a month apart.

Chemical peels

Chemical peels are much less scary than they sound! We apply a custom solution containing ingredients like glycolic acid in high concentrations, then gently wash it away after a certain amount of time. This can smooth your skin out while improving any lines or wrinkles and promoting a nice, even skin texture. Peels can also help with dark spots or hyperpigmentation. To see full results, we recommend starting a series of at least 3 peels beginning a little over 12 weeks before your wedding day.

Hydrafacial

For a “your skin but better” look—especially if you struggle with breakouts!—start monthly Hydrafacials several months before the big day. These gentle facials can be customized with LED light and active ingredients, but every Hydrafacial uses a water vortex to extract pores and create a glowing complexion. You’ll see an instant glow after your Hydrafacial, so you may even consider a treatment the day before engagement photos or the wedding itself!

Whether you are the bride, a bridesmaid, or a proud mother-of-the-bride or -groom, our treatments and services are designed to enhance your natural beauty.

Broadband light therapy

If your wedding skin goal is more balanced tone and color, broadband light (BBL) therapy addresses acne discoloration, sun damage, signs of aging, redness, and freckles! Start BBL treatments at least 4 months before events so that you can plan for 3 to 5 treatments, spaced about 3 weeks apart.

Body contouring medspa treatments

Injectable butt lift

At our medspa, we are huge fans of a totally non-surgical injectable butt lift with Sculptra, a long-lasting dermal filler that is a less invasive alternative to a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) surgery. With zero downtime, our injectors can sculpt improved projection, more volume, and more shapely buttocks to help you fill out your white dress with natural-looking hourglass curves. Your booty grows over time after this treatment, so it’s best to start at least 6 months prior to your wedding day. Results last 2 years or more!

Vaginal rejuvenation with O-Shot and ThermiVa

For a bride, confidence on her wedding day is paramount! Vaginal rejuvenation focuses on the appearance and function of the vagina and vulva, helping to enhance sexual satisfaction or to address issues with laxity, dryness, and urinary incontinence. 

Our ThermiVa technology uses radiofrequency energy to gently heat tissues without discomfort or downtime. This treatment promotes collagen production and tightens the skin over the course of about 3 sessions spaced across 12 weeks. For full effects before the wedding day, begin your rejuvenation journey several months before the date! We also offer the O-shot to double down on results; it can be safely paired with other treatments or used alone.

About The Swan Center in Atlanta

Led by 3 established board-certified plastic surgeons, The Swan Center is your premier beauty destination in Atlanta. We offer treatments ranging from plastic surgery to relaxing facials, so you know you are in the hands of aesthetic experts when you choose us for your beauty treatments! To schedule your personal consultation today, call 770-667-0904 or fill out our online form & a member of our knowledgeable team will reach out to you. 

We often meet patients who tell us, simply, “Botox me!” While the answer is usually an enthusiastic “You got it!,” Botox® is best for certain dynamic wrinkles, and there are actually a number of highly effective wrinkle treatments that we can use to give you a personalized, optimal result. As a nurse injector in Atlanta, I always customize a plan based on each type of wrinkle you want to treat! Here’s everything in our arsenal, plus your treatment options by the area.

Medical-grade wrinkle treatments

Wrinkle reduction can involve a range of treatments, and not every wrinkle requires an injectable. From facial treatments that improve skin quality to skincare you use at home, we believe in a complementary anti-aging approach using tools like:

• Laser treatments, peels, and facials like chemical peels, microneedling, Hydrafacial®, and laser peels are effective anti-aging options for combating fine lines and improving overall skin quality. Each year, I receive a HALO Laser Treatment to boost collagen deep in the dermis, which is literally what prevents wrinkles.
• Botox-type injectable neurotoxins like Botox® and Dysport® treat dynamic wrinkles, especially in the upper face. I use Botox to preserve youthfulness or to slow the signs of aging, or even if you want to smooth or soften existing lines! I take a unique approach to treatment plans for each individual, because no two faces are the same. With consistent treatments, neurotoxin patients will be so happy with the investment they make in their skin—after treatment AND long term!
• Dermal fillers like Juvéderm® and Restylane® treat dynamic and static wrinkles, especially naso-labial folds and marionette lines below the corners of the mouth. Filler is an AMAZING tool to soften lines and restore volume. By using a hyaluronic acid based dermal filler, the boost and glow your skin will achieve is absolutely stunning!
• Medical-grade skincare is a critical part of our arsenal for supporting your in-office treatments with an effective, wrinkle-fighting skincare regimen at home. Skin care is the security for your investment: In-office treatments are amazing, but if you don’t have a daily regimen at home, then you are not fighting wrinkles at max capacity! 70% of your anti-aging routine is at home with a curated medical grade routine, and then 30% stems from in-office procedures.

Dynamic vs. static wrinkles

The first thing to know about wrinkles before I select a treatment is that they can be either dynamic or static. Dynamic lines appear when you’re smiling, frowning, squinting, or making other facial expressions. Static wrinkles are etched into the skin, even when your face is at rest, and tend to form in your thirties or later as your body’s production of collagen and elastin (the building blocks of plump, elastic skin) begins to diminish.

Each type of wrinkle, depending on its location in the face or neck, calls for a different anti-aging approach. Most dynamic wrinkles respond best to Botox-type injectables, although some (namely the nasolabial folds) can be treated with filler. However, once wrinkles become static, they usually require filler, laser treatments, and/or a surgical lifting procedure to reverse. Both dynamic and static wrinkles, in any area of the face or neck, can also benefit from skin resurfacing facials and a medical grade skin care routine.

I always customize a plan based on each type of wrinkle you want to treat!

Wrinkle formation and treatment, by the area

Here’s how wrinkles form in the key areas of the face, and my go-tos for smoothing them out:

Forehead

Horizontal forehead wrinkles are caused by movement of the frontalis muscle, especially when raising the brows; these lines can deepen with sun damage. Treat forehead lines with neuromodulators like Botox or Dysport. For best results, relax these muscles early to slow wrinkles’ formation!

Frown lines (between the eyebrows)

The “11”-shaped lines that form between the eyebrows are the original territory of our faithful friend Botox. Injected into the muscles below the inner eyebrows that pull your brow down into a frown, neurotoxin stops those lines from frowning, allowing the skin to smooth itself out.

Crow’s feet (eyes)

These lines emanate from the edges of your eyes when smiling or squinting, and may be made worse by sun exposure—so always wear a good pair of sunglasses, in addition to sunscreen and a hat! Botox is highly effective for crow’s feet, and it’s a good idea to pair it with a topical medical-grade eye cream to reduce the appearance of these fine lines.

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Nasolabial folds

These folds that extend from the nose to the outside corners of the mouth, framing your smile, are often caused by movement when smiling. Some people are genetically predisposed to have deep nasolabial folds because of their inherited anatomy. The best way to treat nasolabial folds is with dermal fillers like Restylane Lyft, which can be injected deeply in the dermis and also in the more shallow epidermis layer to “fill” the wrinkles and soften their appearance.

Lips

Wrinkles in and around the lips form due to drinking through straws, smoking, general volume loss over time, and even movement as you talk. To treat wrinkles here, we typically use lip fillers to replace lost volume and smooth perioral lines (a.k.a. smoker’s lines). We can also use a small amount of Botox above the upper lip to soften the muscle and allow the upper lip to curl outward with a technique commonly called the “lip flip.”

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Neck

In the neck, you may see horizontal lines that form from looking down at your phone or computer (tech neck), as well as vertical platysmal band lines that become distinct due to thinning skin. To improve the texture of thin, delicate neck skin, RF microneedling and laser skin resurfacing are effective options. To address the vertical bands, Botox can be injected to soften the muscles that cause them. And when sagging tissues in the lower face and neck have progressed beyond the power of non-surgical treatments, a facelift and/or neck lift with one of our Atlanta plastic surgeons is the ultimate neck rejuvenation procedure.

• Related: Why Microneedling with RF is Superior to Traditional Microneedling »

Prevent wrinkles with good choices, skincare, and Botox-type injectables

There are a handful of proven ways to stop wrinkles from worsening: Botox or Dysport can be injected preventatively to stop dynamic wrinkles from forming in the first place. Protect skin from sun exposure with sunscreen, hats, seeking shade, and wearing sunglasses! You can counter the very real effects of air pollution on skin aging by applying antioxidants, such as Vitamin C, in your skincare routine. And products like retinol (tretinoin) are highly effective when used as directed. Most importantly, make good choices: eat a nutrient-dense diet, and get regular exercise and quality sleep!

Schedule your appointment with one of our expert nurse injectors at The Swan Center for Plastic Surgery. Our team of Expert Injectors, our aestheticians, and our Atlanta plastic surgeons are here to make treating your wrinkles as effective and efficient as possible, with a full range of injectables, skin treatments, and plastic surgery offerings—including minimally invasive alternatives! Call us at 770-667-0904 or contact us online to begin.

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From da Vinci’s “Lady with an Ermine” to Thutmose’s iconic “Nefertiti Bust,” the cheeks have been celebrated by cultures around the world for the definition and structure they provide the face. Historically, plump, rosy cheeks were seen as a sign of health—and therefore, attractiveness—by European cultures. However, over the last half-century, prominent upper cheekbones and narrower cheeks have become universally favored, with more men and women seeking plastic surgery to contour their cheeks than ever before.

For those who don’t want to undergo a surgical procedure like buccal fat removal or cheek implants to get sculpted cheeks, injectable fillers are a great alternative. In this month’s post, we explain how you can get chiseled cheeks surgery-free with simple filler injections.

What are cheek fillers?

Cheek fillers are strategically-placed dermal filler injections that provide volume and structure in the area around and above the cheeks. These fillers are typically comprised of hyaluronic acid (HA), a naturally-occurring molecule in the human body that is responsible for absorbing water to keep your skin supple and moist. HA-based fillers not only lift and contour the cheeks but also smooth wrinkles and fine lines in the face by hydrating the skin from within.

How do cheek fillers work?

Over time, skin loses its ability to produce collagen and elastin, which can lead to a saggy, sunken-in facial appearance. When most people age, they lose volume in their mid-face & cheeks and experience skin sagging, or “jowling,” in their lower face. When carefully injected by an expert, fillers can temporarily volumize sunken areas and create symmetry in the face.

Increasing the volume around your cheekbones can create the illusion of a more defined bone structure. A skilled surgeon can use cheek fillers to control the light and shadows on your face, highlighting certain areas and using shadows to create the appearance of natural depressions. Contoured upper cheeks can also reflect light into the eyes to help you look more refreshed and invigorated.

Another added benefit of cheek fillers is that because of the filler’s moisturizing effect, you can get away with wearing less makeup, as your cheeks will take on a natural glow you’ll want to show off.

How long do cheek fillers last?

Hyaluronic acid cheek fillers typically last between 9-12 months before maintenance treatments are needed.

Which fillers are best for cheeks?

At the Swan Center, we use the Restylane line of fillers to sculpt the cheeks. Restylane is an FDA-approved HA-based filler with a safe and effective track record. Like other HA fillers, Restylane not only firms and volumizes skin, but also hydrates it from the inside out for smoother skin with fewer wrinkles and lines. Other fillers that can be used in the cheeks include Juvéderm, Radiesse, Sculptra Aesthetic, and Bellafill.

Cheek fillers are customizable

Everyone’s facial anatomy is unique, and at The Swan Center, our goal is to bring out this individualized beauty in each of our patients. Cheek fillers are a wonderful way we are able to achieve this because they are highly customizable. Here are a few ways we can adapt cheek fillers to enhance your face.

For patients with a rounder face:

While filler can’t reduce volume in your face, it can make the lower cheeks appear slimmer by volumizing the upper cheeks. This will also elevate the mid-face for a more lifted and elongated facial appearance (think Demi Moore circa 2011).

For patients with a narrower face:

Filler injections to the mid-face and lower cheeks can help fill out the face for a healthy, youthful appearance (think Jennifer Lawrence in the first Hunger Games film).

Cheek fillers are quick and easy

Cheek fillers are done in-office in under 15 minutes. The HA begins to volumize and hydrate skin immediately, so you’ll begin to notice results as soon as you leave the office. Even better, because Restylane increases collagen and elastin production in your skin, you’ll see your skin tone improve over the following months.

Cheek fillers have zero recovery period, and, when performed with Restylane injections, last for up to 12 months.

Cheek fillers are a worry-free procedure. If for any reason you aren’t completely satisfied with your results, your surgeon can inject hyaluronidase, an enzyme that breaks down HA, to reverse your filler. Or, if you’ve had a less-than-ideal filler experience elsewhere, our expert plastic surgeons can use hyaluronidase to return your face to its natural state and work with you on achieving the results you want.

How can I enhance my cheek fillers?

Looking to highlight your newly-enhanced cheeks? Here are a few of our favorite methods.

• Dermal fillers in other parts of the face. Adding a few filler injections to other areas of the face can create symmetry and full-facial rejuvenation while drawing attention to your cheeks. Lip fillers can provide a subtle enhancement to the natural shape of the lips and smooth their texture; jawline fillers can make the jaw appear stronger, thinner, and more angled; under-eye fillers can fill in the sunken hollows between the cheeks and eyes for a more alert appearance.
• Botox & Dysport injections. Neurotoxin injections like Botox and Dysport can fix a gummy smile, create a subtle lip flip, and soften the brow. When paired with cheek filler, well-placed neurotoxin injections can improve your appearance by helping you look more relaxed and refreshed.
• HydraFacial. HydraFacial is one of our most popular skincare treatments. It uses a patented medical-grade hydradermabrasion device to cleanse, exfoliate, and hydrate the face with protective serums. HydraFacial treats acne, sun damage, dark spots, and even fine lines. A HydraFacial can help to perfect your complexion to highlight your chiseled cheeks.

• Laser peel. For those looking to treat skin at a deeper level, a laser peel allows us to treat wrinkles, scars, and lesions while tightening skin for glowing results after just one treatment.

Book your cheek filler consultation with our expert injectors in Atlanta

At The Swan Center, all of our cosmetic injections are performed under the direction of board certified plastic surgeons and highly-trained master nurse injectors, which means you’ll get the highest standard of care, results, and safety. If you’d like to learn more about cheek fillers, contact us online or give us a call at (770) 667-0904.

Here at the Swan Center, we’ve helped thousands of Atlanta plastic surgery patients navigate the wide range of available treatments and procedures.

We put together the following guide to help you understand the level of invasiveness for various treatment types, and what effect they may have on your busy lifestyle.

What’s an invasive procedure?

The term invasive is typically used to describe surgical procedures that require incisions and appreciably alter skin or underlying tissues at the time of the procedure. As such, this class of procedures requires bed rest for a few days up to a few weeks. Surgical procedures usually include the option for general anesthesia or local anesthesia with IV sedation.

Examples of common invasive plastic surgery procedures:

• Rhinoplasty (nose enhancement or repair)
• Breast augmentation (placement of breast implants)
• Facelift surgery (improvement of sagging skin on lower face and neck)
• Liposuction (fat reduction)

Total healing time: Two to six months, depending on the procedure, with patient rest averaging one to two weeks.

Results: Varies between one to six months.

The risks involved with invasive plastic surgery procedures are usually greater than non-invasive options. However, these procedures are particularly effective at delivering results and are considered safe when performed by a board certified plastic surgeon.

So, what does minimally invasive mean?

Minimally invasive treatments require significantly less or no downtime and very little discomfort, but often involve a puncture or even a small incision. Minimally invasive procedures are considered less risky than other methods and do not require general anesthesia.

Examples of common minimally invasive options:

• Dysport®, Restylane®, and dermal fillers (injectable treatments)
• Skin procedures such as scar revision or dermaplaning
• Deep skin peels

Healing time: Zero to ten days, with patient returning to work immediately or within a few days.

Results: Varies between a few days to two weeks.

These cosmetic treatments are growing in popularity because patients can return to normal activities quickly, the risk of infection or complication is low, and the results can be impressive.

What about non-surgical options?

Non-surgical cosmetic treatments involve no needles, no punctures, and no anesthesia. Foreign objects do not enter your body at any time and the entire cosmetic treatment is done externally.

These types of treatments typically involve very little downtime, with patients being able to resume unrestricted normal activity very quickly after treatment. Non-surgical treatments may occasionally be considered invasive on some level, depending on how they affect both the treatment area and underlying tissues.

Examples of common non-surgical treatments:

• Laser treatments (such as fractional skin resurfacing or hair removal)
• Light chemical peels

Healing time: Anywhere between one day to two weeks, with patient typically feeling and looking back to normal within a few days.

Results: Varies between one week to three months.

Non-invasive treatments

Many skincare treatments are considered non-invasive because they do not puncture the skin or otherwise impact the underlying tissues. These treatments are quite comfortable and often relaxing. There is no downtime whatsoever.

Examples of common non-invasive treatments:

• Facials (to improve quality of skin through cleansing, exfoliation, & hydration)
• Medical-grade skincare (products used at home or applied professionally to improve skin)

Healing time: Usually minimal, with patient resuming normal activity immediately

Results: Typically, results can be seen immediately or within a few days

Non-invasive treatments are especially effective when used in conjunction with other procedures. Be sure to ask which treatment combinations are most appropriate for your skin type and goals.

How do I know what’s right for me?

We hope we’ve cleared up some of your questions here, but the best way to learn about effective cosmetic treatments is to talk to a trusted professional. Our board certified surgeons and skincare experts can guide you through the process and help you determine which treatments are a good fit for you.

The Swan Center offers private consultations for potential patients. We can answer all of your questions and develop a safe and effective treatment plan that suits your needs.