For many brides-to-be, the pre-wedding beauty regime includes more than a glamorous hair style, perfect dress and professional makeup application. Before walking down the aisle, they may walk into a cosmetic surgeon’s office. Mothers of the bride and groom also book pre-wedding cosmetic procedures so they can look picture-perfect on one of life’s most memorable occasions.
Dr. Lyle Leipziger, chief of plastic surgery at North Shore University Hospital, with an office in Great Neck, says he does not expect the economy to have a significant effect on pre-wedding cosmetic surgery. He believes brides -- and some grooms, as well -- will continue to say "I do" to such procedures before the wedding, as will mothers of the bride and groom.
“Getting married is a wonderful once-in-a-lifetime event. There’ll be photos and videos the couple and their families will cherish for years to come, and people want to look their best,” Leipziger says.
Younger brides in their 20’s often come in for a facial peel or microdermabrasion treatment by an esthetician to get a glow on their skin, or they see Leipziger for a lip-plumping procedure using an injectable filler. Skin treatments can be done two to three weeks before the wedding, and lip-plumping should be done at least three to four weeks prior to the event.
Other brides-to-be find getting married is a great reason to have liposuction in a problem area such as the abdomen or thighs. Men are more likely to opt for liposuction to get rid of pesky “love handles.” Leipziger cautions that liposuction is not a weight-loss procedure. "Liposuction is a body contouring technique. It can tackle problem areas that even a strict diet and exercise will not reduce," he says. “Generally, the best candidate is no more than 15 percent over his or her ideal body weight.”
Breast enhancement surgery is also one of the more popular procedures among younger brides-to-be. “It’s generally recommended that anyone planning to have liposuction or breast enhancement do so at least six months before the wedding. This
gives the patient ample time to heal completely and to get the right size dress in time for her special day,” Leipziger says.
Brides-to-be in their 30’s and 40’s may opt for Botox to smooth frown lines, forehead furrows, and crow’s feet around the eyes. Injectable fillers can diminish so-called "marionette lines", which run from the bottom of the nose down to the mouth or from the corners of the mouth down to the chin.
The eyes are often the first area to be affected by aging, and eyelid surgery to get rid of drooping lids or “bags” or puffiness under the eyes can make a major difference in appearance, making one look younger, more vibrant and refreshed. Eyelid surgery should be done at least four months before the wedding, according to Leipziger.
Women getting married in their 50’s and 60’s, and mothers of the bride and groom often find a wedding to be the perfect reason to have a facelift or eyelid surgery. “Some women who have been considering cosmetic surgery for years decide this is the right time,” he says. “Anyone thinking about having a facelift should consult a plastic surgeon well before the wedding, and we generally recommend they have a facelift at least six months before the event.”
To find a plastic surgeon, Leipziger recommends asking friends or a family doctor for a referral. Anyone considering cosmetic surgery should make sure the physician is board-certified in plastic surgery, has privileges at a major teaching hospital, inspires confidence and takes the time to answer all questions. Detailed information on cosmetic surgery procedures and their cost is available on the web site of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery: www.surgery.org.
About the Expert: Dr. Lyle S. Leipziger is Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center (LIJ), two of Long Islands finest teaching institutions. When he assumed this role at LIJ some years back, he was one of the youngest surgeons in the country to be appointed to such a position at a major teaching hospital. Dr. Leipziger is a Board-certified plastic surgeon with special expertise in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the face, breast and body.
Dr. Leipziger graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors from Johns Hopkins University and received his M.D. from Cornell University Medical College, where he was awarded the Dean Thomas Meikle Prize in Research. He went on to a residency in general surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. He completed his plastic surgery residency at The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. He was also awarded a fellowship in Craniofacial and Microvascular Surgery at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.
Dr. Leipziger currently holds teaching appointments at North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center. He is Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Leipziger is a member of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, New York Regional Society of Plastic Surgeons, North American Lipoplasty Society, Society for Anti-Aging Medicine, Nassau Surgical Society and American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association.
Dr. Leipziger specializes in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery of the face, breast and body. In surveys of his peers, he is consistently named as one of the best in his field. He is one of the few Long Island plastic surgeons to be included in New York magazines Best Doctors in New York issue year after year, as well as in the Castle Connolly Medical Guide, How To Find The Best Doctors in New York. Most recently, he was included in a select group of physicians named as one of Americas Top Doctors, in a book published by Castle Connolly.
Dr. Leipziger has published numerous articles in prestigious medical journals and has been interviewed on plastic surgery topics for television and radio news programs. He has appeared on Channel 7 Eyewitness News, News Channel 4, Weekend Today in New York, Channel 2 News, Fox News and News 12 Long Island, and has been interviewed on WCBS News Radio 880, WOR Radio, WKTU-FM, and other radio stations. He has also been interviewed for various newspaper, magazine and Internet articles. He has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, the Daily News, the Associated Press wire, Teen Vogue and other print and on-line publications.
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