With wedding season well underway and future brides and grooms keen to prepare for their big day, our team of hair and skin experts delve into the treatments to avoid and use before celebrations begin and highlight the timings the happy couple needs to follow to achieve good hair and glowing skin. 

Following a staggering 400% increase in searches for the term ‘how to prepare for a wedding between May and June 2022¹, we’ve created a 12-month hair and skin guide for those getting married looking to undergo treatments before their big day:

6 – 12 months before the wedding 

For brides and grooms interested in receiving a hair transplant to rejuvenate their hairline or for a fuller head of hair, treatment should start 12 months in advance. Whilst some slight discomfort can occur, hair transplants are actually a pleasant and easy experience; however, the recovery time is lengthy and requires patience. We suggest booking a hair transplant just over a year before the wedding to give the transplant time to be as successful as possible.  

You can treat hair normally after two weeks of receiving the transplant, and individuals can receive a haircut at this time. However, it’s essential hair clippers on the recipient’s hair are avoided until four weeks. 

4- 6 months before the wedding

During this time period, it’s important to focus on helping the hair recover. Some hair will start to fall out after two weeks of receiving the hair transplant and can continue for up to three months. This shedding phase is normal, and it’s also normal not to see any growth at all before three months. 

Gradually, you should start to see your new growth coming through. Our experts say it’s important to understand that the hair doesn’t appear “all at once” and is a gradual process.

Growth within this time represents approximately 20% of the total growth. When the transplanted hair first appears, it will be immature, fine, thin, and lighter in color. With time, more transplanted hair will emerge, and the hair will become thicker, longer, and darker.

In terms of skincare within this period, it’s a great time for brides or grooms to start using retinol. If you’re new to retinol, begin with a light non-prescription serum retinol every other night.

1-4 months before the wedding 

At this stage of a hair transplant, the biggest changes occur, with up to 80% of the transplanted hair emerging. By the end of the first year, the final visual effect should become more and more visible. 

During this period, brides and grooms should undergo any skin treatments they wish to receive. For chemical peels, skin tightening treatment, and skin pigmentation treatment, it can take up to four weeks to visibly see the difference in the skin. 

2 – 4 weeks 

If you’ve undergone a hair transplant, this is the period you should look to book your annual review to check on growth, results, and satisfaction. For beauty treatments to your face, we suggest ramping up your skincare regime to ensure the treatment takes full effect and also heals sufficiently before the wedding. 

Avoid trying harsh new skin products before your big day, especially in the last month. This is vital as drastic changes can cause breakouts, redness, and dryness. Also, avoid heavy makeup and thick SPFs in the last month. Give your skin room to breathe – debris and micro-pigments can build up on the skin and make it look dull and dry.

On the wedding day 

On the morning of the wedding, it’s important that those getting married prepare their hair and skin correctly. This includes hydrating the skin with moisturizer so that makeup sits nicely on the skin and prepping the hair with a hair mask so that styling products react well to the hair. Our experts recommend setting hair and makeup with setting products and using blotting sheets throughout the day to absorb excess oil from the skin.  

Why is it important to follow a wedding preparation timeline?

From hair transplants to chemical peels, it’s crucial that couples start to prepare for their big day at least 12 months in advance to avoid hair and skin disasters. If you don’t prepare properly, you could suffer patchy hair because you’ve not given yourself enough time to recover from a hair transplant or red skin because you received a facial treatment too late. 

If you’re unsure what kind of treatment your hair or skin needs, we really recommend booking in with a specialist for a consultation at least 12 months before the big day. This way, you’ll be receiving the right treatment for you, and you will avoid any mishaps before one of the biggest days of your life.

For more information on we can help you prepare your hair and skin for your big day, contact us today.

About the Author

Dr Suhail Alam

Dr Alam is devoted to providing high quality, holistic, patient centred care designed to make patients look and feel their best. He has a specialist interest in Hair Restoration Surgery and Regenerative Medicine.

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