Posted on May 24, 2024 by Jacqueline Larcara
On your wedding day, you want to feel radiant and confident in your skin.
We talked to Dr. Naana Boakye, a dermatologist and the owner of Bergen Dermatology in Englewood Cliffs, about ensuring your skin is ready for your big day.
At her practice, she focuses on what she calls “lifestyle dermatology”—medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology with a holistic focus. “I spend time educating my patients on how sleep and nutrition and fitness and using the right skin care products [makes their] overall skin…just so much better,” says Boakye.
She knows that your wedding day can be stressful. “You put a lot of sweat into it,” says Boakye, “so you just want to make sure everything turns out right. And you also want that for your skin.”
We couldn’t have said it any better! Here, Boakye offers her best skin care advice for brides-to-be.
Any treatment or procedure takes time. “They don’t happen overnight,” says Boakye. To control acne, for example, it may take about six months. If you have hair in unwanted places, monthly laser hair removal treatments over the course of four to six months may be suggested. To improve discoloration, chemical peels or microneedling can span at least three months. “It’s always good to definitely plan ahead,” she adds.
Can anything be done if you only thought about your skin a month before your wedding? The short answer is yes. Boakye suggests a chemical peel or a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment to help brighten your skin. “If we had to control your acne, we could do some things, but let’s just say that it’s not going to be perfect,” she says about working within a short time frame. What if a blemish pops up right before your big day? “Sometimes you could do a laser treatment, depending on the color of the blemish, but then we could also use some prescription skin care products,” says Boakye. If the blemish is still noticeable, “we would always just suggest camouflage, [meaning makeup],” she adds. That’s where your bridal beauty team comes in.
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“I’m always about basics,” says Boakye. “A gentle cleanser, a good moisturizer that has certain ingredients like ceramides that help with the health of your skin, as well as sunscreen—as long as you have these basics, you’re in really good shape.” At night, she would suggest adding a retinoid “to brighten up your skin or to add a little bit of cell turnover.” Celebrities have collaborated with her on skin care brands, such as John Legend’s Loved01, Naomi Osaka’s Kinlò, and Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade’s Proudly. “I’m really up on formulas and ingredients because I’m all about skin health,” says Boakye.
Boakye views her patient relationships as partnerships. “I’m not one of those doctors that says ‘just take a script,’” she explains. “Let’s work together because I want the best for you.” That goes for your wedding day and years to come.
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