June is just around the corner, bringing with it the busy summer wedding season. While all brides have that special glow and look beautiful on their special day, they still worry about how their wedding photos will look when mounted in that all-important album sitting on the coffee table.

With the growing trend for couples to marry later in life rather than earlier, today’s brides often look to non-surgical cosmetic rejuvenation procedures prior to their wedding day. Some choose to diminish their frown lines or crow’s feet with Botox, plump their lips with a temporary filler such as Juvederm, or soften facial lines with a filler such as Radiesse or Restylane. Mothers of the bride or groom are oftentimes interested in the same sort of temporary, non-surgical treatments prior to the wedding—or use their daughter’s or son’s upcoming wedding as the impetus to finally schedule that cosmetic surgical procedure they have been thinking about for a long time.

Should you, the bride, or your mom choose to have a non-surgical or surgical procedure done prior to the wedding, keep in mind it is important to have these treatments several weeks (and in the case of cosmetic surgery, a few months) prior to the wedding date to achieve optimal results.

A recent clinical study compared levels of patient satisfaction regarding the choice of silicone vs. saline breast implants after postmastectomy breast reconstruction. The results of this study revealed a higher level of satisfaction in those patients who chose silicone implants. In fact, the study statistically indicated a significantly higher overall satisfaction with their breast reconstructions. In addition, the patients who chose silicone implants indicated improved psychological well-being and a greater sense of physical and sexual self-esteem.

The choice, however, is not always an easy one for women. This may in part be due to the media’s past portrayal of alleged silicone-related complications and the resultant public perception. Yet, after thorough review of current medical literature on the subject and the fact that the F.D.A. has once again deemed the use of silicone in breast implants safe, many women do opt for silicone implants in their post-mastectomy reconstructive surgeries as well as for cosmetic breast augmentation. Considering the results in the previously mentioned study, these women are apparently very satisfied with their outcomes and the choice they made.

Stephen Delia, M.D.