Davis

We’ve come a long way in a few short years, men. It wasn’t so long ago that those of us who knew how to dress and take proper care of ourselves were in the minority. “But,” as GQ recently noted, “over the past decade-plus, somehow, gloriously, it has become imperative for the modern man to care more than ever. About the way he looks, about the way he feels, about the way he behaves toward himself, for starters—and toward the rest of the world from there.”

For those of you with a wedding on the horizon this summer (your own or someone else’s), allow me to suggest a couple of treatments that’ll serve as the proverbial cherry on top of that beautifully-tailored new suit and all those grooming habits that already have you turning heads and commanding respect everywhere you go.

As you’re probably already aware, our faces are the first and deepest impressions we make. Microdermabrasion and microneedling are a means to put your best face forward. Intimidating as the names may sound, they’re noninvasive. Even better, there’s little to no downtime and you’ll see the results immediately. Seems almost too good to be true, right? It’s not. Read on.

Is microdermabrasion right for you?

Microdermabrasion is done as an in-office procedure without anesthesia or a numbing agent. In all, it usually only takes about an hour. If you’ve ever exfoliated, it’s basically a more effective version of that.

There are a few different ways the procedure can be done, depending on the device that’s used, but, basically, microscopic crystals remove the superficial outer layer of dry, dead skin cells.

After your treatment, you’ll want to keep your skin moisturized and stay out of the sun—your face can be more sensitive to it for a few weeks after the treatment—but you can head right back to the office, if you want. This is definitely something you can have done over the week before your wedding, without any concern about irritation or swelling. Think of it just like a haircut—if a haircut could shave a few years off your appearance.

Is microneedling as terrifying as it sounds?

If you’ve got a bit more time on your hands, consider microneedling, because it tends to be most effective with multiple treatments. Though there’s still no downtime.

Needles?! Ahhh! I know. The name doesn’t do it any favors. Nor will this description: Microneedling creates hundreds of tiny punctures in your skin. There, that out of the way, let me say that it’s not nearly as bad as it sounds. In fact, it’s not painful at all. Those punctures are more like pinpricks.

What they’re doing is encouraging your body’s healing process to kick into action, to make more collagen, essentially. Collagen gives our skin its elasticity, which allows it to stay tight and smooth. It’s natural, however, for skin to lose collagen as we age. The idea with the pinpricks is to slightly injure the skin, which will cause it to make new collagen-rich tissue. In the process, there may be more collagen to help make the skin firmer, too.

A treatment typically lasts a couple of hours. Though, as I mentioned, multiple treatments generally yield the best results. So, if it’s something you’re considering, try to give yourself as much time before your wedding as you can.

Whether the star, a supporting-cast member, or merely a spectator, show up looking and feeling your best and seize the day.

Let CoolSculpting help you get the body you are after. In case you haven’t noticed, it’s hot outside. Like, get-me-to-the-nearest-body-of-water hot.

Understandably, this can be a difficult time of year if you’re even the slightest bit insecure about exposing your midsection. There are a number of ways to address that concern through modern cosmetic surgery, liposuction and a tummy tuck being two of the most popular.

But the summer’s here now, and while each may yield dramatic results, it could take a month or two for the swelling to fully subside in either case. And it may take even longer before you’re basking in the full effect of your treatment.

Is there something, then, that can have you looking better in a bikini or swim trunks with some summer left to spare? Yes: CoolSculpting.

[See CoolSculpting Before & After Photos]

A smaller midsection in a couple of weeks
How, exactly, is CoolSculpting different from lipo and a tummy tuck? For starters, it’s a noninvasive treatment, meaning there’s no scarring whatsoever to be concerned with. It can treat unwanted fat just about anywhere on the body, but it’s FDA-approved for the midsection, thighs, upper arms, bra fat, back fat, the “banana roll” underneath your butt, and double chin.

Here’s how it works: An applicator that looks like a big vacuum hose applies suction to the area you want to target. (Key to the process is having enough fat for the applicator to adhere to. If you can pinch your bulge, you’re a candidate.) It then applies carefully regulated cooling plates to bring fat cells down to a temperature at which they’re irreversibly damaged.

The frozen fat cells then die and are gradually eliminated by the body. It could take three months for the final effects to become apparent, but you should start noticing a difference in as little as a couple of weeks.

Virtually no discomfort or downtime
A CoolSculpting treatment generally takes between a half-hour and an hour. And it’s relatively gentle. You may feel some initial discomfort as the cooling begins, but it dissipates pretty quickly. Which leaves you free to check email, scroll through Instagram, or even sit back, close your eyes, and appreciate the solitude.

If that sounds too good to be true, I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet: There’s no downtime with CoolSculpting, so you can head into the office when your treatment’s done, run some errands, or hit the gym.

There’s really no downside here—especially when you consider that CoolSculpting may finally help you achieve that beach body that diet and exercise alone couldn’t deliver. And before the end of the summer, no less.

Over the weeks following your treatment, you can expect up to a 25 percent reduction of fat in the treated area. And those results are permanent. Once fat cells are frozen and eliminated, they’re gone for good.

Hello, bikini. So long, unflattering one-piece. And guys, you can leave those oversize T-shirts in your closet. They were never fooling anyone anyway.

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Learn more about CoolSculpting

As our knowledge of the aging process and sun damage has increased, so, too, has our awareness of cosmetic surgery’s ability to head off those issues before they become larger concerns. It’s why more and more people are considering cosmetic surgery in their thirties and even twenties. Why wait for a fine line to deepen or a wrinkle to become more pronounced when you can erase it altogether?

So the age-old question, “At what age should I start thinking about cosmetic surgery?” is kind of a moot point now. Instead, I’d ask you, “How proactive do you want to be about maintaining, and even improving, your appearance?” Rather than a one-time, cure-all, preventative cosmetic surgery should really be viewed as a fluid process that begins early in your adulthood and evolves to meet your needs as you mature.

For a more explicit illustration of what I mean, here’s a brief look at some of the most popular ways people are using preventative cosmetic surgery and how cosmetic surgery is different at each age.

In your 20’s

People who seek out a plastic surgeon in their twenties tend to do so to help them feel more confident in their own skin. Often, that means breast augmentation. But, nose jobs and ear reshaping are also popular. Gone are the days of carrying the indelible marks of puberty with us through the rest of our lives.

In your 30’s

Many of the same procedures are performed on patients in their thirties—breast augmentation, breast lifts, and liposuction—only in much greater numbers. Tummy tucks, as a means to remedy the lingering effects of pregnancy, are also prevalent. The earliest signs of aging also begin to become apparent in our thirties. Jeuveau, also known as Newtox, is particularly effective at treating frown lines and those pesky wrinkles between your eyebrows at their onset.

In your 40’s

As our skin starts losing some of its elasticity in our forties, attention shifts to ways to pick up where nature left off, like dermal fillers, which can reduce wrinkles and fine lines, add volume to facial skin, and enhance facial contours. Fractional laser resurfacing and Ultherapy, both noninvasive procedures, are also popular facial rejuvenation treatments. Of course, our faces are rarely our only trouble spot in our forties. With our metabolisms slowing to a crawl, unwanted fat can undermine everything we do. But recent advances, like CoolSculpting, are not only effective, they’re easy. Book an appointment before heading into the office and barely break stride.

In your 50’s and beyond

Sagging skin is unavoidable once we enter our fifties. But that doesn’t mean we should grin and bear it. Yes, there will come a point when Botox and dermal fillers become less effective. It’s then that most turn to a second line of defense: a facelift, usually performed in conjunction with a neck lift and/or a brow lift. Facelifts come in a variety of types these days, but they all smooth and tighten the skin to different extents for a natural-looking, younger face.

Here’s another reason to develop a long-term relationship with a board-certified plastic surgeon: Where your attention may be focused on a specific trouble spot, your physician is always considering the impact to your entire body, both in the moment and years down the line. Seeking preventative treatment with a single surgeon allows for a continuity of care that only enhances the natural-looking results of each treatment.

When you’re considering a breast augmentation, it’s natural for your mind to drift to one place: size. How large should I go? And while the size of your breast implants is, of course, a significant consideration, it shouldn’t be your only consideration. Here are a few others that’ll help ensure that your breast augmentation results in natural-looking (or striking) breasts that complement your body shape.

Fullness

Breast implant sizes aren’t the same as bra cup sizes, which can be a little disorienting. It’s important to know how they’re measured in order to have a good reference point.  Breast implants are measured by volume, usually in cubic centimeters or milliliters. The higher that number, the larger the implant and the more it will project outward.

An implant’s diameter—its width at its widest point—is also going to affect its projection. Two implants with the same volume but different diameters will project differently. The one with the wider diameter is going to be a bit flatter and project outward less than the narrower implant.

Shape

Not all breast implants are the same shape, either. They can be round or teardrop-shaped. Round implants basically have the same level of fullness all the way around, whereas the teardrop variety is fuller below the nipple, mimicking a breast’s natural contour.

Profile

Profile also plays a role in the fullness of your breast implants. Think of it this way: High-profile implants sit higher on your chest and appear more rounded, while moderate-profile implants look comparatively subtle. The latter tends to be favored by women seeking a natural-looking upgrade, while the former is preferred by those with a more dramatic flair.

Your own inherent qualities

Much as you may be dreaming of much larger breasts, it’s not quite as simple as just picking the right type of implant. Your body shape and frame are going to dictate, to a certain extent, the magnitude of your augmentation. If, for example, you have a narrow chest or a small frame, you’ll be limited in the size of the implants you can wear safely and comfortably. But you could still opt for high-profile implants, which will help them appear even larger than they actually are.

You’ll also want to consider the entirety of your lifestyle. Tempting as it may be to picture yourself flirting with your significant other in a new, low-cut black dress, ignoring your HIIT Saturday-morning workouts and that adventure-seeking other side of yourself could eventually make your high-profile breast implants feel like more of a hindrance than a step up.

Your plastic surgeon will have all of this in mind when you sit down for your consultation. But having at least a basic familiarity with these nuances should go a long way toward shaping breasts that you’ll love for years to come.

For more on breast augmentation and how to select the right breast implant, tune into Dr. Steven Davis’s podcast, The Plastic Surgery Revolution.