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.