Biggest bridal beauty myths busted… and the painful cosmetic procedures to skip

Getting engaged is terrifying.

Not because of the commitment. Not because of the planning (well, kind of because of the planning.)

But because of the 'bridal noise.'

Bridal noise is overwhelming, and it preys on the vulnerable wives-to-be. It's no surprise the Wedding Industrial Complex generates over $100 billion in total economic impact annually in the United States, with the average cost of a wedding sitting at approximately $34,000.

In the lead up to the big day, brides are pressured to look their best selves by all means necessary, at any cost. There is no shortage of social media pressure to remind you of how imperfect you are and how your wedding photos will last a lifetime – resulting in every last insecurity being poked, prodded, sculpted and tweaked.

MedSpas in the US offer year-long 'Bridal Package' plans complete with customized skin lasers, fat-melting procedures and laser hair removal treatments to have brides poreless and cellulite free on the biggest days of their lives.

But brides shouldn't have to go bankrupt to see results.

So, I ventured out to personally test some of the most viral and out-of-the-box wedding treatments to see whether the procedures were actually worth the cost, or if the bridal noise, in fact, can be drowned out entirely.

PRF Under-Eye Injections, 3/10

$800 per session, $2,400 for recommended package of three treatments

If you're a bride like me with hollow under-eyes, you might be worried about the appearance of your 'designer bags.'

I have looked perpetually tired for years, and in the pursuit of wedding photos without double-bag eye sag, I tried what is often touted as a good remedy.

You may have heard of the 'Vampire Facial' popularized by Kim Kardashian – and this treatment is similar. 'PRF stands for Platelet-Rich Fibrin,' board-certified Nurse Practitioner Sarah-Kate Nems says.

'We draw a small sample of your blood, spin it in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, white blood cells, and fibrin, and then inject that back into the under-eye area. The fibrin matrix is the key,' she says, as it slowly releases your own growth factors over about two weeks rather than just a few hours, which keeps prompting your body to build collagen and improve the tissue.

The treatment aims to target dark circles, fine lines, crepey texture under the eye, hollowness or a sunken appearance that brides want to tackle to look more refreshed. While traditional fillers are synthetic and usually hyaluronic acid, this treatment uses 100 percent of your own blood.

'The honest promise here is "refreshed and natural," not "completely different,"' Nems says, and the treatment requires at least three sessions to see visible results.

I sampled the treatment and found the poking and prodding between the blood drawing and injections to be mostly painless, but you'll need to be prepared to expect visible, puffy, swollen eyes for several days following.

As for results, I noticed minimal changes. In complete fairness, the treatment was encouraged to be repeated at least three times to be most effective, but it wasn't a risk I was willing to take to guarantee results.

Scalp Analysis, 4/10

$299 for a two-hour all-in-one head spa treatment

Brides strive for optimal hair health on their wedding day, so their tresses can look clean, sleek and shiny. Beautiful hair begins with a healthy scalp, and Allure Day Spa in Midtown Manhattan encourages brides to start hair spa treatments about three to six months before the wedding for the best long-term scalp and hair benefits.

My scalp was analyzed with a high-tech tool that showed me my individual hair follicles with ultra-magnified imagery. It was determined that my scalp, similar to my face, was an oily/dry combination that leaned oily, and that I would benefit from shampoo products with salicylic acid that breaks down sebum and product residue.

Staff typically see hair dullness as a result of poor scalp health and inadequate water quality following a home hair wash, so their head spa package offers a 90-minute treatment complete with tools to stimulate and promote hair growth, as well as a scalp mask, anti-sebum shampoo and a 'steam helmet' to open up pores.

This treatment was utterly luxurious and restorative, I would encourage anyone to try it for softer, healthier-looking hair. It certainly has stress reducing benefits, too.

However, it's more of a self-care option than a must-do for your bridal list. Perhaps book it in for a pre-wedding stress reliever, or something fun to do with your bridesmaids for your bachelorette party.

Sweat Reduction Treatment, 9/10

$1,050 per session

Almost all brides that I know have chosen to tie the knot in the summer, in a hot climate. While getting married on a beautiful sunny day fares well for photos, it's far more stressful to worry about makeup setting evenly as well as ending up with spray tan streaks and sweat stains on a white gown.

A scorching wedding day isn't just a bride's nightmare – grooms and guests in suits are just as likely to drench through their layers.

With this in mind, I tried Contor's Sweat Reduction Treatment, a botox neuromodulator with FDA approval that specifically targets axillary hyperhidrosis (overactive sweating).

'The mechanism is actually quite simple: these neuromodulators block acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter responsible for triggering sweat gland activation. The glands themselves are completely untouched; they're simply not receiving the signal to produce sweat,' Lindsay Pratt, Advanced Injector at Contor, says.

It doesn't affect the body's natural cooling process as the underarms account for a remarkably small fraction of the body's total sweat output. 'When the area is treated, it's not meaningfully impacting thermoregulation because the rest of the body's sweat response remains completely intact,' she affirms. 

Recommended at least six weeks before the wedding, I tried this (painful) treatment a few weeks before my bachelorette party in the French Riviera, which was due for an ultra-humid heatwave over the dates we were there.

I went into sweat reduction botox with my fair share of reservations, but I was utterly astounded by my results. My underarms remained bone dry throughout my bachelorette, where temperatures soared to 90 degrees and beyond. New York summer was not even a match for this treatment. With up to six months of results, the investment is worthwhile for the peace of mind being sweatless can offer.

Pratt says it best: 'What surprises people most is the mental relief. They expect to sweat less, but they don't always anticipate how much headspace that frees up. For a lot of people, it's genuinely one of the highest-impact treatments they've received relative to how simple the process is.'

Facial Sculpt and Release, 2/10

$120 for 30 minutes

I think it's important to preface this by saying that I am a sensitive person with a sensitive disposition. So, I can unequivocally now say that sculpt and release treatments are not for me.

Different from a lymphatic drainage facial, sculpt and release combines pressure point therapy, fascia release, facial muscle work, TMJ release, and lymphatic stimulation to help a person's facial features 'return to their most balanced, natural state.'

For brides who want to look their most sculpted, this treatment, which should be done a few times at least three months before the wedding, is a fair option.

Brides should expect reduced puffiness, a more defined jawline, brighter skin tone and better facial symmetry immediately after a treatment. The face often appears more rested and refreshed without looking 'overdone.'

However, in full transparency, you have to be able to withstand a lot of pressure on your neck, ears, chest and jaw to be able to get through this treatment successfully. While my experience brought me to tears as someone with a low pain tolerance, for my colleague, who has TMJ, it was a breeze. She found it deep, relaxing and refreshing.

'While many people are good candidates for Facial Sculpting & Release, it isn't appropriate for everyone,' Salon86 facialist and makeup artist Yumi Kaizuka says.

'The right candidate isn't someone who simply wants a relaxing facial - it may not be the best choice for someone with an extremely low pain tolerance or someone who is uncomfortable with therapeutic pressure.'

Lymphatic Drainage Massage, 8/10

$115 to $275 per session

For brides in unforgiving wedding dress fabrics, regular lymphatic drainage treatments can be a great fix for a bloated stomach or swollen legs or arms.

Bloating can happen as a result of body waste from the lymphatic system – think excess gas, trapped stool, or fluid retention. By using light, rhythmic movements, lymphatic drainage can help reduce swelling and fluid retention.

'In the weeks leading up to the wedding, lymphatic drainage massage can leave both the face and body looking more refreshed and defined. Brides may notice a less bloated feeling, a more sculpted appearance, and smoother-looking skin,' Jade Haifa, of Jade Haifa Studios, says.

Haifa, a master of lymphatic drainage trained in different global methods, is thorough in her approach, using several different electronic tools and techniques to achieve optimal results.

However, don't expect to see immediate results if you're going to try this method. 'One of the biggest misconceptions about lymphatic drainage is expecting a dramatic transformation after one session,' she notes.

For the best visible results, Haifa recommends brides start lymphatic drainage treatments about three months before the wedding, scheduling at least two to three weeks apart, and then once a week in the month leading up to the big day.

Cheek Filler, 10/10

$800 to $2,000 per syringe

After I saw minimal difference following my PRF under eye injections, I opted to pull out the big guns, and try dermal filler for my sunken under-eyes. 

Little did I know about fixing this issue, is that the cheeks were actually the place to start. Dr Schwarzburg, of Skinly Aesthetics, explained that doctors should really be assessing cheek structure, projection, facial width and under-eye transition for their brides.

'By restoring volume in the right area of the cheeks, I can rebuild some of that underlying support and create a smoother transition from the lower eyelid into the midface. In the right patient, that can make the under-eye look significantly less hollow without putting filler directly underneath the eye,' he said.

The goal, he explained, isn't to give someone noticeably bigger cheeks. 'For a bride, especially, I want people looking at the photographs and thinking she looks rested and defined, not wondering whether she had filler.'

Generally, brides should beware of attempting to get this treatment done too close to the wedding date. 

While one person may have almost no bruising or swelling, another may bruise for a week or longer, such as myself. After one to two syringes, I bruised like an apple, but I was also a little too lenient with healing instructions.

There is also the very (uncommon) risk of infection and vascular occlusion, which is why Dr Schwarzburg does not recommend brides rush last minute appointments, even for Botox. Three to four weeks ahead of time is the latest a bride should try a treatment.

However, results were unmatched, and I felt like I had taken 10 years off of my appearance – bridal bags be gone.