Ultherapy Before Your Wedding: When to Have It

A dermatologist in Gangnam, Seoul explains when to have Ultherapy before your wedding or pre-wedding photo shoot.

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One of the questions we hear most often from patients planning a wedding is, "When should I have Ultherapy so I can see results on my wedding day?"

It's understandable to want to time your treatment for such an important day. But with Ultherapy, changes tend to develop gradually rather than right after treatment, and when you notice them varies from person to person. That is why we usually plan treatment for 2–3 months before the wedding.

Q. Why do you recommend Ultherapy 2–3 months before a wedding?

It comes down to two things: how long swelling lasts and how long it takes to see results.

In our clinical experience, swelling after Ultherapy usually lasts about 1–2 weeks, and mild residual swelling can linger for 3–4 weeks. Some patients start to notice changes around four weeks, once swelling has gone down, but many notice a difference around 2–3 months. Ultherapy uses focused ultrasound energy to heat targeted tissue and stimulate collagen renewal, so the change builds gradually over time.

So having Ultherapy 2–3 months before your wedding generally gives swelling time to settle, and you may start to notice changes by the time your wedding arrives. Recovery and results vary from person to person.

From treatment day to your weddingWe usually suggest Ultherapy 2–3 months before your wedding

1. 1
   Treatment day
2. 2
   About 1–2 weeksSwelling usually lasts about this long
3. 3
   3–4 weeksMild residual swelling may remain. Some people start noticing changes around 4 weeks.
4. 4
   2–3 monthsMany people notice a more visible difference
5. 5
   Your weddingThis is why we usually suggest treatment 2–3 months ahead

Q. Should I plan Ultherapy around my pre-wedding photo shoot or the wedding day?

If your pre-wedding photo shoot is well before the wedding and you want the results to show in those photos, plan around the photo shoot date. If the photo shoot and the wedding are close together, we suggest planning around the wedding day.

Q. Can Ultherapy and Thermage be done on the same day?

Yes, you can have both on the same day. Before a wedding, many people add Thermage to Ultherapy to address skin firmness. Thermage is also typically done about 2–3 months before the wedding, so having both on the same day is common. If you are concerned about swelling, they can be done on separate days instead.

Q. Can I have skin boosters on the same day as Ultherapy before a wedding?

When preparing for a wedding, many people think about more than their facial contours. They also want their skin to look good on the day. Along with Ultherapy, patients may consider Rejuran, hydrating skin booster injections (often called "water-glow injections" in Korea), or intradermal botulinum toxin injections (often called "skin Botox").

If you have a skin concern, a skin booster such as Rejuran can be done on the same day as Ultherapy. If your skin has improved enough, some patients do not have another session before the wedding. Others who would like further improvement have one more session about one month before the wedding.

Q. Do you recommend any skin boosters before a wedding?

We often recommend combining water-glow injections with skin Botox for people preparing for a wedding. It may help with skin texture and fine lines, and can leave the skin looking a little smoother and more radiant.

For this combination, we generally plan on about three months of visible effect, though this varies from person to person. If you have Ultherapy two months before the wedding, we may do them together. If you have Ultherapy three to four months before, we may do the water-glow injections and skin Botox separately, three to four weeks before the wedding. If you are visiting Seoul for a short time, let us know your travel dates and we will plan your appointments around your stay.

Q. How should I plan Ultherapy based on how much time I have before the wedding?

Time before the wedding	What we generally suggest
6–12 months	There is plenty of time to plan. We generally aim for treatment 2–3 months before the wedding. If your wedding is a year away, some patients have Ultherapy now and again 8–10 months later.
2–4 months	We recommend Ultherapy in this window. 2–3 months before is what we suggest most often.
Within 1 month	Swelling may last until the wedding, so we decide after a consultation. We may consider other lifting treatments with less downtime.

These are general guidelines, not fixed rules. We plan around your schedule at a consultation.

Q. My wedding is less than a month away. Can I still have Ultherapy?

We usually do not recommend it, because swelling can last until the wedding. Swelling varies from person to person and is hard to predict exactly beforehand. If you do not need the results to show by the wedding and would still like to go ahead, we decide after a consultation, once we have checked your skin and the time left. If time is short, we may also suggest other lifting treatments with less downtime.

Q. How often should Ultherapy be repeated?

Usually once every 6–12 months, and sometimes as early as 6 months. In our clinical experience, many patients feel the effect fading around 8 months. This is also why, if your wedding is a year away, some patients have Ultherapy now and again 8–10 months later.

Note: This article provides general medical information. Guidance may vary according to the findings of an in-person examination. Whether and when to proceed is decided after the examination. Ultherapy may cause swelling, pain, bruising and temporary changes in sensation.