Wedding Bells

Photo: Alvaro Goveia. Makeup & Hair, David Goveia

Dr. Lisa Kellet, owner of Toronto’s DLK on Avenue, is quite simply the best when it comes to skincare. She’s my go-to-guru for perfect skin—she always prescribes just the right treatment and product to my put skin in fighting form. Two days before my wedding, I had an Oxygen Facial at DLK (Madonna is said to be a huge fan of them) and I can tell you my skin never looked better as I walked down the aisle. I recently nabbed a few minutes with Dr. Kellet to chat pre-wedding skin issues—here’s her sage and savvy advice.

1.What is the number one skin concern you hear from brides? “Acne! Adult acne in women is quite common in general and especially with the stress of an upcoming wedding many brides do suffer from acne.”

2. Solution(s) to adult acne? “There are many treatments available to treat acne depending on the severity, patient characteristics and time line. One of the most important first steps is to use proper daily home care. This means starting with a gentle, non-foaming exfoliating cleanser once to twice a day. A benzoyl peroxide in a gel moisturizer is a solid mainstay for acne treatment as it delivers an effective drug in a base that is ideal for adult skin and is not too drying. A gel moisturizer is ideal for acne prone skin as it delivers moisture but won’t cause the breakouts that lotions and creams can.
Everyone should be using sun protection and acne patients are no exception. An SPF 30 or higher in a clear spray formulation is best.
Additionally, there are multiple prescription medications and in-dermatology-clinic treatments including diamond peels and photodynamic therapy that are used in the management of acne.”

3. Good skin care should be practiced everyday, but in the months leading up to a wedding day, how should that routine be enhanced? “The first step is to make a list of your skincare concerns and goals and meet with a dermatologist to discuss both. Cosmetic consultation is a collaborative process between a patient and her dermatologist.   It is best to start a skin treatment program 12 months before the wedding to ensure there is enough time to address skin concerns. Treatments often include diamond peels, epidermal or silk peels, Lumenis One treatments and ProFractional treatments for scarring.”

4.What’s your number one secret to great skin? “That’s a tough one, because I believe a proper skin care routine involves a multifaceted approach. I exfoliate twice a day and use a gel-based anti-aging moisturizer every night. Most importantly, to prevent UV damage (Cancer) and brown spots, I apply sunscreen every morning year ‘round. I always remember to apply sun block to my chest and neck which would be a great thing for brides as well.  I also make sure to apply topical vitamins in the form of vitamin A (1% retinol) at night and vitamin C (35%) in the morning.  I use concentrated serums that are mixed right into my moisturizer.  As far as treatments I do Lumenis One laser treatments every two to four weeks to treat brown spots, spider veins, pore size and overall skin tone and texture. I know it sounds like a lot, but the result is clearer, younger, healthier looking skin.”