ICE QUEENS

‘Ski bunny face’ is the new pre-après beauty craze

JEFFREY Lisiecki, MD, a plastic surgeon in Manhattan, has noticed something interesting these past few years: A more than doubling of facial procedures in the fall months.

“Many of these patients mention wanting to have their procedure healed for ski season,” said Lisiecki, noting that facelifts (from $40,000), facial fat grafting (around $7,500), blepharoplasty (around $7,500) and rhinoplasty (from $20,000) are all popular.

While the doctor believes that “defined cheeks and jawlines, refreshed eyes and clear skin are always in demand” — and we agree — there’s something about winter travel and hitting the slopes that brings out an extra splash of vanity.

Lisiecki isn’t the only medical practitioner seeing an uptick in pre-ski spruce-ups. Courtney Coons, NP, a skin care and injectables specialist at PERK Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, said her company sees a seasonal spike in “pre-ski getaway” facial rejuvenation appointments.

Based on internal booking data, Botox and Daxxify appointments increase by about 40% from November through January with lip filler requests rising 30%, and hybrid skin-resurfacing laser and photofacial treatments jumping nearly 50%.

Transforming into a youthful snow bunny will cost you: PERK’s Pre-Après package totals $11,723, and typically includes a full-face and neck rejuvenation protocol, optimized for ski conditions.

Goretti Ho Taghva, MD, a plastic surgeon and founder of LEA Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Lab in Newport Beach, Calif., reported a clear shift in what patients want before their winter trips. Clients are no longer asking for hyaluronic acid fillers that create that chipmunk midface — people want a lifted, sculpted look that still feels natura. Taghva uses biostimulators like Sculptra and EZGel since they “won’t look bloated in high-altitude conditions.” At LEA Aesthetic Lab, they’ve seen a 60% increase in these regenerative treatments compared with last winter.

Currently, Taghva and her team offer an “Après Glow by LEA” package ($1,980), that begins with Ultherapy Prime to sculpt and tighten the jawline, followed by Glacial Rx to calm redness and a HydraFacial as well as the “Pre-Ski Polish” ($750), comprised of a gentle BroadBand Light treatment with an infused microneedling treatment.

Of course, the best thing you can do for your skin is protect it, said Dr. Kristina Collins, MD, a dermatologist and founder of Austin Skin. She’s seen an 150% increase in what they call “pre-ski glow” appointments year-over-year.

“Layer a ceramide-rich moisturizer under a broad-spectrum SPF 50 even on cloudy days,” she said. “And don’t skip antioxidant serums — they protect against wind and sun damage.”