A first impression is a lasting impression, and most of the time, the first impressions we make center on our faces. Keeping our faces looking healthy and taking care of our skin is critical for self-esteem, health, and comfort. Dermaplaning is a fantastic way to leave the impression we want to.
Dermaplaning has many benefits. It makes skin look smooth, delivers a stunning glow, and makes makeup look better on your skin. It also helps break up dark spots from acne and scarring and can help you keep your face cleaner.
This article will discuss dermaplaning benefits in detail, and the pros and cons of dermaplaning treatments. I’ll also discuss the issues involved with dermaplaning, its procedures, risks, and side effects of the treatment.
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What Is Dermaplaning?
Dermaplaning is a skincare treatment procedure that is trusted to help attend to some primary skin concerns that we might have.
Dermaplaning is a facial treatment where you use a sharp razor blade to shave off hair and the top layers of dead skin from your face. Dermaplaning gently exfoliates while removing hair, giving you a smooth, natural glow while reducing the appearance of acne, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and scars.
It involves using an exfoliating blade to remove scarring, marks, hair, and skin to help it look youthful and radiant.
Dermaplaning is very different from dermabrasion. While dermabrasion uses a fast, rotating brush to cleanse and exfoliate the skin, dermaplaning utilizes a dermatome to scrape off the first layer of dead skin. This process is gentle enough for sensitive skin, and it won’t do any damage.
Benefits of Dermaplaning
Dermaplaning has tons of benefits, but the most prevalently recognized one is its ability to remove dead skin cells and have your skin looking brighter and youthful. Most of the benefits of dermaplaning revolve around its exfoliating properties that are effective on dry, oily, and combination skin types.
Here are some of the benefits of dermaplaning procedures:
- Treats scars and marks from acne, mild injuries, and pimples
- Dermaplaning can help ease hyperpigmentation.
- The process can soften fine lines and wrinkles.
- The treatment yields healthier, brighter, and smoother skin.
- Dermaplaning gives your face a smoother look, making makeup look more natural.
Dermaplaning has always been a popular method of treating the skin for bumps, wrinkles, and excessive hair. Still, it has recently taken the skincare community by storm, and for a good reason. It’s a quick treatment and relatively easy that leaves your skin looking better than ever.
Skin Concerns Dermaplaning Benefits the Most
Dermaplaning is essential in the treatment and even prevention of certain skin conditions. Some of these skin issues include:
Acne
Acne is a skin condition caused by over secretion of sebum either due to hormonal imbalance or poor condition and care of the skin. In some instances, dead skin cells, dirt, and debris clog up the skin and lead to an acne breakout.
Prevention and treatment of acne is dermaplaning’s specialty. Dermaplaning helps scrape off the top layer of the skin, taking along with dead skin cells, dirt, and debris caught onto the skin, giving way to cleaner new skin cells.
The dermaplaning blade will shave off the sebum, oils, and other gunk that form “caps” on top of our pores. So, this process will open up your pores, helping them breathe more, reducing the chance of blackheads and acne in the process.
Wrinkles and Aging
As the years go by, the skin begins to take a toll. Fine lines and wrinkles are one of the most prevalent early signs of aging.
There are certain cases where wrinkles and fine lines show up much earlier in a person’s life. Excessive stress or your genetic makeup can make your skin look older and more worn out before other people even show their first wrinkles.
Dermaplaning is an effective treatment for wrinkles since it stimulates skin growth, improves circulation, and encourages your smoothest and youngest skin cells to move to the forefront.
Dry or Flaky Skin
Whether you have consistently dry skin or only experience flaking, ashy skin in the wintertime, dermaplaning can help.
Dry skin isn’t only rough and flaky – it can also increase your chances of developing clogged pores. Most dry skin results from many dead skin cells, clogging your pores, and reducing oil production and aeration. As a result, the skin appears duller and older and may be prone to breakouts.
Dermaplaning helps clear this dead skin cell layer, leaving new cells that give the face a younger and brighter appearance.
Dull Skin
Hyperpigmentation and dull skin tones are other skin conditions that dermaplaning can prove highly effective in treating. Clearing off the upper layer of dead skin in the procedure removes old cells and dirt that could affect your skin, leading to uneven skin tone.
After dermaplaning, your skin shows off its true tone by giving way to new, fresh skin cells.
Scars and Marks
Scars and hyperpigmentation are annoying, and they can be challenging to eliminate. However, dermaplaning helps neutralize these spots and encourages fresh, smooth skin to replace them.
With dermaplaning, you can reduce the intensity of these dark spots on your skin. In cases where the dark spots and scars do not go deep beyond the skin’s surface, you can remove them entirely with dermaplaning.
How Does Dermaplaning Work?
Dermaplaning is a process that involves the use of a sharp blade or scalpel, mostly called a dermatome, to remove the upper layer of the skin and hair. When dermaplaning, you shave your face with the direction of hair growth, holding the blade at a 45º angle.
To put it simply, it is a treatment process that removes dead skin cells, hair strands, dirt, and dust from the pores, reducing the appearance of bumps, peach fuzz, and acne.
The dermatome is either electric or just a straight razor that the dermatologist moves around the skin to remove the top layer. The dermatome, which functions similarly to a shaving razor, is angled at 45º to remove the top skin layer, dead skin cells, dirt, and debris, thereby smoothening the skin to look even and healthy.
There are, however, no definite results to the effect of dermaplaning due to the differences in skin type and tones. Some people see a drastic improvement in their skin, while others have experienced breakouts, rashes, and other disappointing effects. So, it’s hard to tell how your skin will react. Start slowly and gently.
These Tinkle razors are super cheap on Amazon and get great reviews. I personally use these ones from Schick and love them.
Side Effects of Dermaplaning
Unlike popular opinion, dermaplaning is a pretty straightforward process involving few risks. What’s more, dermaplaning only takes minutes.
However, you might experience specific side effects after a dermaplaning procedure due to skin type variability and sensitivity.
Some of the most common side effects are:
- Red skin: The area where dermaplaning occurred can appear red for a few hours after the treatment. This redness is usually a bit like razor burn. The redness, however, goes away on its own without the need for any additional treatment.
- Skin infections and scarring: These conditions occur very rarely, mainly if your dermatologist or a spa technician performed the dermaplaning. However, in cases where it does, it is usually due to being cut by the dermaplaning blade. In case of scarring, a steroid injection is all you need to soften the affected area.
- Patchy skin pigmentation: This side effect rarely occurs after a dermaplaning procedure. However, you can always reach out to your dermatologist in situations where it does happen. In most cases, it decreases or goes away entirely on its own.
Acne breakouts. In some cases, people experience an acne breakout after dermaplaning. Such breakouts are usually due to the cream or lubricant used in the dermaplaning procedure.
Dermaplaning At Home Vs. at A Salon/Medical Spa
You can do dermaplaning by yourself at home and still get results. I regularly use these cheap Schick razors from Amazon. However, professionals can remove more skin layers in less time than when you do it yourself at home.
Of course a home treatment is going to be much less expensive. But there is a limit to the results you can get at home compared to a dermaplaning salon or medical spa. Some skincare professionals combine the skin removal process with other beneficial treatments like adding a chemical peel and light therapy.
How Much Does It Cost to Dermaplane at Home Vs. at A Spa?
Getting dermaplaning done for yourself at home is cheaper than having a professional dermatologist handle it. Depending on how efficient you are at improvising tools and materials, you can make it even more affordable.
It costs as low as $5 to dermaplane at home if you plan to use regular cutting tools like a razor blade or eyebrow razor. However, it costs over $150 to dermaplane at a spa or dermatologist.
However, if you’re not a pro, you should at least try to use the right tools, don’t just use your regular razor you use to shave your legs.
Tools range from inexpensive $5 razors to a home exfoliation device known as the Dermaflash that is approximately $200. I personally use cheap razors and am happy with my results.
However, getting dermaplaning done with a salon or medical spa professional would cost around $100 – $200. This price range is for single dermaplaning services. If other treatment options are attached to give a complete treatment package, it can cost as high as $350-$500, depending on where you are getting it done.
How Long Does It Take To Recover From a Dermaplaning Procedure?
It doesn’t take any time to recover from a dermaplaning procedure. Dermaplaning is just a face shave, so you don’t need downtime. You are back on your feet once the process is over.
You might see some redness if you have sensitive skin but in general this is superficial so you shouldn’t have downtime.
How Long Do the Effects of Dermaplaning Last?
Dermaplaning is not a magical procedure that permanently smoothens and rejuvenates your skin.
The effects of dermaplaning last for about three weeks. Eventually, you will reaccumulate oil, dead skin, and hair on your face. So, most people who use dermaplaning to exfoliate regularly repeat the procedure at home every month.
How Much Does Dermaplaning Cost?
The cost for dermaplaning services depends mainly on who is offering the service. However, it would be best to prioritize professionalism rather than price when looking to hire a dermatologist for your dermaplaning session.
Dermaplaning costs around $150 to $400 for one procedure. However, some service providers might have extra or additional services to improve your results. Many people who get dermaplaning also choose to add on a chemical peel.
Many people combine chemical peels with dermaplaning since the process exposes your pores, and removes dead skin, making your face absorb helpful chemicals much faster than you would have on a regular day.
Which Is Better for exfoliation: Dermaplaning or Microdermabrasion?
Both dermaplaning and microdermabrasion work well enough in exfoliating the skin. I actually have an entire article comparing the pros and cons of each here. Check it out for more information on deciding which is going to be best for you.
The only difference is that dermaplaning uses a blade, and the other uses an abrasive. The blade scrapes off the surface of dead cells, dirt, and debris. On the other hand, dermabrasion sands down your skin using a blast of air and the fine particles of a unique abrasive tool.
Dermaplaning and microdermabrasion have similar results, risks, side effects, and costs.
Dermaplaning is better if you want one quick, short-term treatment to make your skin look smoother without using harsh abrasives. However, microdermabrasion lasts longer and takes several months of treatment. It also may not be suitable for sensitive skin.
To decide which one works best for you, you can reach out to your dermatologist to help determine your best options depending on your skin type and personal preferences.
Check out this article if you’re interested in learning more about microdermabrasion. In it I compare microdermabrasion and a hydrafacial, which are both exfoliating treatments.
How To Prepare for a Dermaplaning Procedure
When going in for a dermaplaning procedure, here are a few things you should keep in mind.
Know the Cost of the Procedure
It is not exactly the most affordable procedure for a procedure that lasts three weeks to a month. So be prepared for the costs beforehand. If you want the full effects of the process with all of the possible additional services, then you should prepare around $300 to $500 for your procedure.
Know the Amount Time Dermaplaning Takes
You can also prepare yourself for how much time you will spend on the treatment. Dermaplaning usually lasts for about 30 minutes for a session. However, if you want additional services like a chemical peel, you might have to wait a bit longer. However, the standard time for a session is 30 minutes.
Avoid Exfoliating Your Skin Before the Procedure
When preparing to have dermaplaning done, you should avoid exfoliating your skin three days before. A week at best. You can also do well to prevent tanning and tan-related products.
What To Do After a Dermaplaning Procedure
You shouldn’t have much down time after dermaplaning. As always, protect your skin from the sun. If you see any redness use a gentle, soothing moisturizer like CeraVe or Aveeno. I have a whole article comparing CeraVe and Aveeno products here.
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