Everything You Need to Know About Dermaplaning & If you Should Do it

Dermaplaning can help tighten loose skin, reduce hyperpigmentation and ultimately help your face look younger.

All of these benefits come from a quick and easy procedure which includes a scalpel (but it doesn’t go into your skin!) which is grazed over your skin at an angle.

Learn more about the benefits of dermaplaning, who should and shouldn’t get dermaplaning done and how to boost your results after the procedure:

More…

What is Dermaplaning & How Does it Work?

Dermaplaning is a quick and painless procedure that involves using a surgical scalpel (yes just like a surgeon!) to exfoliate and remove dead skin cells right off of your face.

The scalpel is NOT used to enter into the skin, instead it is placed at a 45 degree angle to the skin and is brushed back and forth over the skin on the face.

The entire procedure usually lasts 20-30 minutes, doesn’t require any anesthetic and provides immediate results.

So how does Dermaplaning work?

Dermaplaning works by mechanically exfoliating your skin.

What that means is your artist will remove excess skin cells and any skin cell debris from your epidermis.

This process will also remove vellus hairs from your face (the white peach fuzz).

The process of removing dead skin cells and scraping off the top portion of the epidermis is stimulating to the deeper layers of your skin (the dermis).

The process results in a stimulating effect which causes your skin to produce more collagen which increases skin tightness and skin texture.

The result?

Making your skin look younger, tighter and more beautiful.

Dermaplaning can be done as frequently as once per month.

Another huge benefit to doing dermplaning is that you can also add growth serums and other therapies to help boost your results and improve your skin even further.

Dermplaning is often accompanied with a facial and special growth serums including vitamin A and C can be added after your procedure to help maintain your results (more on those below).

Why should you consider using dermaplaning or other therapies that help exfoliate?

Well one of the big problems with aging is that your body exfoliates less and less.

This process results in a build up of dead skin cells requiring that you either remove those skin cells yourself or use a mechanical device to help remove the dead cells for you.

The process of removing this excess skin stimulates new epidermal growth (the top layer of your skin) and creates more growth factors and collagen that all boost the appearance of your skin.

The stimulation allows promotes an even distribution of melanin (which provides pigment to your skin), this is how dermaplaning can alter pigmentation – especially if used in conjunction with chemical peels.

This process generally takes 3-5 days to produce the maximum benefit, but dermaplaning does provide you with an immediate change to skin texture as well.

Remember that it takes around 40-50 days for your epidermis to “turn over” so you don’t want to get this procedure done more often than once a month or so.

Benefits of Dermaplaning:

Quick and immediate results – your skin will look soft, fresh and clean immediately after the procedure
No downtime after the procedure, you will be able to walk out of the office and head straight to work
Helps to mechanically exfoliate the upper epidermis of your skin and remove both white vellus (peach fuzz) from your face and any dead skin cells
Provides immediate skin tightening and collagen production
Helps skin look younger and fresh
Does not cause hair to grow back darker or thicker
Can be combined with other procedures like facials, and growth serums for better results
More aggressive therapy than microdermabrasion, so results will be slightly quicker than using this exofliative method

Now that you know WHY it helps, let’s talk about what conditions it can be used for…

What conditions does it help?

Probably the single most common reason for getting dermaplaning done is for the anti-aging effects.

Anti-aging is NOT the process of reversing the damage that is already present in your skin, instead it is more about preventing further damage from occurring.

Many people don’t realize that with some very basic therapies like facials, dermaplaning and growth serums that they can almost halt the aging process in its tracks.

Have you ever seen a woman in her 50’s who looks like she’s in her 40’s?

THIS is what anti-aging is about.

But beyond the fact that dermplaning makes your skin look young and fresh, it can also be used for other purposes and conditions:

Aging or loose skin
Provides texture and increased quality to the skin
Helps exfoliate and may help reduce occurrence of breakouts
Can be combined with chemical peels to treat acne scarring, photodamage, melasma, hyperpigmentation or dyschromia and even acne (but dermaplaning shouldn’t be used with ACTIVE break outs)

Despite these benefits there are some people who shouldn’t get dermaplaning done:

People with very fair or light skin or people who are VERY sensitive should think twice before getting this procedure.

That usually means people on in the Fitzpatrick type 1-2 range:

Most people who have sensitive are aware of it and know that they react to certain creams, lotions and procedures.

Because dermplaning is more exfoliative than microdermabrasion, the process may leave some people with sensitive skin with “razor burn” on their face.

Some sensitive patients may also get slightly swollen or “puffy” after the procedure.

Boost your results with growth serums and Vitamin A + C:

When it comes to your skin, and to get the best results, you really want to use a technique known as “layering”.

This idea involves the use of multiple therapies, that each work in tandem with one another, to achieve the best results.

When this is done correctly the outcome becomes multiplicative!

For instance:

Dermplaning on its own will provide some noticeable benefit to your face.

The combination of dermplaning plus chemical peels will provide even more (quicker and more lasting results).

The combination of Dermplaning plus chemical peels plus topical agents takes it to the next level.

For this reason I have included my personal favorite (the one I use) healing serum to help increase your results:

How to Use iS Clinical Pro Heal Serum After Dermaplaning

Overall rating:

Overall Quality

VERY high quality with a pure form of Vitamin C

Price

Price is high, but well worth it

Personal Rating

Can be “layered” with other products for more benefit (I use this product daily)

Who should use it:

Ingredients:

People with photo damaged skin or with sun spots
People with aging skin (pretty much anyone over age 30)
People with very sensitive skin
People who are layering multiple products

L-Ascorbic Acid
Retinol
Bioflavinoids
Olive leaf extract
Tocopherol

How to use it:

Why it works

Apply 2-4 drops directly to your face after cleansing
Spread evening throughout your face and to your neck line
Avoid placing product in the eyes or in any orifice
Use in the morning if using active serum in the evening

Contains anti oxidants like Vitamin C, olive leaf extract and bioflavinoids
Contains vitamin A which has been proven to reduce fine lines and aging
Contains vitamin E which prevents photo damage

Recommended product:

<img class=”tve_image” alt=”is clinical vitamin c serum pro heal” style=”width: 294px” src=”//browsandbody.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/is-clinical-vitamin-c-serum-pro-heal.png” width=”294″ height=”305″ data-attachment-id=”1494″>See more reviews here

Dermaplaning and Acne

A quick note:

Dermaplaning should not be done if you are having active break outs or cystic acne.

If you fall into this category then a better option for exfoliation would be a more gentle mechanical exfoliative like what can be achieved with the clarisonic, or with chemical peels and/or facials.

While dermplaning can help PREVENT future breakouts, it’s not necessarily ideal for someone with acne currently.

Once you get your acne under control you can come back to dermaplaning to help promote collagen control and use it in conjunction with chemical peels to reduce scarring from acne.

Dermaplaning Before and After

This is an example of me getting dermaplaned:

I’ve also included a shortened video of the entire procedure:

I never talk about a procedure until I’ve had it done to myself, like the results I got and understand the research behind it.

Obviously there will be differences in terms of what beneficial effects you may see in your body, but I find that my skin is so much softer afterwards.

I also found that it help with my acne (especially due to hormones).

But as always, your mileage may vary.

How much does it cost?

Dermaplaning will run you around $ 100-200 per visit.

The average price at high end salons is around the $175 mark, but you can certainly get great results without going to a high end salon.

As long as you undergo the proper aftercare with healing serums it would be better to find a cheaper place to cover that cost.

The combination of dermaplaning plus growth serum will do more for you than just one by itself.

From a technical standpoint dermaplaning is relatively easy to pick up and there isn’t a high degree of variance between artists (compared to something like botox or dermal fillers).

Does it hurt?

Dermaplaning should cause only MILD discomfort at the most.

The majority of patients have no issues in terms of pain after the procedure, however some may have slight “puffiness” or slight “redness” – these clients usually have more tender and sensitive skin.

You do NOT need topical anesthetic prior to this procedure.

Back to you

Dermaplaning is a therapy which can help promote collagen production and epidermal growth factors which may directly result in an improvement in skin tone and pigmentation.

This procedure is primarily for people interested in anti-aging but it has more benefits beyond this!

Make sure to “layer” your dermaplaning with other therapies for maximum benefit and get some kind of Vitamin a + vitamin C based serum after your procedure (this will maximize your benefits).

And finally – make sure you find an artist that you trust and has your best interests at heart!

Now it’s your turn:

Have you had dermaplaning done?

Did it work for you?

Why or why not?

Leave your comment below!

Kat Rich

Hi! I'm Kat and I write these posts. I'm obsessed with eyebrows, hair and anything related to fitness. Right now I do microblading, 3d brows and semi-permanent eyebrows in Mesa, Arizona as a certified microblading artist. I'm a licensed cosmetologist and have been for over 10 years as well. I love experimenting with new products and love to share my experiences. Have questions? Leave them below!

Everything You Need to Know About Dermaplaning & If you Should Do it