Dermaplaning: Everything You Need to Know

The desire for non-invasive skincare and anti-aging treatments is on the rise, especially among people looking for preventative maintenance solutions that will improve the heath of the skin and slow visible signs of aging. This is precisely why dermaplaning in Des Moines has increased in popularity. While dermaplaning does involve a scalpel on your face, the procedure is not at all invasive and boasts highly promising results.

What Is Dermaplaning?

Dermaplaning is a procedure in which a professional will utilize an elongated scalpel to scrape the entire surface of your face. As the scalpel gently scrapes, it removes “peach fuzz”, or fine and lightly colored facial hairs that grow on everyone. It also removes the dead skin sitting on the surface of the face, revealing the healthy, fresh, new layer that sits beneath.

How Is Dermaplaning Different From Shaving My Face?

Shaving your face will remove most of the “peach fuzz”, but it won’t do much to remove the dead skin. Face razors or eyebrow grooming razors are designed to catch and cut hair. They aren’t sharp, fine, or flat enough to capture and scrape the dead cells on the surface of the skin. Shaving your face will only partially accomplish what dermaplaning does. While base makeup may apply more smoothly onto shaved skin, shaving alone will not provide the same benefits as dermaplaning.

Is Dermaplaning Better Than Exfoliating?

Gentle exfoliation up to three times a week is an excellent skincare practice. It will help to remove some of the accumulation of dead skin cells, but it isn’t strong enough to remove everything. Dermaplaning is the most thorough form of exfoliation. Exfoliating can partially remove the aforementioned cells, but it won’t completely clear them all away in the same fashion dermaplaning will. Attempting to remove all dead skin cells from the surface of the face by exfoliation would require harsh products, and the vigorous scrubbing motion required is likely to damage the healthy skin beneath the dead layer.

Can Dermaplaning Give Me Breakouts?

Breakouts are generally caused by clogged pores, and dead skin cells contribute to these clogs. By removing the cells that contribute to breakouts, dermaplaning will have the opposite effect. Most people find that dermaplaning reduces the frequency and severity of breakouts by eliminating the major contributing factors.

Are There Any Side Effects With Dermaplaning?

Dermaplaning may not be the ideal skincare solution for everyone. People with highly sensitive skin or conditions that contribute to skin sensitivity, such as rosacea, may find that dermaplaning increases irritation. For people with active inflamed acne, the scraping motion of dermaplaning may increase inflammation. Individuals with dry skin, sun damage, age spots, fine lines, normal breakouts, or a dull complexion are most likely to experience the full array of benefits from dermaplaning.

Is Dermaplaning Painful?

The idea of a scalpel scraping the entire face sounds painful, but it is not. You’ll feel the scalpel pass over your skin, but the scalpel is not cutting you. The experience of dermaplaning is extraordinarily similar to the experience of shaving. A little light pressure reveals smooth skin, and the majority of people will not experience any bleeding as a result of dermaplaning. It is a surface level procedure not intended to break or penetrate the skin.

Can Dermaplaning Make My Hair Grow Back Thicker?

The idea that hair grows back thicker is a myth perpetuated by an illusion. When hair is cut at the center and continues to grow, it appears as though the hair has grown back thicker. This is why methods that remove hair from the root, like waxing, tweezing, or threading, lead to hair regrowth that seems finer. It only appears that way because the hair completely regenerates and is naturally thinner at the tip. Any regrowth following dermaplaning will be completely normal – the procedure will not affect hair thickness or growth patterns.

How Do I Care For My Skin After Dermaplaning?

After dermaplaning, the surface of your skin is fresh and new. This is likely to make the skin appear more sensitive. The first thing your skin will need is moisture, and skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid will help your skin retain that moisture. Some skincare ingredients like retinol may be too strong for your skin in its sensitive state. Avoid sun exposure and use a gentle, high SPF broad spectrum sunscreen. About one day after your treatment, you can proceed with applying makeup as you normally would.

How Often Do I Need Dermaplaning Treatments?

Your skin cells are constantly dying and regenerating. A new dead layer of skin cells will eventually form on top of your face. For most people, scheduling treatments approximately four weeks apart will keep the skin looking fresh and healthy.

Interested In Dermaplaning?

If you’re eager to experience the benefits of dermaplaning, we encourage you to book an appointment with us at The Spa at West Glen in West Des Moines, Iowa. If you have more questions about the procedure or its results, we’re always here to answer them.