In the quest for achieving your smoothest skin yet, you may have come across a trending treatment that involves a scalpel and wondered — what is dermaplaning and is it right for me? When it comes to researching your treatment options, the array of available services can be overwhelming, and it can be difficult to find a resource that gives a balanced perspective. In this post we delve into the topic and provide the answer to the question—what is dermaplaning— and share our thoughts on why this is a treatment you may not wish to pursue.

What is dermaplaning?

Dermaplaning is a skin resurfacing treatment that involves a practitioner manually scraping away the outermost layers of the skin. The driving force behind the popularity of this treatment is the fact that in addition to removing dull, dead skin cells, the vellus hairs a.k.a. peach fuzz is shaved away. This “benefit” is appealing for anyone who is bothered by these hairs, and many makeup artists encourage brides to get this treatment done before their wedding day to create an ultra-smooth pallet for their makeup application. However, these temporary outcomes have a long-term cost to skin health.

The potential risks and side effects of dermaplaning

Both the vellus hairs and the epidermis, a.k.a. the skin barrier, play a protective role for the skin. When one or both are removed, it can leave the skin sensitive to the environment, and vulnerable to dehydration and acne.

You may be wondering — how is dermaplaning so different from getting any other kind of professional exfoliation (chemical peels, microdermabrasion etc.). When it comes to resurfacing the skin, there is always the potential for over-exfoliation regardless of the method that is being used. However with dermaplaning, it can be challenging to provide a precise and consistent level of exfoliation because of the manual nature of the treatment. Here’s why: the practitioner is using the scalpel to shave away layers of skin along with the velus hairs. Their technique and the pressure they use will determine how many layers of the skin barrier are removed. When moving from section to section of the face, the different densities of the tissue as well as the various angles of the face make this task very difficult to perform in an exacting way. As a result it is not uncommon for very fine abrasions to occur during the process. NOTE: The risks we have discussed here are even higher when using DIY at-home devices. We strongly advise against doing this treatment on yourself.

Why dermaplaning may not be suitable for all skin types

  • Sensitive Skin: Because dermaplaning has the potential result in a weakened skin barrier, it is not advisable for anyone with sensitive skin.
  • Melanin-rich Skin: The very fine abrasions that occur can initiate an inflammatory healing cascade which may cause hyperpigmentation to arise in melanin-rich skin.
  • Acne: Because dermplaning involves the physical scraping of the skin’s surface, it can spread acne bacteria, thus worsening the condition. Additionally, in the instance that dermaplaning impairs the skin barrier, it will leave the skin more vulnerable to acne bacteria and therefore there is the potential for more breakouts to occur.

Alternative skincare treatments to consider instead of dermaplaning

If the velus hairs on your face are your primary concern, we recommend considering electrolysis which is a permanent hair removal method that is generally quite safe for most skin types. Unlike laser hair removal, electrolysis can be performed on all shades of hair, including white and grey hairs.

The best treatment to address skin texture in our opinion is wet/dry microdermabrasion. This exfoliation process involves a vacuum-suction diamond tip hand piece that removes excess dead skin cells as it glides over the skin surface.

Learn more about this treatment method.

There are other professional exfoliation methods available such as chemical peels, but wet/dry microdermabrasion is the most comparable to dermaplaning as they are both physical exfolation methods that leave the skin feeling ultra-smooth.

Why we advise against dermaplaning

It can be tempting to jump on trends and respond to the demand for a service in the name of making money; however, dermaplaning does not fit with our ethos which prioritizes a healthy and strong skin barrier. Some of our skin therapists have trained and provided dermaplaning as a service previously and have chosen not to continue offering it because of the potential risks and side effects discussed above.

While doing your research on dermaplaning you will find opposing opinions from the mega-fans of this treatment. With that in mind we hope that we have provided you with enough information to make an informed decision on whether or not to try it. If you find you are left with some questions unanswered, we are always happy to help! We invite you to book a 30 minute consultation with one of our certified skin therapists to learn more about your skin and what types of treatments and at-home skin care will help you achieve your goals.