The other morning I walked in on Kit with a surgical blade to her face in Room 1. She has the magical talent of being able to dermaplane herself. I am very jealous of this. I've seen Iris do it too. These are the times when I second guess my occupation and feel I should go learn to be an aesthetician!! Even just this weekend I was watching Netflix and absentmindedly fingering the whiskers that keep popping up under my chin, or else on my lip. And when I look closely in the mirror, the amount of peach fuzz is sometimes alarming: is that a whisker…or is that just regular facial hair??! Grooming is exhausting!
I have a friend who actually shaves her face with a razor every day. I keep meaning to tell her that is NOT a good thing. Dermaplaning, and shaving with a razor at home, really don’t accomplish the same thing. Before explaining why, let me quickly back track to what dermaplaning is for anyone who has yet to try it.
What is dermaplaning? Some women, especially blondies, have a lot of “peach fuzz” on their face. Some of us are bothered by it, or would prefer not to have it at all. Dermaplaning removes that peach fuzz, leaving you with extremely smooth skin. Dermaplaning also removes the top layer of dead skin cells, which helps promote cell turn over and can lessen the look of fine lines, as well as improve skin texture. Skincare products can also penetrate more deeply through the freshly exfoliated skin, giving you optimal benefit. The whole procedure leaves you glowing.
What makes professional dermaplaning a better choice than shaving at home? Expertise and knowledge. There are plenty of spa treatments that people can attempt at home, including dermaplaning. But the difference will always be the professional grade of treatment that you will receive in a medical spa by a trained aesthetician with the proper tools. A professional treatment is done with a surgical grade scalpel, in swift, delicate strokes. It is also only done at least four weeks apart.
Why should you dermaplane at least four weeks apart? The vellus hair on our faces also has a role in helping oil leave the deeper skin layers. Exfoliating too often can cause irritation or breakouts, as the oil becomes trapped within the skin.
Will shaving cause your hair to regrow more often, thicker or darker? Absolutely not. Dermaplaning does nothing to change the quality or density of the hair.
Does it hurt? Nope! I’ve done it and it didn’t hurt a bit. And I became obsessed with how smooth and glowing my skin was. It can definitely be addictive! The skin will be a little sensitive afterwards though, as with any exfoliating procedure.
Any down time? Well, one of the reasons I keep putting it off is that I go to hot yoga in the evenings. Exfoliating your face and then being in the heat for a prolonged time, or sweating, isn’t comfortable. Your skin will sting or burn. So skip the workout afterwards, or knock it out before your appointment!