Dermaplaning is a minimally invasive exfoliation treatment that uses a small blade to gently scrape dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. People often seek out dermaplaning to help brighten or smooth skin, reduce fine lines, fade acne scars, or remove peach facial hair.
Dermaplaning differs from facial shaving because it is more effective in exfoliating the top layer of skin. The treatment removes hair, dead skin cells, oils and dirt from the surface of the skin. It’s similar to microdermabrasion — another minimally invasive treatment that uses a device to buff away dead skin cells on top of the skin.
A dermatologist (a doctor specializing in skin conditions) or an esthetician (a skin care specialist) usually performs dermaplaning. Medical spas and dermatology offices offer this service as an independent or additional treatment to various facial treatments. As a cosmetic treatment, dermaplaning uses physical exfoliation to improve skin texture and tone.
Dermaplanning can benefit your skin as it offers hair removal and exfoliation. As a minimally invasive treatment, it also requires less recovery and causes less irritation than treatments such as chemical peels. Dermaplaning only offers short-term benefits to the skin unless done regularly.
Smooth and brighten the skin
Dead skin cells can make your skin look dry, uneven in texture and dull. Dermaplaning uses physical exfoliation to remove these dead skin cells, revealing fresher skin and a brighter complexion.
The removal of dead skin cells also makes the skin soft and smooth because the rough, damaged skin cells no longer remain on the surface.
Fade Dark Spots
Dermaplaning can help even out discolored skin with fading dark spots (hyperpigmentation) caused by age, acne or melasma. This benefit is mainly due to the exfoliating effect of dermaplaning.
Peeling the skin can reduce the production of melanin (skin pigment), which causes concentrated dark spots. Peeling can also cause parts of the melanin-containing cells to spread more evenly across the top layer of skin. As a result, dermaplaning can lead to a more even complexion and less visible dark spots.
Remove the Peach Fuzz
In addition to removing dead skin cells, dermaplaning removes fine facial hairs called vellus hairs, also known as peaches.
Some people want to remove the peach dust for aesthetic reasons. Removing peach fuzz further smoothes the appearance of facial skin and can help make-up apply more easily and evenly without clumping on the hair.
Smooth fine lines and acne scars
Regular dermaplaning can help increase cell turnover by removing dead skin cells faster and helping new skin cells reach the skin’s surface.
This exfoliation process helps the skin look smoother and brighter. It also helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by stimulating the production of collagen, which helps plump the skin and plump up lines. This same effect can help reduce the appearance of acne scars.
It can improve skin care absorption
Regular dermaplaning can help anti-aging and other skin care products reach their full potential.
Dead skin cells on top of your skin can prevent the active ingredients in serums and creams from penetrating deeper into your skin. Because dermaplaning removes dead skin cells, it can allow a more direct route for your skincare to absorb into your skin.
In a laboratory study in which researchers dermaplaned skin samples, the treatment increased the penetration of topical medications into the skin.
Dermaplaning is a good treatment option for people who want to improve skin texture with minimal irritation. Unlike more intensive exfoliation treatments such as chemical peels, dermaplaning does not completely remove the top layer of skin.
Dermaplaning can be gentler on dry, sensitive, textured or acne-scarred skin, reducing the potential for irritation. It can also help remove dead skin cells that contribute to acne and reduce the appearance of melasma (dark spots caused by excess skin pigment).
Dermaplaning is not for everyone. Dermaplaning of broken and inflamed skin can increase the risk of infection and worsen the inflammation. People with open skin lesions, inflamed acne or skin, raised scars, skin cancer and rosacea should avoid dermaplaning.
The treatment can also spread the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) to other parts of the face, so you should avoid dermaplaning if you have an active facial herpes outbreak or cold sores.
If you have taken acne medications such as isotretinoin (brands include Zenatane, Absorica and Miorisan) in the past six months, you should also avoid dermaplaning as it can increase the risk of scarring.
Before professional treatments, always discuss your skin type and medical history with your doctor. They need to know if you have had cold sores, acne breakouts, hyperpigmentation (dark spots) or other skin conditions to make sure they can safely perform dermaplaning.
During a dermaplaning treatment, a dermatologist or esthetician uses a scalpel to scrape away dead skin cells and hair from your face. Scraping sensations should not be painful, but they can be a little uncomfortable. Depending on your treatment, dermaplaning can take 10-60 minutes.
After the treatment, a moisturizing cream will be applied to the skin. Your skin may look red, pink, or slightly swollen (like a sunburn). This will resolve in a few days and should not require you to avoid activities or stay home from work. Your skin will be extremely sensitive to the sun for about a week.
A new layer of dead skin cells takes about a month to accumulate, so you can usually enjoy the benefits of smoother, more even skin within a few weeks. Hair will also start to grow, but dermaplaning does not make it darker or thicker.
Dermaplaning is a temporary treatment; repeat treatments are necessary to maintain your results. Some people choose to receive it weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, depending on their skin goals and budget.
Dermaplaning often causes minor side effects such as redness, burning of the skin and mild swelling. These side effects are common and usually disappear within a day. More intense side effects can include bruising, burning, and sensitivity to the sun. They also usually resolve within a few days.
Since dermaplaning makes the skin sensitive to sunlight, protecting your skin from the sun after treatment is essential to avoid sun damage and dark spots.
Dermaplaning is usually safe when performed by an experienced and licensed dermatologist or esthetician. However, the treatment has risks, especially if you are not seeing a professional.
While dermaplaning can help reduce the appearance of dark spots, it can also lead to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation that can worsen melasma. If done incorrectly, dermaplaning can also lead to scarring or infection.
Dermaplaning post-care includes avoiding direct sun exposure, gently cleansing the skin and maintaining skin hydration. You’ll want to use a gentle cleanser to wash your face and avoid harsh skin care treatments like retinol for a few days.
Always apply a moisturizer after cleansing to seal in moisture and reduce irritation. Protect your skin with shade, clothing and sunscreen as part of your aftercare routine to prevent sun damage and dark spots. Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher for maximum protection.
Dermaplaning can benefit people with textured skin, fine lines or acne scars. While results like smooth, bright skin are temporary, consistent dermaplaning can help increase cell and collagen turnover to smooth fine lines and acne scars.
Dermaplaning is a gentler exfoliation treatment than chemical peels, laser skin resurfacing or dermabrasion. You will likely notice some redness and swelling after the treatment.
It is important to see a licensed dermatologist or esthetician for dermaplaning to avoid risks such as scarring, infection, and hyperpigmentation.