Dermaplaning: Should You Shave Your Face in the Name of Beauty?

Shaving is no longer restricted only to your legs, bikini area, and underarms.

January 10, 2022 4 minutes read
Woman in bathrobe holding a razor

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With the seemingly endless pandemic and coming in-and-out of quarantine, this beauty trend is still No.1 at-home skincare treatment. It involves full-face shaving, or dermaplaning, for women, started by TikTok and YouTube beauty influencers back in 2016. And by 2020, it's completely taken hold of social media.

However, this skin-rejuvenating technique isn't exactly new – Japanese women used facial razors to remove peach fuzz and dead skin cells ages ago. Still, the trend keeps on living and growing in popularity.

Curious to know why? Keep on reading to find out how dermaplaning can lead to younger and baby-smooth skin. We'll also share some useful tips on how to do it safely at home.

What Is Dermaplaning?

While shaving your face may sound daunting to many ladies, it really isn't. You can even do it yourself at home, as long as you follow some basic rules and guidelines that we'll share later on in this article.

Dermaplaning is a beauty treatment that involves using a scalpel, razor, or specialized shaving tool for gentle removal of the dead skin cells and vellus hair, i.e., peach fuzz. Essentially, it's an exfoliating technique that's done by scraping the outermost layer of the skin, stratum corneum, inducing cell turnover and faster skin rejuvenation.

What Are the Benefits of Dermaplaning?

woman looking in the mirror

Dermaplaning is much more than just removing your facial hair. Some of its most incredible benefits include:

But, you may wonder – Isn't shaving my facial hair make them grow back darker and thicker? According to the experts, this won't happen as shaving won't change the structure of your hair follicles. You're only cutting the hair off at its base, which is thicker than the ends of the hair.

So, while the hairs might feel a little coarser once they start growing back, they aren't really thicker – they will eventually grow at the same thickness and texture as before.

Is Dermaplaning Safe?

It's generally considered a safe procedure for most people. However, those with very sensitive skin or skin conditions, such as rosacea, keratosis pilaris, or cystic acne should probably avoid it.

Temporary dermaplaning side effects may occur right after the treatment, such as redness, irritation, and itching. This should go away within a few hours or a day. However, if these side effects persist or get worse, it's best to visit a dermatologist.

Another possible longer-term side effect is ingrown hairs. Once baby hairs start growing back, their blunt end may make them impossible to resurface, and they may end up ingrown.

If this is the case with you and you notice ingrown hairs after the first treatment, you should stop with dermaplaning. Instead, opt for a different exfoliating technique, with AHAs or BHAs for example.

How to Dermaplane at Home

First, you'll need a clean and sharp tool. You can use a facial hair trimmer, an eyebrow shaper, or a regular razor you would use on your legs (as long as you use a fresh one, straight out of the box). So here's your step-by-step guide to dermaplaning at home:

Step #1: Before you start, make sure to cleanse your face and dry it thoroughly. Your skin should be clean, dry, and without any products on it;

Step #2: While holding the razor in one hand, use the other to tighten the skin slightly upwards and hold it in place (this way, you'll avoid any accidental nicks);

Step #3: Position the razor at a 45-degree angle against the skin, then move it downwards, using short and feathery strokes (you can go with or against the grain, whatever feels the most comfortable for you);

Step #4: Move the razor from your ear, along the jawline, and toward your chin, then do the whole cheek, chin, and upper lip;

Step #5: When you are done with the chin, cheeks, and jawline, move on to the nose, forehead, temples, and neck (avoid eyelids and the sides of your nose). It's also important to note not to repeat areas you've already covered;

Step #6: Once done with dermaplaning, wash your face with just water or a gentle cleanser to remove any excess hair, and then apply your serum and moisturizer. And of course, sunscreen is a must to protect your new baby-smooth skin.

If you want a more intense exfoliation, you can apply a gentle AHA after shaving. However, go for extra exfoliation only after you've done dermaplaning several times. This will allow your skin to adjust, and you'll perfect your dermaplaning skills to the point there's no nicks or irritation after the treatment.

Takeaway...

So, dermaplaning at home could be a non-invasive solution to a number of skin woes, like rough patches, dull complexion, or fine lines. As long as you're careful with it, use feather pressure, and short strokes, you're good to go. And of course, focus your attention on proper aftercare – use hydrating skincare and sunscreen.

On the other hand, if you have acne, rosacea, eczema, or other inflammatory skin conditions, skip on shaving your face for now.

FAQs

Is it OK to Dermaplane at home?

You can dermaplane at home as long as you do it on the clean and dry face. You should avoid it if you have some inflammatory skin disease, cystic acne, keratosis pilaris, or generally sensitive skin.

What should you put on your face before dermaplaning?

Before you start shaving or dermaplaning you need to cleanse your face and pat it dry thoroughly. Continue without putting any products or oils on your skin.

Should you Dermaplane dry or wet?

To get all the benefits from dermaplaning and avoid cuts, your face must be completely dry and free of any skincare products.

What can go wrong with dermaplaning?

After dermaplaning, you may notice some redness and, sometimes, itchiness. However, these side effects should dissipate after a few hours or a day; if they persist, your skin probably has a really bad reaction to it, and you shouldn't do it again. In addition, you may notice some ingrown hairs after a while.

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