What You Should Know Before Your First Dermaplaning Appointment

These days, there are so many beauty trends and high-tech skincare treatments that it’s challenging to keep track of all of them. One treatment lauded by Hollywood starlets and suburban moms alike is dermaplaning. The process involves swiping a sharp blade across the skin to remove skin cells and unwanted vellus hairs on the face.

The dermaplaning process looks scary and sounds complicated, but it’s a relatively simple way to rejuvenate your skin, reduce the appearance of flaws, and achieve a smoother, healthier complexion. After a few sessions, you’ll see significant improvements in the tone and texture of your skin.

What Is Dermaplaning?

From an outside perspective, the dermaplaning process looks and sounds exceptionally intimidating. A licensed clinician takes an incredibly sharp, medical-grade scalpel and swipes it along skin held taught to remove excess dead skin cells and “peach fuzz” or vellus hairs on the face and neck.

Although the idea of having a sharp blade held to your face seems daunting, it is a totally painless and non-invasive process. Some patients even report an enjoyable, soft, tickling sensation similar to a baby touching your face when undergoing dermaplaning. Dermaplaning can be done on the cheeks, forehead, nose, chin, and neck to improve tone and texture. With a few dermaplaning sessions, your skin will look and feel softer and more refreshed.

What To Expect During Your Dermaplaning Session

If you’ve booked your appointment already, take some time to familiarize yourself with the dermaplaning process. This information will help to ease any uncertainty or anxiety about your upcoming treatment. The method may vary slightly from clinic to clinic, but most dermaplaning sessions will include the following steps:

1. The esthetician will cleanse your skin to remove oils, bacteria, and dirt before starting the process.
2. Your skin will be patted clean with a fresh towel.
3. Typically, argan oil is applied to the skin. This allows the blade to glide effortlessly over the skin during the process.
4. The esthetician will hold the skin taught and glide the blade at a 45-degree angle to remove hair and dead skin cells painlessly.
5. Once all affected areas are scraped, a warm towel is used to remove excess hair and skin cells and relax you.
6. Moisturizers or serums are applied after the treatment.

What Are the Benefits of Dermaplaning?

Similar to other popular skincare treatments like microdermabrasion and chemical peels, dermaplaning is a process that improves the texture and appearance of the skin on the face and neck. Some of the benefits of dermaplaning include:

• Removes unwanted peach fuzz
• Removes dead skin cells
• Reduces the appearance of acne scars
• Reduces dark spots and wrinkles
• Decreases signs of aging
• Helps skin absorb topical treatments readily

Dermaplaning is a fantastic skincare treatment choice for people looking for deep facial exfoliation, painless hair removal, and smoother textured skin.

How To Prepare for Your First Dermaplaning Appointment

Dermaplaning is an entirely non-invasive and pain-free procedure with very minimal recovery time. However, the patient must prepare in the two weeks preceding the procedure to ensure that the maximum benefits of the process take hold.

Consult a Reputable Esthetician

Do not attempt to DIY dermaplaning with drug-store razors or peach fuzz removers. Regardless of how simple the dermaplaning process seems, remember that only licensed, reputable practitioners should provide the treatment. Consult your dermatologist for local recommendations of licensed professionals who can accurately evaluate your skin and whether dermaplaning is the right treatment for you.

Avoid Sun Exposure

If your skin is even slightly burnt, an esthetician cannot get to work on any type of skincare treatment. Avoid sun exposure, especially if you are prone to sunburns and redness, in the week or two leading up to your dermaplaning appointment.

Stop Exfoliating

At least three to five days before your procedure, stop exfoliating altogether. The dermaplaning process already takes exfoliation to the extreme, so the extra abrasive topicals aren’t necessary. If you continue to use chemical and manual exfoliators at home, you are putting yourself at risk for over-exfoliation and irritation. It’s best to leave those creams and scrubs in the medicine cabinet for a few days before your dermaplaning treatment.

Get Waxing Out of the Way

Yes, the point of dermaplaning is to remove unwanted hair from the face. However, there is a difference between the short, translucent peach fuzz on your face and the terminal hair from your eyebrows, upper lip, or chin.

Waxing removes terminal hairs but also removes layers of skin cells on the face. Since dermaplaning also removes excess skin cells, schedule your waxing appointment at least two weeks before your skincare treatment to avoid any possible irritation afterward.

Had a Breakout? Time To Reschedule

Although one of the fantastic benefits of skincare treatments like dermaplaning is a reduction in the appearance of acne scars, the treatment isn’t appropriate for skin with active acne. If you’ve had a big breakout or even just one small pimple or lesion, it’s time to reschedule your appointment. It might seem disappointing to wait for a new session, but this ensures that the process is safe and produces results for you.

After Your Session

If you’ve taken the plunge and tried out dermaplaning, you’re probably excited to see all of the treatment’s positive effects right away. To guarantee the best results, and avoid irritation after the procedure, stay out of the sun and use gentle, cleansing face washes for a few days.

Once you’ve taken a few precautions, it’s time to look at the brand new you. You’ll notice a significant reduction in signs of aging and the appearance of dark spots and an overall improvement in skin texture.

Book Your Next Dermaplaning Appointment

Although you will notice some results within just days of your first dermaplaning appointment, it is best to undergo multiple sessions to see significant improvement in your skin. Contact a licensed skincare specialist for your next procedure. After a few sessions, you’ll notice substantial changes to your skin. With less peach fuzz and wrinkles, and reduced dark age spots, your face will be glowing in no time.