Skin care is a top priority among a lot of American women. In fact, women in the U.S. spend nearly one-quarter of a million dollars on skin care every year.
Women spend money on all kinds of skin care products and treatments, but many of them are centered around reducing the appearance of scars, fine lines, and wrinkles.
If you’re tired of acne scars, fine lines, and other skin problems, you might want to consider trying a treatment like dermaplaning.
Never heard of this treatment before? Not sure if it’s right for you?
Read on to learn everything you need to know about dermaplaning to help you decide whether or not you should try it.
What Is Dermaplaning?
Dermplaning is a skin treatment designed to smooth out the skin on the face. During a dermaplaning treatment, an aesthetician will use a special, surgical blade to gently shave off the hair on the face and scrape away the top layer of dead skin cells.
Dermaplaning helps to increase cellular turnover. It also stimulates the body’s production of collagen.
Collagen is a protein found in the skin, bones, muscles, and joints. It is essential to the structure of the skin, as well as its healing abilities and elasticity.
Some people are under the impression that dermaplaning will cause the hair on their face to grow back thicker and darker. This isn’t the case, though. Your hair will grow back exactly as it was before.
Benefits of Dermaplaning
There are lots of reasons to consider dermaplaning. Some of the greatest benefits of this procedure include:
- Softens rough, uneven skin
- Brightens the complexion
- Minimizes the appearance of mild scars
- Minimizes the appearance of hyperpigmentation
- Smooths out wrinkles and fine lines
Dermaplaning can also make other skin care treatments more effective.
By scraping away the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin, serums, moisturizers, and other products will be absorbed and take effect more easily. This will yield better, more consistent results.
Many people also combine dermaplaning with other treatments like microneedling, peels, and facials.
Ideal Candidates
Dermaplaning is considered to be a safe treatment for all skin types. Whether you struggle with fine lines, sun damage, or wrinkles, you can benefit from dermaplaning.
The following people are also considered to be good candidates for this treatment:
- You are in generally good health
- You struggle with wrinkles, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, or mild acne
- You have sensitive skin and don’t respond well to other treatments
- You do not have severe or inflamed acne
- You do not have any serious skin conditions (like shingles)
- You do not take any acne medications or blood-thinning medications
You can even undergo dermaplaning treatments if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. There are no chemicals involved, and it’s a non-invasive procedure, so it’s a great option for almost any woman.
What to Expect
At this point, you might be feeling interested in giving dermaplaning a try. At the same time, you might also be a bit unsure of what to expect during the treatment. You might be wondering if it will hurt or how much downtime you’ll need to prepare for before receiving the treatment.
Every experience with dermaplaning will be a bit different. Most treatments go something like this, though:
- Your skin will be gently cleansed and dried
- An aesthetician will use a sterile surgical blade to scrape away the hair and dead skin cells from the face (no anesthesia is necessary)
- The aesthetician will wipe away the dead skin cells and hair after the procedure is finished
That’s it! It couldn’t be simpler.
The best part, though, is that this treatment only takes about 20-30 minutes. There’s no downtime, either, and you’ll see results immediately. You could get your skin dermplaned on your lunch break and go right back to work if you really wanted!
How to Prepare
There’s not a lot you need to do prior to your dermaplaning appointment. As you can see, it’s a pretty straight forward procedure.
There are a few things you can do to prepare for your appointment, including the following:
- Stop exfoliating (with scrubs, serums, or other products) 3-5 days before your treatment.
- Avoid direct exposure to the sun 5-7 days before your treatment.
- Stop waxing or threading 1-2 weeks before your treatment.
- Reschedule your appointment if you have any acne lesions or open wounds.
- Wait to dermaplane until six months after you’ve stopped taking Accutane.
You might also want to consider scheduling an appointment for another skincare treatment after your skin is dermaplaned. Remember, dermaplaning can make these treatments more effective.
Since dermaplaning is painless and doesn’t take very long, why not consider adding something else on and making a full spa day out of the experience?
Proper Aftercare
There’s no downtime associated with a dermaplaning procedure. But, there are still some steps you’ll need to take to take care of your skin and promote proper healing.
After your treatment, your skin might be a little red or feel a little dry. Other than that, you shouldn’t notice any side effects. In order to see the best results, be sure to follow these guidelines:
- Avoid direct sun exposure for about one week
- Avoid spending time in the sauna or hot tub for at least 24 hours
- Avoid exercise for 24 hours
- Avoid exfoliating products for at least 24 hours
- Avoid applying makeup to the skin for 24 hours
After the first 24 hours, you can go back to your regular skincare and makeup routine.
If you follow these steps, you’ll be more likely to experience great, longer-lasting results and be satisfied with your treatment.
Try Dermaplaning Today
Dermaplaning might sound intense at first, but it’s actually non-invasive and highly effective.
Now that you know more about dermaplaning and its benefits, are you interested in giving this treatment a try?
If you are and you live in or around Western North Carolina, come see us at Harpe Laser & Wellness.
We offer a variety of treatments here, including dermaplaning, Botox, dermal fillers, and more. Schedule an appointment with us today!