DERMAPLANING
A single-use surgical blade is drawn gently across the skin to lift away dead cells and the fine vellus hair that traps them. The result is skin so smooth that makeup looks different on it.
WHAT IT ACTUALLY DOES
Dermaplaning removes the outermost layer of dead skin cells and the soft downy hair on your face in the same pass. That hair is not the problem in itself, but it holds onto dead cells, oil and makeup, which is why skin can look dull and powdery even when you are looking after it. Taking both away leaves a surface that reflects light evenly. It is also the single best preparation for a facial or a serum, because nothing is blocking the way in.
THE MYTH, ANSWERED
This is the question everyone asks and almost nobody gets a straight answer to, so here it is properly.
Vellus hair grows back exactly as it was. Cutting a hair does not change the follicle that produced it or the hormones that control it.
A cut hair has a blunt tip rather than a tapered one, so for a few days it can feel slightly coarse to the touch.
Within two to three weeks the hair returns to its normal softness and its normal length. Nothing has changed.
Coarse dark hair on the chin or upper lip is a different hair type. We do not dermaplane over it and would suggest laser instead.
If this were turning soft hair into stubble, it would not be one of the most popular treatments in aesthetics.
WHAT CAN DERMAPLANING HELP WITH?
This is a finish treatment rather than a corrective one. It makes good skin look excellent, and it is the one to book a few days before something you will be photographed at.
WHAT TO EXPECT
The treatment takes about thirty minutes on clean dry skin and is completely painless. Most clients describe it as a light scraping, closer to relaxing than anything else. There is no downtime at all and the smoothness is obvious the moment you touch your face. Avoid acids and retinoids for two to three days, and wear sunscreen, because the fresh surface is more sun sensitive. Most clients repeat every four weeks, which matches the natural skin cycle.
FAQ’s
It will not. The follicle and the hormones that control hair growth are completely untouched by a blade passing over the surface. What people notice is that a freshly cut hair has a blunt end instead of a tapered one, so it can feel slightly coarser for a few days. Within two to three weeks it is back to exactly as it was.
Not at all. There is no numbing and no needles. The sensation is a light scraping, which most clients find oddly satisfying. The blade is single use and disposed of after your appointment.
For most people it does the opposite, because removing dead cells and trapped oil leaves pores clearer. If you have active inflammatory acne or cystic breakouts we will not dermaplane over them, because dragging a blade across inflamed skin can spread bacteria and make things worse. We will treat you once that has settled.
Two to three days ahead is the sweet spot. Skin has settled completely, the smoothness is at its best, and makeup will apply better than you are used to. It is the most reliable pre-wedding and pre-photo treatment we offer precisely because nothing can go visibly wrong with it.
We avoid dermaplaning over active acne, cold sores, open skin, sunburn or a rosacea flare. If you have very reactive skin or use a prescription retinoid, tell us so we can time it properly. We also do not dermaplane coarse terminal hair on the chin or upper lip, because that hair type behaves differently and laser is the better answer for it.
