The Ins and Outs of Dermaplaning Treatment

“Dermaplaning treatment? Is that even a word? Does it mean you are shaving your face? Why would you shave your face? Will that not just make your hair grow back darker and thicker?”

Those are the questions that flooded my mind while I was sitting in a chair at Charlotte Plastic Surgery, being briefed about the dermaplaning process by a licensed nurse injector. After clarifying that dermaplaning treatment is not the same as shaving your face and that my hair would not grow back to be darker and thicker, the nurse injector guaranteed that my blemish-prone skin would greatly benefit from the procedure.

What exactly is dermaplaning?

It is a procedure in which a skin care specialist or aesthetician uses a scalpel-like tool to gently remove the top layer of dead, dull skin and peach fuzz from your face. It is not like a deep chemical peel, lest you think that you will come out with a red, sunburnt-looking face. Although you may experience minor post-procedure peeling and dryness, you will not be out of commission for days like you would with a traditional chemical peel.

Why dermplaning in Charlotte NC? Along with removing dull, dead skin and peach fuzz from your face, dermaplaning should give your skin an instant dewy, youthful glow. Not only will your skin look healthier, but it will be able to easily absorb moisturizer and other facial products that help improve your skin quality. Smooth, post-procedure skin even provides a smoother palette on which your makeup can be applied.

Along with these benefits, dermaplaning may help those individuals suffering from blemishes and breakouts. By scraping off the top layer of facial skin, dermaplaning allows toxins and facial build up to be released and removed, which often helps improve skin quality for those people who suffer from acne breakouts. However, if you suffer from cystic acne, dermaplaning is not recommended and you should consult your Dermatologist before trying a dermaplaning treatment.

Before walking you through the dermaplaning process and my experience in the esthetician’s chair, there is one issue that we need to address: DIY dermaplaning. You may be asking yourself, “Is this a treatment that I can perform at home?”

Performing an at-home dermaplaning treatment is risky. Sure, there are websites that offer the dermaplaning scalpel sets and skincare creams at a fraction of the cost of spas and skincare centers. Now, let’s all admit that we are human and that saving money is enticing. However, you get what you pay for.

You pay for the professional expertise of licensed skin care specialists, sterile tools, proven pre- and post-procedure skincare lines, and an overall clean environment. By visiting a medical spa or skincare center, you are almost always guaranteed to have experts treating your skin.

What happens if you perform a dermplaning treatment at home on yourself? Likely, the procedure will not get you the desired results. The scalpel-like blades sold online are not the same grade as those used in skin care centers, so more-likely-than-not you will lack the post-procedure glow. Also, the risk of infection and irritation heightens due to the lack of a non-sterile environment. Basically, you pay a fraction of the price to do DIY dermaplaning, but you may be one of the many people who will experience unwanted side effects like deep, cystic acne and other various skin infections. Personally, I don’t think that sounds like fun.

After that cautionary warning, back to the dermaplaning process!

My Dermaplaning Experience at Charlotte Plastic Surgery

There were a lot of unfortunate instances with breakouts and blemishes that led me to this chair at Charlotte Plastic Surgery. In fact, the first time I tested out eyebrow shaping was with a razor blade in middle school, and now most of these experiences are chronicled by pictures hanging in my parents’ living room from seventh grade onward. Who knew that a photograph of me when I was student of the month in eighth grade could be so haunting? Cut back to the reclining, medical office chair I was sitting in while looking up at the nurse injector.

This spontaneous trial of dermaplaning was already guaranteed to yield better results than my unforgettable—and by “unforgettable,” I mean “highly regrettable”—teenage trial-by-fire eyebrow shaving and blemish removal experiments since I was in a professional’s hands. As the procedure began, I quickly forgot about the last times I put a razor to my face and started to enjoy the experience.

When the tiny scalpel-like tool touched my face, I was immediately surprised by the light, relaxing sensation. Honestly, this procedure felt like a really good facial—like scratching an itch. Yes, it sounds anticlimactic when you think about what’s actually happening: a blade touching your face does not quite register as “relaxing,” but it’s the truth.

While the nurse injector at Charlotte Plastic Surgery was performing the procedure, we discussed how regular dermaplaning treatments exfoliate the skin in a way that sugar scrubs and other at-home exfoliants cannot. Scrubs cannot remove enough dull, dead skin to release toxins and impurities that are built up under the top layer of facial skin. The ability to release and remove these trapped toxins helps reduce acne breakouts.

After the dermaplaning procedure, I immediately noticed that I had naturally glowing, vibrant, youthful skin! By sluffing off the peach fuzz and dead skin cells, my skin tone and complexion drastically improved. My skin was not even that bright and pretty when I was 19!

Now, months after my initial dermaplaning treatment, I am noticing the long-term benefits of this procedure. I have not had to use as much moisturizer, makeup, and other facial creams because my skin is more easily absorbing smaller amounts of these products. Dead skin cell build-up and peach fuzz can often prevent your skin from absorbing all of the products that you diligently and evenly put on your skin every day, which costs you money in the long run.

Also, coming from someone who has battled blackhead breakouts since I was an early teenager, I am happy to report that my acne spots have drastically decreased. For me, this result is worth its weight in gold.

Along with these results, my skin is no longer red, inflamed, dry, and flakey after this procedure. For the past several weeks, I get to lightly brush on my make up and go about my day feeling more confident than before.

All-in-all, I cannot stress enough how glad I am that I decided to participate in this on-a-whim procedure with the nurse injector at Charlotte Plastic Surgery. These last several months of treatments with an experienced skin specialist have given me high-quality results, and more self-confidence. I highly recommend getting in touch with Charlotte Plastic Surgery today to schedule your dermaplaning appointment. Once you have your first dermaplaning treatment, I promise you will wonder why you did not do it sooner!

Watch my dermaplaning treatment below to help you better imagine what it feels like it and witness some impressive peach fuzz tumble weeds.