Dermaplaning

Leaving you with smooth skin that radiates

Dermaplaning is a type of exfoliation technique that uses a specially made blade at a 45 degree angle to remove the dead skin cells from the face. Whilst it may sound scary, using the blade at this angle in conjunction with pulling the skin tight, maximises the impact of the treatment, whilst minimising the change of being cut or scratched.

As dermaplaning is a manual exfoliation technique, it is much more effective at removing dead skin cells compared to other exfoliation techniques as well as the added benefit of removing unwanted facial hair.

Many are concerned that the hair removed in the process of dermaplaning will come back thicker and darker but this isn’t the case as hair on the face contains different DNA to that nouns under the arms, on the legs and the hair on your head, meaning that the hair doesn’t actually know how to grow any differently.

What it does mean however, is that not only does your skin feel super smooth and soft, but your make up will sit better and your skin will appear brighter as the sun reflects from your skin, rather than the hair on your face.

Ultimately, if you invest in your skin and use cleaning products, dermaplaning is a fantastic way to compliment that, as removing the dead layer of skin means that your products are able to be more effective in what they do, otherwise it’s like using a colander to empty a boat full of water, it’ll work eventually but it’ll take longer and definitely isn’t the most effective way of doing it!

Watch our short introduction to dermaplaning by clicking here

Case Study

P came to us having never had dermaplaning before, but being conscious of how much darker and duller it made her skin look along with her dark skin tone, she wanted to have a go. After dermaplaning half of her face, we couldn’t believe the difference at how much brighter and healthier she looked and we see her regularly, and is one of our longest standing patients, having followed her through her under graduate degree and now her PHD!

Why Come To Us For Treatment?

We are proud of the face that we work with our patients and not on them and are a highly recommended skin clinic based in Havant, near Portsmouth with a 5 star Excellent rating on Trust Pilot, Google and Facebook. If you read our reviews you will see that we are committed to making sure our patients feel at ease, whilst providing high quality, professional medical treatments.

We always put you in the centre of everything we do, we listen and advise based on your goals (not ours!) and will never over promise the result of a treatment. We are fully committed investing in our own education and learning and always do everything we can to ensure your safety at all times.

Click here to book your treatment

In a Nutshell

What does it treat?

Fine lines and wrinkles, prevents make up from caking on the skin, plumps up the skin, can help with hyperpigmentation, can help the skin appear brighter and healthier, enables skin care products to work more effectively.

How long does it take?
About 10-15 minutes
Will I get numbed?
No, you don’t need it!
How long will it take to recover?
No Downtime at all

When can I go back to work?
Straight away
How long before I get a result?
Straight away
How risky is it?
Very minimal

Frequently Asked Questions

How is dermaplaning carried out?

Dermaplaning is carried out using a special rounded blade called a 10R which is specifically designed for dermaplaning. The skin is pulled tight over your underlying anatomy and the blade is scraped over your skin at a 45 degree angle under slight pressure which removes both the hair and the dead skin cells, without damaging the healthy skin underneath. It is good practice to cleanse and tone your skin prior to the treatment, and to apply moisturiser and SPF afterwards as your skin will be vulnerable to the elements for several days afterwards.

Does dermaplaning hurt?

If your derma planing treatment hurts, then is hasn’t been carried out correctly. However, as a blade is being used, there will always be a small risk of having a cut, although the blades are so sharp, you probably wouldn’t feel it anyway!

What does dermaplaning feel like?

It feels very similar to if you shaved another part of your body but without some sort of gliding fluids. Afterwards however, you can feel the freshness on your face (including the chill of the wind!) and for as for the days after that, your skin will feel super smooth!

What will my skin look like after dermaplaning?

Your skin will look a little more glowing rather than red from trauma. It will also look fresh and healthy and so much brighter as the light is allowed to reflect off of your face, rather than the hair on your face which can make your skin look really full.

Do you use oil when dermaplaning?

We don’t use oil for derma planing as we don’t find it benefit due to it encouraging the blade to blunt and whilst causing an obstruction and preventing us from removing the hair as efficiently. Some practitioners also argue that it’s an infection risk, but as the skin shouldn’t be broken with a dermaplaning treatment we don’t feel this is the case.

Are there any dos and donts for before and/or after a dermaplaning treatment?

We do not advise to use retinol for a week before or after a dermaplaning treatment. We also don’t advise having any waxing carried out two weeks either side, nor have any laser treatments carried out 4 weeks either side of dermaplaning.

It is also vital to wear a high SPF for at least a week after your treatment and to avoid getting your body temperature up and exposing your face directly to heat (for example through the use of hair dryers or opening the over door!).

Does dermaplaning get rid of fine lines?

Dermaplaning on its own is unlikely to remove fine lines, but it can definitely help to plump the skin up and reduce the appearance of them. Furthermore, when you don’t have the dead layer of skin cells sat on your face, your make up doesn’t cake which means fine lines are less apparent when you wear make up!

Can I have dermaplaning with a chemical peel?

Yes! Chemical Peels are at their most effective when you combine with a dermaplaning treatment because the peel doesn’t have to work through the dead, outer layer of skin before it starts to work. It may however mean that you feel the peel more, and you may find that you don’t flake or peel as much because the outer layer has already been removed through dermaplaning.

Can I combine dermaplaning with any other treatment?

As well as Chemical Peels, Dermaplaning works really well for the skin when combined with Microneedling, also known as Collagen Induction Therapy. The reason for this is that dermaplaning works by removing the outer layer of skin whilst Microneedling creates channels for the glide used during the treatment to travel down into the deeper layers of skin. When the outer layer has been removed, it means that the glide (such as hyaluronic acid) can work on both the inside and outside layers of the skin which means the skin is being treated across all layers, maximising the impact of both treatments.

Can dermaplaning help with acne?

Acne is caused by hair follicles becoming blocked. As dermaplaning removes the outer layer of skin, it reduces the possibility of the follicles becoming blocked and therefore, can help in preventing acne from occurring. Dermaplaning as a treatment however, can encourage the skin to purge and you may find that you get a few spots after treatment (which can be normal in any treatment that stimulated the face).

If you want to find out more about purging, why not read out blog here

Will the hair grow back thicker or darker after dermaplaning?

Hair can be one of two types, terminal, which is the type of corse hair found on our heads and under our armpits, and velours hair, which is the peach fuzz found all over the majority of our bodies, including out face. Our hair grows the way it does depending on its type and this is because of its DNA make up which means that cutting it will not affect how it’s told to grow, and therefore, the hair will not grow back thicker or darker, unless it was thick and dark to start with (if it did, we would look like cousin it by now!)

Why not read our our own hair re-growth journey here

Can dermaplaning cause spots?

Any new product or treatment you have that stimulated the skin can cause it to pursue and spots to occur. This is also a good reason why whenever you start using a new product, you should always give it a few weeks to get used to your skin before making an assumption about whether it works or not.

If you want to find out more about purging, why not read out blog here

Once I have had dermaplaning, do I have to keep having it?

No, once you’ve had dermaplaning once, you don’t need to keep having it, but, once you’ve felt how smooth your skin is, you will probably want to come back again and again anyway!

Can I do dermaplaning at home?

If you want to find out more about purging, why not read out blog hereWhilst you can buy dermaplaning kits to use at home, there would be a few things to think about.

The first, is whether you can dispose of the clade correctly and safely, if not, you may put yourself and others at risk of receiving a cut. The second, is that trying to get the right ankle to run the blade over your face without cutting yourself, is actually really difficult (trust us, we’ve tried!). Finally, if you don’t carry out the technique properly, or try and re-use a blade, you will run the risk of making your skin very sore and possibly even cutting it and causing an infection.

How often do I have to get dermaplaning and how long does it last for?

Your skin shed approximately every 28 days and therefore dermaplaning can take place every 4 weeks. If you were to carry out a dermaplaning treatment any sooner than this, you would run the risk of causing a lot of trauma to the skin can damaging the layers which can cause scarring, infection and pigmentation.

What are the risks of dermaplaning?

The main risk of dermaplaning is being cut. This can happen with even the most experienced of practitioners and is especially risky around the area of the mouth where there isn’t as much room to move the blade and due to the fact that there is often talking going on whilst the treatment is being carried out!

Can I have dermaplaning if I have hormone disorders such as polycystic ovaries?

Whilst some practitioners may carry out dermaplaning on those who suffer from polycystic ovaries, we do not feel that it would be appropriate as the corse hair that grows on the face of PCOS patients tend to be terminal hair and is likely to grow back thicker and darker.

If you have polycystic ovaries and would like to find out what the alternatives there are for removing facial hair, please read our blog here.