So I Tried Dermaplaning... — Natalie Said So

I’m 32, and I’m getting to the age where things are starting to...change.

*eye roll*

*barf*

*crying face emoji*

(Ugh, that hurt me to type out!)

I’ve never done botox or any other fillers. I think I’ve had one facial in my life, and I bought it from some random place on groupon. I knew of various skin treatments and procedures but tended to research obsessively and not participate.

A few months ago I asked one of my clients with gorgeous, glowing skin who her aesthetician was because, quite frankly, my skin was really pissing me off. Thankfully, I’ve never had major skin issues, which is probably what made the occurrence so frustrating. This wasn’t what I would classify as a complete crisis, but my skin was just weird. (I later discovered the culprits — stress and a highly fragranced cleanser. Dangit!) Needing to get things under control ASAP, I booked an appointment with Jenna @ Anastacia Skin Studio.

The girl that scheduled my appointment suggested I try dermaplaning. She said it was one of their most popular services, and it was a good first step. I didn’t really know what to expect initially, but after my first service I was hooked! I thought I’d post about it in case any of you have been on the fence about trying this out.

*SPOILER ALERT* I highly recommend it!

So what is it? Dermaplaning is where a surgical scalpel is used to remove dead skin and vellus hair (AKA "peach fuzz”) from your face. Sounds kinda gross and awesome, right? Keep reading!

Here are some fast facts:

You need to go to a professional. The scalpel is for real! Don’t trust just anyone to do this, and don’t attempt this yourself.

It’s a quick procedure. I added on a peel during my service, and it still only took 30 minutes. Talk about a productive way to spend your lunch break!

It’s very affordable! Pricing varies, but the skin studio I’ve been going to is $50 for dermaplaning and $20 for a peel following the procedure. I get both because I’m trying to do the most, but you could just do dermaplaning and get a great result!

There is no downtime. Your skin may be red afterwards. I was more red the first time than I was the second time, but it wasn’t anything alarming.

It does not hurt! Those with a low threshold of pain (like me), rejoice! The first time I went, I didn’t even know we were getting started. Jenna said, “It kind of feels like a cat licking you in the face,” and I would say that’s very accurate.

Your hair won’t grow back thicker. Your face will only have hair in the areas it should for a while. So you can skip the lip wax! I’ve heard from some people that they didn’t like the way it felt when their vellus hair grew back, but mine was neither darker nor thicker than before. Sometimes it can feel different because the hair is blunt from the scalpel, but that was not my experience.

This is what dead skin cells and vellus hair look like when they're scraped off your face! It's gross, but just imagine what it looks like if you leave it on there 😳

In my mind I screamed out, "OMG I'M CHEWBACCA." In reality it came out, "Oh, wow, that's a lot of hair..." But Jenna said it wasn't that much, so 💁🏼

You can wear makeup immediately after. I like to let my skin breathe for a bit post-treatment, but if you need to wear makeup, you absolutely can.

This service can be performed on any skin type. Dermaplaning didn’t exacerbate my weird breakout. Also, my skin is typically pretty dry, and this service had me GLOWING. If this is your first dive into skin procedures and skincare in general, you could experience a breakout if you haven’t been taking care of your skin. But you should still do it! Get that bad stuff outta there and get that gorgeous, glowing skin!

You gotta wear sunscreen. Funny story — your skin is infinitely more sensitive when you get it razored off. If you get a sunburn, it will be an ultra-penetrative one. There’s no point in even doing this service if you aren’t going to baby your skin afterwards, as sun exposure is the primary cause of aging skin.

You will get more out of your existing skincare products. This service allows your products to penetrate more deeply, so you’ll get the most out of those serums, moisturizers, masks, etc. I’ve transitioned to mostly clean skincare, and I can really tell a difference after my appointment.

Your makeup will go on smoother. Now that you aren’t having to bust through all that facial hair, makeup application is smooth and almost airbrushed looking. I also felt like I didn’t have to use as much makeup as I normally would (likely because of the lack of hair).

Rebook every 4-6 weeks for maximum results. Dermaplaning increases cell turnover, which is our goal, y’all! Everyone’s skin is different, so ask a professional when is best for you to rebook your next appointment.

So this is the mildly terrifying part, BUT HERE IS MY NAKED FACE, INTERNET.

These are my results after my second treatment. Left is before, and right is after. My skin is noticeably radiant and smooth and poreless and its highest self in that photo on the right. My hair, on the other hand...........

Because dermaplaning increases cell turnover, it helps minimize the appearance of fine lines and acne scars. I can definitely tell a difference, and the procedure has motivated me to take even better care of my skin. I've been using my Clarisonic religiously and committing to a full regimen before bed instead of my old school 'scrub everything off with a face wipe and hope for the best' move.

So what do you think? Are you going to try it?