Dermaplaning

Shahnaz Husain *

Dermaplaning is the latest way women are exfoliating their faces. It is the act of shaving your face with a surgical blade held at a 45-degree angle that removes the top layers of your skin.

This treatment helps remove dead skin cells resulting in ultra-smooth, fresh, and brighter skin. It’s meant to exfoliate your skin and remove small, fine baby hairs that can make your face feel baby soft, and helps give you a smooth base for foundation.

Taking off the top layer of dead skin cells helps decrease fine lines and wrinkles. It prevents acne from forming, too. By removing the top layer of dead skin cells, dermaplaning prevents oils, dead skin, and debris from being trapped inside the follicle.

Actually, it is another method of exfoliation, which helps to get rid of dead skin cells, leaving the skin smooth, bright and glowing. The skin looks and feels much smoother. Exfoliation of the skin is done with scrubs or cleansing grains, which have an abrasive effective when applied and rubbed on the skin.

In certain methods, rotating brushes are used on the skin to remove build-up on the skin and dead skin cells. In dermaplaning, however, a scalpel is used to scrape the skin. The procedure removes the dead epithelial layer on the top of the skin.

Along with it, the light facial hair or “fuzz” is also removed, making the skin look much smoother, with or without make-up. This method has become popular with models and actresses. According to dermaplaning experts, it suits all skin types and is particularly suited to skin that has suffered damage, like acne scars or pits in the skin.

However, if you have acne or a rashy condition, it is better not to go in for dermaplaning and wait for the condition to subside. Some doubts have been expressed regarding dermaplaning, because a scalpel is used and skin is actually scraped.

The increase of facial hair, after dermaplaning, is one of the doubts, because the hair is actually cut. Also, soon after such procedures, it is better to protect the skin from sun-exposure. There are treatments with chemical exfoliants too. In some cases, AHA or alpha hydroxyl acids are used for peeling, which also helps to exfoliate the skin and remove scars.

These are obtained mainly from fruit acids. Similarly, there are glycolic peels and others. But chemical peels can have risks. That is why I devised Vegetable Peeling to minimize skin damage and improve skin texture.

The main idea behind the innovation is to eliminate the risks and make it safe. Also, many of the natural extracts actually benefit the skin. In vegetable peeling, plant extracts are used, along with certain procedures, to dermabrase the skin. This is done by rubbing the skin gently.

The effect is both gentle and safe on the skin. In fact, the plant extracts actually help to restore beauty and health to the skin. Vegetable Peeling is a clinical procedure and professional training is essential to carry out the treatments. Several sittings are required and the number of sittings depends on the extent or kind of scarring.

Pits or tiny depressions in the skin are common in acne scars. The pits in the skin may also become pigmented (dark), making the scars more apparent. So, these various factors have to be taken into consideration, while deciding on the treatment and the number of sittings.

According to those who support dermaplaning, the plus points are that it does not take much time. They say that the effect lasts much longer than other methods. It seems after dermaplaning, the skin’s absorption ability improves and skin care products are better absorbed. They, however, advise that after dermaplaning, the skin should be protected from sun-exposure by applying sunscreen.

There is also a word of warning…..do not try it at home. It is a clinical procedure. Find a reputed clinic and speak to those who have had it done before trying it. The results might not be as long-lasting as other hair-removal methods, such as waxing, as the hair is not removed from the root.

Women with active and cystic acne/open sores/with inflammatory skin conditions, such as eczema or psoriasis, should avoid this type of hair removal, as it can cause further irritation.

Also, it is contraindicated for women with hirsutism, a condition of excessive male-pattern hair growth in women. Finally, sunblock is important after a dermaplaning treatment. “Sunblock application is a must since you are exposing newly-exfoliated skin, as this skin is easily damaged by UV light.” The author is an internationally famed beauty expert and is called the herbal queen of India