10 Things You Need to Know If You're Considering Getting Your Face Shaved

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tori Crowther

• Dermaplaning is a way to get rid of hair and skin buildup on the face.
• The procedure utilises a surgical blade to shave the face.
• Our editor tried a dermaplaning facial and spoke with an aesthetic doctor about all of her burning dermaplaning questions – see below for her results.

I’ve always been intrigued by dermaplaning, a form of exfoliation which involves removing the fine hairs from the face with a surgical blade. Face shaving removes that annoying peach fuzz, creates the perfect base for makeup application, and, due to the fact it allows product to penetrate the skin better, leaves skin with an incredible glow. But I was cautious of trying it for two reasons. The first is that it’s yet another thing to add to my already long beauty regimen. I do really enjoy spending time looking after my skin, but adding more steps leaves less time to binge-watch my favorite TV shows. My second concern is probably what you’re all thinking: the dreaded fear that my hair would grow back thicker and faster. Spoiler: it didn’t.

I finally decided to take the plunge and tried the Egyptian Facial with Dr. David Jack, which includes dermaplaning. The good news? I lived to tell the tale. If you’re considering getting baby-soft, fuzz-free skin but have concerns, here are 10 things you need to know before getting it done (including some extremely candid photos of my experience).

Dermaplaning Doesn’t Hurt

Honestly, it sounds and looks a lot scarier than it is. Dermaplaning is safe, and the procedure doesn’t hurt, but it definitely isn’t a relaxing facial. The dermaplaning blade is similar to a regular razor, and the action of having the hair removed feels just like dry shaving, particularly on the upper lip, where there might be more hair. However, although it can feel a tiny bit uncomfortable at first, you get used to it quite easily, and it isn’t painful whatsoever.

Your Hair Will Not Grow Back Thicker or Faster After Dermaplaning

Dr. David says this is a total myth. You won’t grow a beard after getting dermaplaning. Your hair will grow back, but it will just look like it did before you had the treatment. If you naturally have darker hairs, they may appear thicker when they grow back, but that may simply be because you’ve forgotten what it was like before the treatment. “There is no scientific basis for this. A surgical blade is used, which just shaves the ends from the fine vellus hairs. Nothing happens to the follicles themselves, so the growth of the hair isn’t changed.”

You Aren’t Committed After 1 Session

This isn’t a treatment you absolutely have to commit to, however, repeated sessions do make treatments more effective. Dr. David says, “It can be a one-time treatment, but usually the best results for your skin longer term will be with repeated treatments. But doing it as a one-off will not do any harm to your skin.” This is something that I’ll probably only do once in a while when I feel like my skin needs extra exfoliation or before an event for better makeup application. However, if I had tried the treatment and decided I didn’t want to do it again, there wouldn’t be an issue considering my hair wouldn’t grow back any thicker or darker.

30 minutes After the Treatment:

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tori Crowther

Dermaplaning Affects How Well Your Skin Care Works

“The skin is stripped back to allow for better access and penetration of anti-ageing products.” I found my skin was drinking up everything I applied and gave me the most incredible glow, so get your best products ready, including retinol, vitamin C, and SPF. Dr. David said, “The main thing is that it improves the effects of active, antioxidant skin care by allowing better access to the deeper layers of the skin.” Sold!

Dermaplaning Works Better With a Peel

The facial first uses a “fruit-based glycolic acid peel, combined with salycylic and mandelic acid, which is followed by gently shaving the top layer of the skin. This exfoliation technique removes the waterproof upper layers of the skin to allow penetration and absorption of a series of anti-ageing advanced vitamin serums.” However, if you have sensitive skin, you don’t need a peel in conjunction with the dermaplaning, as shaving is an effective form of exfoliation on its own.

Dermaplaning at Home

Dr. David did not recommend doing this at home. However, there are some POPSUGAR employees who are huge fans of at-home dermaplaning, and, let’s be honest: lots of us try things at home that we “shouldn’t.” Typically, the biggest difference between having dermaplaning done by a professional versus doing your own at home is that the dermaplaning blades are different. Facialists use a surgical dermaplaning blade, which is a lot sharper than a dermaplaning blade you can purchase at the drugstore. If you plan to dermaplane at home, make sure you aren’t using a surgical blade.

Dermaplaning Lasts Around 6 Weeks

If you fall in love with the treatment, you can get it as often as every six weeks, as this is when the cells renew and hair grows back. You should be cautious of doing it too often, as this can over exfoliate your face and lead to complications. However, if you’re dermaplaning on your own at home using a nonsurgical blade, you can do it a little more often, roughly every week or so.

3 Hours After:

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tori Crowther

Your Skin Will Feel Weird and Dry After Dermaplaning

And by weird, I mean you will feel everything on your face. Blowing a hair out of your face? It will feel bizarre. I didn’t realise how much those tiny hairs block things from your face. Also, stray hairs were sticking to my face a bit like lip gloss. As for the dryness, I was expecting a little more dryness than normal, but nothing that a few sheet masks or thicker night cream couldn’t solve. Oh, how wrong I was. I didn’t wear makeup for three days after the treatment because I had to apply moisturiser to my face during the day, multiple times a day. I have dry and dehydrated skin anyway, so that’s something to bear in mind if this is an issue for you. I’d recommend carrying around a mist for a week after your treatment to combat any dryness and tightness through the day.

There Is No Downtime After Dermaplaning

Your skin will be red afterwards. Mine was very red for about two hours afterwards, but it didn’t hurt at all. By the end of the day, I was glowing! Dr. David notes that “usually, the skin is a little red and sensitive immediately after the treatment and can be a little dry for a couple of days following it. However, downtime is fairly minimal, and you should be able to go about as normal afterwards. Sometimes in people with active acne, it can create more redness for a few days, so this is something to consider.”