Our ongoing quest to achieve baby-soft skin isn’t as impossible as it seems. We’ve dabbled with acids and other exfoliating treatments, but have you ever considered reaching out for the blade to exfoliate? If you haven’t, consider trying dermaplaning. Now, this treatment may sound daunting at first, because essentially you’re shaving your facial hairs, or more specifically, vellus hairs, with a small razor — but it’s actually a fuss-free alternative that you can try at home.

But before you start shaving your face with a shaver, you should know that dermaplaning is different from shaving, even though it’s similar to how a shaver works. Read on to find out what you need to know about this treatment that many beauty aficionados swear by.

WHAT IS DERMAPLANING?

Used as a form of physical exfoliation, dermaplaning works to get rid of any unwanted facial hair — or as others would call it ‘peach fuzz’ — on your face, while removing any dead skin cells which may have attributed to the dullness or unevenness of your skin. As you apply your skincare products, you’ll also notice that some of your products might just be sitting on top of your hairs, matting it down instead of fully absorbing into the skin.

However, it’s also important to note that dermaplaning doesn’t replace your exfoliator and it should be accompanied by other exfoliating treatments throughout your skincare regime in the week.

WHY ARE PEOPLE DOING IT?

With dermaplaning becoming more commonplace over the last few years, people are starting to appreciate the effects the treatment has on the skin. Some of these benefits include making your makeup go on smoother and getting more bang out of your products.

HOW IT’S DONE

It’s well recommended to visit a skin professional if you’re looking to try out this treatment. For instance, skin clinics such as The Clifford Clinic in Singapore offer dermaplaning and other beauty services.

Nevertheless, you can also try this treatment at home with your own blade that comes with a guard on it, where you can get from any healthcare or beauty store, such as Watsons and Guardian, or even on Amazon. When using a blade with a guard on the edge, it’s safer for users as it reduces the likelihood of cutting yourself in comparison to a surgical blade which is commonly used in skin clinics.

It’s also essential to give your face a thorough cleanse before prepping your skin and ensuring that there is no leftover makeup residue on your face. Follow through by holding your skin taut and go in an upward motion with your blade to gently exfoliate your hairs off without exerting too much pressure to remove peach fuzz and dead skin cells. Most importantly, we’d highly suggest for you to not rush through the procedure and take things slowly to avoid cutting yourself.

HAIR REGROWTH

Thicker hair regrowth may often allude as one of the key concerns of dermaplaning, however, your hair will not grow back thicker or faster. In fact, it will grow back to how it would look like prior to the treatment. This is because dermaplaning involves shaving the ends from the fine vellus hairs. And so, nothing happens to the follicles themselves — so the growth of the hair isn’t changed.

WHO SHOULD AVOID DERMAPLANING?

If there’s anything else you need to know about this treatment — those with acne-prone skin should avoid trying this at all cost. Not only can it aggravate your pimples or cause more inflammation, but it can also promote the growth of bacteria for those with active acne and cold sores.