The Downside of Dermaplaning

This is a skincare service that is on the rise. I see it all over Instagram, and how much estheticians love dermaplaning! Yes, I imagine it is quite satisfying to remove fuzz and skin cells because there is something to show the client- immediate gratification.

In my educated opinion, this is a trend that should be avoided.

Unfortunately the skin is not as simple as a piece of wood to be shaved down to reveal healthy, glowing skin- it is a lot more complex.

The skin’s immediate immune system has 4 major players: Sebum/oil, stratum corneum/armor layer, langerhan cells, and hair.

These defense layers are in place to keep the younger and newer cells beneath the surface healthy, hydrated, and thriving in order to make their journey from birth to death as they perform key functions for healthy skin along the way.

Dermaplaning removes almost all of the skin’s immune system. Hair, oil and the stratum corneum are removed leaving skin inflamed, susceptible to disease and infections, and unbalanced.

This ‘glow’ that comes immediately from the service is from an immune response and the excess oil that is produced as a protection mechanism to desperately try to protect the newly exposed skin.

The excess oil can create breakouts that certainly were not part of the dermaplaning promise. It can cause rough skin texture as the stratum corneum goes on the defense and starts to thicken. Hyper-pigmentation can also occur as melanin goes into overdrive to protect the freshly wounded skin.

Dehydration will certainly occur as trans-epidermal water loss happens from damage to the cell wall. Dehydration = wrinkles!!

I cringe as I see the popularity of this service rise. Educate yourself before going in for the razor! Your skin will thank you.